St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-08-31
ST. cJuhnsbrlrn Galedunialr.
Letter from California.
COL. INGERSOL-THE STRIKE-SEASON
--POIITICAI.

Letter from California.
COL. INGERSOL-THE STRIKE-SEASON
POLITICAL.
The greatest sensation of the season
was made here by the noted Col. ''BOb'
Ingersol. He came to pay visit to the
coast and to lecture. The moral soil of
California seems to be well calculated
for such seed and he made profound
impression among the unbelieving. He
is a staunch follower of Tom Paine and
Voltair. The San Francisco pulpit was
thoroughly aroused to beat back the
assaults he made against the truths of
the Bible. 1t is quite likely true that
he opposes Revelation with more au-
dacity not to say madness than any
man on the continent, of the ability
that he commands.
The severest cut on him was made in
a leader of the Occident The idea was
that to deal out some Pain and VOltair
touched up with the peculiar finish and
oratory of a stump speaker aud hashed
over with the slang and literature of an
Illinois political campaign, was at least
"a high exhibition of cheek. 1t was the
Judgment of some Christian people here
that the clergy would have done wiser
to have treated him with silence if not
contempt. He was here a short time
and carried back as the proceeds of his
lectures $4,000, and so he finds intidel
ity profitable at least in California.
However one good result followed the
discussion, if not more than one, but
which shows that Ingersoll was exceled
in the fruits of his labors. Rev. DR..
Guard. Methodist, recently of Balti-
more, one of the most able ministers on
the coast, and who had given Ingersoll
the most formidable opposition, an
nounced that he would reply to Inger-
soil and give the proceeds of his lecture
to the st. Johns fire sufferers. The re-
ceipts were 81 900. IngersOll followed
in a lecture reviewing his previous
one and gave the proceeds of the
same to three charitable institutions of
San Francisco. The receipts were
S4OO.
THE STRIKE
In San Francisco began in keeping with
the general epidemic, but soon there
was a change of base and it became
anti-coOlie. This element began by
making incendiary speeches that in
famed those willing and waiting for
chance to attack the Chinese. HOwlmg
like wolves and like them on the run,
they started for Chinatown, demolish
ing Il score of Chinese wash houses and
burning building on the way. They
soon found file of policemen who
stopped and routed them. These police
deserve great deal of credit little
band of thirty stood bravely before the
mob of 900, and conquered them sim
ply by welding the club and hitting
every head within reach. The first day
of the riot brought 5000 armed to the
rescue from the law-abiding men of the
city. Tuesday, the second day, was
the most serious of the week. The
California warehouses and adjacent
lumber yards were burned, entailing IL
heavy loss and Il collision between the
committee of safety and the mob. Sew
eral were killed, both whites and Mon
golians, and several fires were kindled.
This seemed to convince every one that
serious trouble was ahead and would
have been but for the vigilance and
uprising of the citizens, who the same
day witnessed the tide turned against
the mob. Wednesday about fifteen
Chinese wash houses were sacked and
few buildings burned. Thursday night
the city was patrolled by 5000 safety
men, but they found but little then left
for them to do. The result shows that
San Francisco can put down an out
break as quick as any other city. The
history of this riot also shows two other
facts: First, that there is IL deep and
terrible feeling among the laboring
classes against John, and some day it
will seek an outlet by violence, unless
the influx of Chinese is stayed. Second,
many of those who oppose this influx
are willing to wait longer for other
means than mob law to rid themselves
of this curse, at least while forbearance
will continue to be virtue.
But when that time comes and the
working mans sutferings increase lit
tie more, and the government still re-
fuses to give relief, if not of the John
Brown stamp, something akin to it, OF
what might be called retributive Justice,
or violence of some kind or other, will
be resorted to and that with a ven
geance. Nor will this Chinese question
be found, when investigated, to contain
any vital points differing very much
from those of the railroad strike in the
east it is in fact the same issue-the
relation of capital and labor.
THE SEASON AND TIMES.
A depression in business must be ac-
knOwledged in California. Sales of
farming lands are fewer. San Francisco
property has deprecated twenty per
cent, excepting what is called inside or
the best business property. Property
only in Oakland, outside and in, holds
firm as yet, and it is even advancing
This general depression is partly due