LATEST FROM CALIFORNIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 25, 8 November 1851, Page 3

LATEST FROM CALIFORNIA.

The late arrivals from San Francisco bring accounts of some occurrences calculated to produce a startling sensation, even in that land of excitement; one of which will, in all probability, lead to serious notice on the part of the British Government. Fresh attempts at incendiarism, and repetitions of robbery and outrage, had worked up the public mind to a degree, it would appear, almost of frenzy ; and loud complaints were made of the lax execution of the severe laws in cases of convicted and condemned criminals. The populace had openly expressed a determination to take the execution of the law into their own hands, and opportunities soon presented themselves of so. doing. A man named M'Cauley was sentenced to be hanged for murder, but on tlfe day preceding that fixed for his execution, the sentence was commuted to imprisonment for life. The " Pacific News " thus notices the result : — " This | becoming known to some of the citizens of ! Napa, a large number of them proceeded to the I cell of M'Cauley between midnight and morn- | ing on Friday, and coolly and deliberately | hung him up to a beam, where his body was found next morning." It was not stated of what country M'Cauley was a native; he probably, therefore, was a citizen of the boasted free republic. The next event of a similar nature concerns us more nearly, the sufferer having been an Englishman, and an inhabitant of Sydney. His name was Jenkins, and it is said that he was formerly a waterman in this city. It appears that he was carrying a box towards the bay late at night. He was pursued and taken, after obstinate resistance, Avhen the box proved to be a cash box j just stolen from a merchant's office. In place i of being handed over to the constituted authorities, he was taken possession of by a so-called ! " Committee of Vigilance," tried forthwith by I about eighty of its members, and sentenced to jbe hanged. The doom was immediately car- | ried into execution. The victim was led out, and volunteer Jack-Ketches presented themselves in scores who were about to string him up to a pole in the square, when, as if in mockery of the sacred name, some one cried out " Don't hang him on the liberty pole." He i was then dragged to a beam at the end of the old Custom House, and in a few minutes left swinging a lifeless corpse in the air. The police were roughly handled in the attempt to interfere, and would have been riddled with balls had they proceeded. So much for the respect paid by the citizens of the United States to their own laws, and those charged with their execution. We deeply regret that acts of depredation should have been chargeable on our countrymen, although men who probably fled from justice on our shores to resume a career of crime in California. But we protest against mob-tribunals in any shape, acting under pretence of protecting society, by superseding constituted authorities and the regular administration of recognised law. The executions of both the above men are, neither more nor less, than deliberate murders ; and we trust, that although the feeble government of the States would be all but powerless in attempting to interfere, the British Government will immediately demand such atonement as can be obtained for the murder of one of its subjects, however worthless, without a fair trial, and an opportunity of defending himself. — Bell's Life ix Sydney.