Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/409



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a rule,  however,  the  term  squatters  is  applied  to  those who settle  upon  the  lands  of  another,  or  upon  lands in dispute,  while  the  settler  is  one  of  that  worthy  and enterprising class  who  enter  upon  and  subdue  unap- propriated public domain,  and  thereby  establish  a claim,  by  virtue  of  first  actual  possession,  to  the  right of purchase  or  of  title  in  conformity  with  law. Of course a  man  may  settle  himself  in  town  or  in  a thickly  populated  district;  but  the  term  is  usually used as  I  have  said. Between the  honest  settler  and the unprincipled  squatter  there  was  a  marked  differ- ence. The one  was  contented  with  what  land  he could  use,  and  willing  his  neighbor  should  have as much;  he  did  not  oppose  monopoly  in  another while practising  it  himself;  he  was  not  unjustly  agra- rian, but ready  to  respect  the  rights  and  titles  of others,  as  he  would  have  others  respect  his. If the large grant-holders  came  into  possession  of  their  lands justly and  in  accordance  with  law,  the  land  was  theirs. If our  government  promised  to  respect  those  rights, it should  do  so,  at  whatever  cost  to  its  citizens. With- out going back  to  the  time  when  these  grants  were made, when  the  Mexican  authorities  could  not  give their lands  away,  and  regarded  every  loyal  settler  an acquisition  compared  with  which  a  few  leagues  of land  were  as  nothing ;  without  taking  into  the  account the necessities  of  these  grant-holders  for  broad  lands for grazing  purposes,  their  risks  of  life  and  property among the  wild  natives,  their  isolation,  and  their chances of  never  again  living  in  civilized  society, — which indeed,  but  for  the  accidental  discovery  of  gold, they would  not,  nor  scarcely  did  then, — without  tak- ingj these  and  the  like  into  consideration  at  all,  the holders of  large  land  grants  righteously  obtained  are as much  entitled  to  protection  as  any  other  class  of men  in  their  possessions.

The squatter  of  the  California  flush  times  was  one who assumed  the  name  of  settler  without  being  en- titled to it. He was  a  professional  gull,  ever  hover-