The Californian section of the American Union yields other products
than gold. By the latest intelligence, San Francisco was in the hands of a Provisional Government—the.Committee of Vigilance. What part the Federal Government will take does not appear ; but probably the incident will not be considered at Washington either to prove the inefficacy of the Republican in- stitutions or to demand the march of a Federal army. The local administrators had proved their own inefficiency by winking at abuses and crimes which they were too weak to check. A Judge, one Terry, had newly exasperated the people by figuring in a riot as the obstructer of practical justice. There was a practical failure of government. In fact, the persons who seek govern- ment posts in such settlements are rather the loose fish of the official class, not conspicuous either for capacity or character. The men of sense and energy in the community saw the ne- cessity for interfering, and they did interfere. Such are the facts. Probably the Government at Washington will see the necessity of appointing abler heads to the highest posts in California.
Previous page
