Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1876-08-06
THE ABOLITION OF LAW.

"" '~o'y Psesoto VI tue Origin
Of society and law, in which man 10 n
savage state is represented claiming
rights. acquiring property in the frui,
tree. under which be fxes his habitatiop.
enjoying a common interest In the neigh.
boring fountain Of water, banding 10.
geiher with his fellows for protection
against common enemy. delega.inQ the
power OF leadership to the s,ronges. man
In the community. and finally agreeing
with the Others Of the aggregation upon
q set Of simple regulations to secure in.
dividual rights and interests, Thus. sc.
cording to that eminent author. Ia the
Genesis OF soci.l and political order.
The results of such q fsnciful theory
may have been realized In ths savage
tribes that have. in all ages. been found
existing side by side with the most en-.
liehtened nations; but this will not &C.
count for the civilized and organized 80.
ciety we find at the very dawn OF history.
However. this may be. We discover in
certain peoples ideas Of order, cooper =.
ation and subordination Of tho few to the
interests OF many. 80 deeply imbedded
and immpvably fixed, that II 10 difficult
to believS. hcthAs they are inherent in
those races, or that complete system Of
moral and social law has been conferred
on them by special. natural or super.
natural endowment. Without pursuing
any inquiry into the obscure beginnings
OF things. or following the unsatisfactory
vagsries Of tho development theory we
desire to notice one OF the most re-
variable spectacles Of which our con.
tinent has ever been the theater, and one
unparalleled in Civilizations history.
This was the sudden and unprecedented
invasion OF the uninhabited Pacific
States by immense crowds Of people
from all the nations Of the earth attract
ed by the country's mineral wealth and
gathered into aggregations and communi-
ties equaling the population Of consider.
able cities and towns. owning no municipal
or corporate authorities. and bound by
no Law or rule Of action, save the will OF
ability OF each individual. This was
practically spectacle OF the abolition OF
law from numerous aggregated popu.
lation Of all nationalities, kindred and
colors. Europe. Asia, Africa and the
native races OF America had combined to
swell the population and to grow to.
gether the most curious comming.
ling Of character, characteristics, colors,
languages, customs, institutions and
national peculiarities ever known in
modern times. Many of the incidents of
that period have been recorded in hist ory
and interviewer with fiction; but nothing
in all this strange medley was so remarka-
BILE as the order and system with which the
affairs OF business were oonducted-ci
built and provided with water and gas
works. commerce organized. banks and
newspapers established. social order pre-
served and individual rights protected;
aud all without the Intervention Of State
city or military authority. and continu.
ing for several years. When the irrup-
ton of outlaws from every known coun.
try broke upon the communities of these
new countries and extensively endan-
gered life and property. the people who
had anything to lose by this violence
combined against those who had every.
thing to gain by it, and after short
struggle in which swift and bloody retri.
button was visited on the outlaws, q
high degree Of security for property and
life was secured with but little disturb.
ance to the general prosperity Of these
new communities. Such state Of affairs
has been moro than once repeated on
this Coast; and however much such
resort to lawless justice may be
deprecated, it would appear that
there were then no other means by
which, in the absence Of all lawful and
authorized protection. the right Of the
majority to life. property and liberty,
could be vindicated. In the presence Of
properly constituted municipal or State
Government, such violent and unwar-
ranted assumption of power should new
er be appealed to or countenanoed. The
events referred to can only be justified
on the ground Of necessity. and they are
well worth study as presenting the only
example on record of q numerous and
mixed population, without Law or lawful
rulers establishing under those snoma-
lous circumstances prosperous aud sd-
vAnced state OF civilization and social or
der. To the dominant race under whose
auspices this was done 10 due. without
doubt. the credit for this instructive
spectacle; and when this history IL con.
trasted with that OF the Paris Commune.
when emancipatsd from the restrictions
OF law and physical force. nothing eau
be more interesting than the7 wonderful
aptitude for self-govsrnment as dis.
played by the representatives Of the
Anglo.Germanic races in the new West.
Whenever, therefore, the faint hearted
and the prophets Of evil began to des.
pair OF our Republic, and forbods the ut.
ter decay and ruin OF free institutions, it
might not be only cheering, but instruct
i've to turn back to some Of the pages OF
our races past history. and see how it
has cherished and preserved the prin.
eiplss OF free government and high NOR.
81 excellence. even amid the deserts of
the New World and under the abolition |
OF law.