, 1866-06-29
Vigilance Committee Notlcs Reviewed.


Ed. STATESMAN Your paper has, to my
knowledge, very respectable circulation in the
State Of Iowa and in .he northern part Of Mis-
souri,. In addition thereto, many friends here
send copies to persons in each Of those States
and elsewhere to persons who are induced
thereby to immigrate to our valley. ! have now
in my mind the names of a number Of persons
from the States, respected citizens of this val
ley who have been induced to come hete solely
from perusal of the facts and local items phb-
lished in the SfArEsMAN. Ny object in writing
this communication is to enquire whether (your
paper being an acknowledged advocate of the
interests Of this Valley the publication of such
articles as the notice Of last week, entitled "Vig
We fAmmittss Notiess9. ! h9ss tendency to in
make this valley their place of destination on
leaving the States or elsewhere. A person read
ing that notice would naturally suppose that
we had In this country no courts or officers of
justice, and that we were dependent upon an as
socation of individuals composed of all classes
OF men, for the protection Of our lives an d prop
ertyi and who, l would ask would willingly
risk his life and property to the arbitration Of
men who meet at the hour of midnight, and up-
on the UnSrorH testimony of one or more in
diTiduals assalling the character of a citizen
perhaps as in one or two cases which might
mention-actuated 0y the desire to get rid of
the persons whom they are testifying against
IN order that they might jumu his land claim,
and have the fearful question as to whether he
should live, or be torn from his family and
strangled to death, determined by a bare major.
lty vote, the witness, or rather, fHformer, him
self, contrary to all usages Of judicial tribunals
voting. had hoped that after the many mis-
takes that the so-styled vigilance committee had
made-one or more of them causing the death
Of iDnocent perSOns-and the return of JUDGE
Wyche t. bis labOrs that the organization would
be di5banded, and if those persons really de.
sired the punishment of criminals, that they
would make themselves efficient by appearing
before the grand juries and securing iudict-
ments, and holding themselves, as law.abiding
citizens, in readiness to act as petit Jurors. to
Try such criminals, and see, if guilty, that they
dld not escape punishment. But it appears that
there is to be continuation of the atrocities of
last summer, without the excuse of want of
courts, and it is for the law-abiding citizens of
TINS county, 20 say whether they will tolerate
the continuance of an organization in their
midst, which has tendency to prevent the set
tlement Of our valley, and the Introduction of
capital TO deVelope its resources.
There is no difference whatever in the treason
that seeks to overthrow government, and that
winch uamples the laws Of IL commonwealth
under foot John Brown attempted to set at
defiance the laws Of Virginia. and Virrinia
jury SAID he was guilty of treason, and his life
p"lu tue pehaIty. Jefferson Davis undertook to
So! at defiance the laws Of the United States. F.
and the civilized world has pronounced him
traitor worthy of death. The vigilance commit
tee OF Walla W"lla County, uuder the leader
ship OF one who perhaps as richly merits the |
same late, are now trampling under foot, disre- |
gardlng and attempting to overthrow the laws |
Of Washington Territory and of the United !
States, and are as guilty OF treason as was either
John Brown or Jefferson Davis, though, of |
course, their treason does not 20 to the same |
.xtent; but the principle is the same 1t is the |
duty OF the Prosecuting Attorney to prevent ev-
Fry person assisting in forming unlawful com
and it remains to be seen whether he |
will perform his duty, and thus by the convic- |
lion cF the leaders Of the movement, free our |
county from the stain Of a standing vigilance !
'rganization-a county subjected to the expense |
Of three terms of court year, aud presided |
over by Judge of eminent ability, and well |
known to be unfriendy to the perpetrators of |
rhine. hope, Mr. Editor, that your columns |
will not, hereafter, &c disgraced with any more
notices of vigilance committees, and that the |
person who penned that notice will be held to
answer before the next term of our District
Court LAw-ABIpING CITIZEN.