Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-03-21
THE LoMPoC RIOT.

Eight years ago company of citizens
formed and located the Lompoc Colony.
They agreed among themselves that con-
dition should attach to every transfer Of
real estate that q given business should not
be prosecuted upon the ground. But four
times in that period has the condition been
broken, and in each case the people have
by violence resented the evasion. Some
two weeks ago two men resolved to erect
there small building, and to engage in
the sale of liquors, in opposition to the
covenant. They were urged to desist, but
refused to do SO. They were warned of
the wrath of the people on that question,
but needed it not. On Saturday the citi-
zens assembled in front of the building
men, women and children-and again be-
sought the owners of the building to re-
consider their plans they declined to do
so. Mothers, sisters and wives, with tears,
urged them to yield they refused. The
men then came forward and offered the
cost of the building, but it was spurned.
And SO the mob fell upon the building and
RACED it to the ground.
We say mob-but there are mobs and
mobs. This was mob composed of good
men and gentle women. A mob in which
were little children, staid fathers and dig
niied matrons. These people are repre-.
sentative of the best citizenship Of the Sec
ton; they have been, with the exceptions
noted, law. abiding, industrious, peaceful,
and entertain a just pride in the good
order and sobriety of their village. where
youths are exposed to fewer temptations
than in most California towns.
The conditions attaching to deeds Of
land there are lawful. and may be enforced,
for unquestionably the owners of land may
attach covenants to the deed of transfer
that will run as to all grantees, and with
the title, as that on given tract there
shall never be erected powder works OF
acid factories; or refneries of animal fats
or that irrigating bitches shall not be cut
across the lands, and other conditions pro.
hibiting the carrying on of yooations lawful
and licensed by the laws of the State. But
license cannot give the right to occupy
land in violation OF the conditions Of occu.
panoy, SO long as they are not in violation
of sound public policy, and in
this case it will hardly be commended by
any that the exclusion was open to that
objection. The people of Lompoc, there
fore, had their remedy by civil process.
But by our system they have been taught
and have learned that the law is often IN.
certain, and nearly always tedious, and
they believed that if their opponents once
gained foothold among them they would
wear out the Courts and the people, and
make sufficient Roadway by appeals to the
baser elements of mems natures to finally
overthrow the principles upon which the
colony rests. It being assumed, therefore,
that the community has the right to pro.
tect itself as indicated by covenants as to
the uses of the land, why did the people
resort to violence instead of the remedies
and processes Of the law!
In anticipating civil process and the
remedies that the Law affords, the citizens
of Lompoc became law-b reskers-they were
rioters-and as such amenable to the law.
But who for moment believes that they
will be punished. Theirs is one of those
cases in which the public voice rises SUI
perior to the law, and before which it is
improbable thelatter can prevail. Underline
law the acts of the Lompocans cannot be
justified. They outraged the law !;
they disturbed the public peace; they
destroyed property not their own !;
they were offenders, and as such
liable to be made criminals, with service