Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-12-24
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.
OUR SHERIFF. ARRESTED.

Among the arrivals at Weavervllle, by stage
on Friday night of last week, was Ben. Aker-
man, an old old-time Trntarian. Mr.. Akerman
came here in 1850 and lived in different parts
of the county from that time until 1863 His
return was soon noised around, for Ben is gener-
ally known here, having packed kept trading
post run saw-mil and in fact tried his luck at
most everything, except running for Office, while
a resident Of Trinity county. We remarked
don't know how many times" Have you seen
Ben AkermanP' Yes, we have, We were in
troduced to him, talked to him. and heard him
tell about and things, in Trinity county,
that had happened before we knew there was
such place on the foot-stool ;"
This was Friday evening and Saturday. On
Sunday, Dame Rumor spread the news that Ben.
Akerman of San Francisco, is brother of Uni
ted States Attorney General Akerman, of Geor-
gia. Straightway it was inquired 4" What is
his business here Z" We were as nqusitive as
anybody, of course for is it not the business of
is information to be obtained without inquiry
Well, we not posted npon Mr. Akerman's
mission and were obliged to content ourselves
with guessing. Our guesses were wide of the
mark.
Monday morning it transpires that our visitor
is Deputy United States Marshall armed with
United States District Court Bench-Warrant
for the arrest of John Jackson, Sheriff OF Trinity
county, for the crime of illegally collecting four
dollars from one All or Abe Koo, Foreign
Miners License. Accordingly Akerman and
Jackson went below Tuesday morning Of this
week Since then, San Francisco adyices inform
as that several Collectors have been indicted,
but no names are given. These proceedings
were undoubtedly had under the legislation Of
last Winter for enforcing the Civil Rights Bill
and the principles contained in the Fourteenth
and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States
Constitution.
We don't expect that Jackson's arrest will
cause him much trouble, although so far the
only one arrested. The other collectors viii
make common cause with him, for all are in the
same boat. Next it will be very hard to show
that there is any wllul violation of law. The
statutes of California impose tax upon all for
eign miners BY q t0cit understanding among
all hands the tax is not cole tied save from Chi
nese. TO this arrangement the six companies at
San Francisco perfectly agreed heretofore.
Now it seems they rebel against the collection
of the tax. The constitution Of this State and
Federal legislation are in their favor but that
is not al. There is no question but that the tax
has been paid heretofore in order that the Chi
nese might be protected. Did Chinaman have
trouble with white man straightway he hies
10 the tax collector and not unfrequently the
white man fails to receive justice through the
efforts of this influential friend of the Cinnamon
the tax collector. But we are DEPRESSING from
the argument to the facts. The Revenue laws
of the State of California impose a tax upon for
cign miners and discriminate against foreigners
not eligible to citizenship. The proceeds of this
tax goes to the county in which it is collected.
The officer in collecting is acting under color Of
law at the least. There can be no criminal in
tent imagined or shown Practically, our people
are in favor of making the Chinese pay taxes,
but they want decent returns made. 1t is gen
orally understood that the collectors of Foreign
Miners license are elected to steal from the
county. The great trouble is that after men
have made from twenty to fifty thousand dollars
out of the two years they held office, they took
their 1--WE had almost said illgot.cn) gains else
where. The mining counties are over-burdened
with debt. Just in proportion as their mines are
worked out so much are their resources dimin-
ished. Now the mining sections are entitled to
all the Foreign Miners Licenses. The people of
this county want the Foreign Miners tax coll
lected and the proceeds paid into the County
Treasury. That is just the way we understand
it, 1t is a matter in which all tax payers are in
terested. The money paid in by the tax col
lector is a great help Our taxes must be con-
siderable more scrip won't be worth much
Our opinion is that the Foreign Miners tax will
be collected for sometime yet, for the reason that
it will require considerable time to finally settle
the matter. So far as we are concerned, we say
collect the tax for the benefit of the county.