Arizona weekly citizen., 1885-10-03
A RPmlniscence.

A California pioneer now residing ID Oakland, contributes 10 the columns Of the Bulistin some very interesting rsni- niscenccs cf the turbulent state of affairs at Sacramento just preceding the sanEtter riots of ls50-a period when b!oodshei WIS rife and human life was not held in high estimaIion by tbe excited popuiece. Under the date of December 4ih, ISl9, the correspond ent quotes from his somewhat ancient notes of occurrences, the following scenes in which the father of Col. J. A ZabriskIe, of this city, took pIomi- nent part, and shows the position that he took and maintained throughout the troubles, figuring prominently and fear lessIy upon the side of right, justice. law ana order. The extract reads as follows:
 "I will endeavOr to give you some idea of life in Sacramento, by relating some events that occurred this -yenIng; it IS rather a dark one, and walking along the levee requires some care to avoid falling over the numerous obstructon-, but it was a political meeting that stumbled into us passed up k street. That you may understand tbe state of things, l will explain ht- tie; the question of land titles and squatter's righls k just now greatly agItating the public mind. In several instances where men have NIuatted upon land without the precincts of the city, others have pretended tO own It and ordered them of, and m one case the city authorities, on mans refusal to vamOus, sent force and pulled hls shsDty.
 Last Saturday evening meeting of squatters was held outdoors. l was not present but hear that much opposition was expressed tO the measures adopted by tbe city officers, sUme of whom were present and rep!Ied iu DO very courteous terms. The meeting this evening was intended as an opposition to the other and styled Law and Order" The speakers stand was on some boxes piled up against the "Gem, a bowling. drinking snd gambling ss- | loon.
 A board nailed against it and even with the speakers head, supported R row of candles. which burned without 4 flicker, sO still Was tue air. A large and democratic crowd was assembled. A committee was appointed to draw up resolutions, which were read. In the preamble the sqlattsrs were spoken of as having acted lawlessly and in con tempt of the authorities.
 The substance of the resolutions was thst the city council should be sustained at all events; that committee should be appointed tO prOct ed tO hlonterey and obtain copy of J. 4. SuttcT's ti;ie to the land claimed b him. sttesled by the Governor of California.
 This land comprises much of the ter ritory on which The city Is built. They were read with much interruption, aud on the question being put indignantly rejected.
 At this junctUre another speaker arose, and Cnmmt need, Dut was inter rGpted with cries of Your name: My name Is Zsbriskie," he TeplIed and l expect tO fare as poor Kate dId. when her Lusbau! came home drunk: If ind ny wife bbyd, says Ee, I'll ick her-what business has sue tS go tO bed before come home; and If 1 find her up. I'll lick her-wngt business baS she to be sitting up wasting tirewOJd and candles. And so. says z, "I expect to Lave to take lt either way In a respectful manner he avOwed his intention to speak his sentiments. and beginning with the haEdbills which had been printed. calling a meeting to sus- tain flaw and order n the COmmLuIty, he considered it an insult to the people to suppose that any were otherwise In- clInsJ. Then. ID regard to the preamble whIca spoke contemptuOusly of 'sC uAt- tefs, ID sn eloquent speech he ked who carried the stars and Stripes, the institutions and laws Of our land into the Tar West. and have LOW borne them even tO the shores of the far of Pacific: Then arose from the crowd the reply "Squa;ters."
 He then moved that this preamble be rejected, and tue motion was carried without dissenting voice. So he went On with each rssOlu u'lOn, speechIfying and moving that some be rejected, some HdOUtee and some amended, mot of his motions being carried unanimously n king altogether different set of res OlutlOnS than the projectors had calcu- lated upon. He went strongly for sus- tanning the authorities n carrying out such laws Hs they should enact. On the resolution which SO read, he ex- perieuced much opposition, the sovereign people being extremely jealous that laws should be made, which, however just m the eyes of their makers would Oe otherwise n their view. He contend cd that s man might squat where he pl ased, and leave for nobody wLO could not show a baffer trfia fHun him alf. thg. when a judiciary WAS appointed over the State vas the time to decide the validity of titles, until which time. society would be benefited. the squstter would be benefited, the land, and. con sequently. the owner, whoever he was, under cultivation.