, 1865-04-14

is set aside and mob rule prevails for any great
length of time, everything is thrown into con-
fusion and disorder. But even mob rule is some
times deemed justi6able, where thieves and
vagabonds disregard all law and attempt to
rule. The thief always assumes to be in favor
of upholding the law, and is Mortified at the
bare mention of a mob At the same time, by
the thefts and lawless acts which he constantly
commits, he is doing that which incites popu-
lace to the mob spirit which he so persistently
condemns. AS long as punishment can be me-
ted out to the lawless persons in community
through the ordinary channels of justice, so
long will the well disposed and law-abiding peo-
pie refrain from any acts of yiolencej but when
the guilty fail to be punished according to the
requirements of law, the mob spirit will begin
to manifest itself. When from any cause the
guilty go unpunished, in whatever locality, the
lawless will find it out and flock toward that Ito
them) favored region. 1t is but natural that
thieves should congregate to the localities where
there is little or no chance for punishment. All
the worst thieves and desperadoes in the land
have made the country east of the Cascades their
home for the past two or three years. There
were no jails, penitentiaries or other buildings
for the safe keeping of prisoners, and lawless
characters had wide range of country to ram
BILE over, where they felt no fears of punishment
for any offences they might commit in violation
of the laws of the land. Murders, robberies and
outrages were committed on every hand But
this state of things could not last always, and
finally Vigilance organizations sprang up in
nearly all the mines throughout the upper
country Many of the lawless characters were
hung, while scores of them were driven out of
the mines. The Walla Walla valley had no
Vigilance organization, nor no Jail, certainly
none worthy the name. The desperadoes were
not long in discovering that this was a suit
able region for their operations, and they
Swarmed here in large numbers. Their presence
soon became known and their thieYing opera
tions were felt in no slight degree. In truth,
their operation were felt to such an extent that
there was scarcely a resident of the valley who
had not lost property of one kind or other. No
community, under such circumstances, could be
expected to remain in a state of tranquility,
and ours did not. Known thieves were pointed
out on every hand, and soon Vigilance Com
mite was organized, but for a while it seemed
to have no terrors for the thieving fraternity
Within the last week or So however, we judge
that the Vigilantes have been very active, for
light fingered gentry have thinned out wonder
fully. We guess the rogues discovered at last
that they couldn't establish claw and ORDER
leave. All the honest people in the valley will
rejoice at their departure. Thieves are terri
BILE nuisance, and while no honest person can
be found who has any respect for them, they in
turn have no respect for honest people-honest
people have no rights which they feel bound to
wide apart as the antpodes, and we trust the
thieves that have left will not stop this side of
China. Before new set of rogues are ready
to step into this county we shall have a good
Jail with strong cells to quarter them in when
they come Strong jails present great induce
ments for thieves to keep away, Snd the stronger
the Jail the greater the inducement. Our Jail
we hope will be very strong when it is fixed up.
Chain-gangs are said to have very negative at
traction for villains. They don't care so much
for the chain part but they despise the work
part. A chain gang is much talked of now in
connection with some much needy City improve
ments. If good Jail building won't establish
law and order chaing-gang certainly will.
-~~-~~-~~--@Or--~~------
A BAND OF HORSE THIEVES BROKEN UP.-The
Oregonian learns that band of horse thieves,
long in existence in Washington and Yamhill
counties, Oregon, has been broken up. The
Sheriff of one of the counties succeeded in ar
resting man in Polk county, who seemed to be
well posted in regard to the order. He proved
to be witness on the part of the State, and his
revelations have implicated no less than about
forty others, whom the officers after, or have
already arrested. Their base of operations has
been Yamhill, principally, with a cache in the
adjoining county, for receiving the horses and
stolen goods. One of the principals, man
named Hembree, was so closely pressed before
his capture that he killed horse, which he had
stolen from an Aunt, to secrete it. Quite num-
Der of this band of the gang becoming fearful of
arrestleftthe State. The 0regonian Surmises that
the skeedaddlers left for "Gwindom," but we
think it probable that a few, possibly majority
of them, found their way to the east side of the
Cascade mountains, as band of about forty
thieves have lately been perambulating the
country between Dalles and Walla Walla, taking
charge of other peoples stock without leave or
license It would be good thing for the coun-
try if all the thieves that infest it could be in
duced to go to Gwin's territory They would
make splendid food for powder, and on this head
we are in favor of encouraging "emigration to
Mexico" with the distinct understanding that
none but thieves emigrate. good many might
go from this section of country for the coun-
try's good.
NEWSPAPER AT UMATILLA.-The printing ma
terial formerly used in the publication of the
Oregon Times, at Portland, has been shipped to
Umatilla City, where it is to be used in the
printing of a tri-weekly paper. The project of
running tri-weekly paper at a little village
=