Show POPULAR TRIBUNALS THERE is a wide distinction between the associations organized outside of the law for the suppression of crime and those sudden uprisings of the populace to inflict summary punishment upon malefactors which are guided only by ard aad what is commonly called lynch law the essential differences between them are very clearly and forcibly portrayed with a wealth of tine fine sentences and an abundance of graphic illustrations in the t e opening 0 ening chapters c apters of 0 volume one of popular 0 ular tribunals nals which is volume thirty one of hbert H Ban crofts history astor ot of t the e pacific states while hile both are in violation of law the former are methodical calm under national control animated by principle and usually regulated by vast just and honorable men the other are hast bast infuriate inspired aspired by the spirit of vengeance rather than justice and often the work of the roughest elements of turbulent society there is some excuse for the organization of committees of vigilance for the protection of life and property and the punishment of known criminals when the regular machinery of the law is lound inadequate to imset the public exigencies or in the hands of cowardly or venal men unable or unwilling to set it in necessary motion but tor for and insensate violence which is frequently without reason or right there can as arule a rule be no valid excuse there should be no necessity for either in civilized society and the association known bv various names but chiefly on the pacific coast as committees of vigilance owe their origin to the failure of the uaen men and means provided by statute to carry out the purposes for which laws were enacted to the stern and efficient work performed by bome of those organizations in which substantial and otherwise law jaw loving citizens were engaged california owed its deliverance over thirty years ago from the lawless scoundrels who at one time gained the upper hand and but for the vigorous measures taken outside of legal provisions would have made that splendid country a veritable hell upon earth the history of these committees of vigilance with the names of their founders and chief managers is fully given in the volume n named ed above and the principles which underlie the very of 01 numan human government and are before all human enactments are treated of in a philosophical and logical manner which cannot fail to interest the students of law and sociology while lethe the th thrilling incidents that are related will enchain the attention of the ordinary reader this volume will be by far the most popular of the series serie s yet published in the great work of mr bancroft it is crowded with stories of mining and city life in the wild times from 49 until law became permanent and being fortified by documentary proofs official and otherwise the startling tales that rival anything in fiction are rendered doubly interesting by p proofs roofs that they are matters of fact the popular tribunals of california in various parts with minute details ot the doings of the committee of vigilance vigila ace in san francisco of oregon washington british columbia and alaska of idaho montana arizona new mexico and mexico al also so of utah and nevada are all described preceded with a general summary of the old european organizations izat ions secret and otherwise which once spread terror and punished crime in the countries of the old world in accounting for the freedom of and the absence of vigilance committees in utah the author makes some brief but rather unjust remarks as we view them on the power of the church and the sub submission ms I 1 ot of the people but bat has not we believe been intentionally unfair while relating many instances of mob violence and organized lawlessness in the surrounding territories mr bancroft can only say this under the head of popular tribunals Triou nals in utah were any ever disposed to praise the mormons cormons Mor mons or in anywise to do them justice then might the lovers of law and order the posers op of the vigil ance principle give them credit for living without mobs without any popular or legal or other tribunal save those simple forms which lead With the least possible time and cost to do justice did the advocate of vigilance reform desire to praise them he might point to the fact that here existed a society in which the regretted necessity was wanting how they dealt with their enemies the enemies of their religion is another matter mattek we do 10 lo ours all the injury we can and that while the false prayer is on our lips that god will bless them apart from the insinuation couched la in the latter sentences this is a tribute to the orderly qualities and peaceful record of the mormons cormons Mor mons that is striking but only due to them the seven hundred and forty nine pages contained in this book are arc replete with interest and form a valuable contribution to mr Ban crofts compendious history of the pacific states |