The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1866-04-28
THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE.
The following extract issfrom private let
Ter from gentleman at Boise City:

-" s. Reynolds, DIR. Smith, and others are al
the head of the Vigilantes. From what can
learn. they number about six out of every ten OF
the citizens here.
fear this arrangement will work an evil to
the community if suchmen are allowed full sway
among the XXX. You know how bitter they are
in politics, and they are as liable to be as extreme
in this matter as the other. Already, no matter
how well man stands in this community, he is
not allowed to express himself against them.
Roads, streets, and ferries are guarded and de
note reign of terror. It would not take much
invention to put in white and black the names of
The active members and the parties who perform
The executions. great number of the Grand
jury are lncllned that way. The next thing, not
having any ropghs on hand, they will string up
some innocent party, or give them notice to quit
the country. | lear they have extended their
line up to idaho City and through the Basin. No
one dare say much about the executions here as
ever ything is liable to be reported to the Xxx.
| am as much opposed to thieves and murderers
as any one, but am opposed to this Vgilante rule
as underit ne man is safe from the power Of
| falsehood and ill-will.n
There is a.great deal expressed IN small
space in the foregoing extract. 1t is soli-
tary voice crying aloud in the wilderness in
protest against this Central Directory which
has set itself up in the community, claiming
the projections of the immaculate Godhead,
but animated with the bloody thirst of tribe
of cast-out devils.
The whole thing Is political movement.
Defeated at the ballot box through two sue
cessiVe elections, with defeat staring them in
the face alta third, they have thrown off the
thin guise and openly adopted the tactics of
the bawney muscle. Shoulder hitting, and
ballot-box stuffing were certainly bad enough
in the communities were they have prevailed
which has not been in Idaho Territory
but hanging political opponents, and driving
them from the country is an effective improve
ment on the old plan. A stuffed bollot box
may be exposed; an obstinate voter knocked
into the gutter may pick himself up again J;
but there is no danger in the lifeless victim
dangling in the wind. He will not return !;
the tongue to expose is palsied forever-the
arm to yindicate an outraged person or q
wronged, reputation is quiet. If the first of
these is crime deserving the wrath of the
law, how much greater is the punishment
which unappeasabe Justice should meet out
to the murderer of political foe? Mr..
Reynolds and DR.. Smith may find this work
congenial to their inclinations and associa-
tons. They have made themselves privy 10
the murder of men whom they feared politi-
eally and hated, but met in daily intercourse
with smile, and with that j 1das smile and
bow betrayed to the executioner. To the
most enormous crime which man can COM
nit is added the most despised and detesta-
BILE known to humanity-ingratitude and
betrayal of faith. The ghosts of the MUIR
dered dead may not haunt this bloody tribu-
nal now, but'infallible Nature has balanced
the scales evenly, and "the whirlgig of
Time sets all things even"
It is an old Spanish proyerb that "The
Devil never goes out to fish with only one
sort of bait on his hook" It will not do to
tell US that the publication of society is the
object of,this; masked, murderous raid With
such men as have been named, and. others
known to lead this movement, 1.-THE means
justifes the end" That end is the destruc.
.tion of political foes. They may fish for
fshy Democrats with this alluring bait, and
gudgsons, suckers, ard fools, may nibble for a.
time, butthe hook is too old, and those fish
ers after men are too we'll known to maintain
the disguise long They may carry the city
election of Boise but lorg before q general
ELECTION comes en- these men will see them
selves as others see them. They will under
stand that there is an object to be attained
whenever such men as those who rule the
vigilance Committee of Ada County, assume
the management of affairs. They will dis.
cover that the object is purely selfish one,
and they tie miserable tools to accomplish
that purpose. sssa r g
The Vigilantes have been quiet during the
past week, not because they desired return
to peace and law, but because they have been
unable to lay their hands upon certain vic
Tins. Among these, we understand is Mr..
NJ. S. Short, late Chairmanlof the Demo-
cratic Central Committee of Ada county, an
active, Woodworking Democrat. # is this
sort of men that are wanted Several plans
were laid to capture him, but they were IN
availing, and ihe. Yigilantes are foaming at
the mouth, The names of Mr.. Short and