Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/414

 through which

flow our  party  politics. Out of  the  depths,  all  whiskey- soaked and  in  ignorance  drenching,  were  brought Erin's exiles  to  be  made  kings. Then the  down -trod- den African was  lifted  to  the  bosom  of  northern  re- publicans, and borne  tenderly  to  the  polls. Next in turn  come  the  Chinamen,  now  called  pig-tailed,  and turned into  social  swine,  grunting  under  the  blows  of the  lordly  Irishman;  but  when  needed  by  a  political party every  one  of  them  should  be  a  sweet  John, and a  lovely  almond-eyed  American  voter. The squatters of  California  were  at  first  denounced  by  the officers of  the  law,  who  called  them  outlaws,  murderers  ; but when  these  same  office-holders  desired  reelection, and squatterism  had  become  a  power  in  the  state, then candidates  of  every  party  vied  with  each  other in grovelling  prostration. From their  vocabulary the term  "squatter"  was  stricken,  and  every  land- robber was  an  honest  settler.

The immigrants  were  undoubtedly  much  disappointed at not  being  able  to  step  in  and  take  possession  of  the choicest morsels  of  the  new  domain,  and  thereupon induWed their  disg;ust  with  all  the  senseless  bombast common to  enraged,  free-born  citizens  of  the  gieat American republic. With wagons,  tents,  and  equip- age, with guns,  knives  and  pistols,  they  swarmed  up- on the lands  of  the  grant-iiolders,  threatening  death to any  who  interfered,  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  ap- proach the verge  of  growing  towns  and  stake  off  upon the principal  streets,  beyond  the  limits  of  the  occupied portions, town  lots  at  intervals  of  forty  feet,  marking the stakes  with  the  names  of  the  claimants,  and  the time from  which  such  possession  dated.

Thus it  was  that  very  early  in  the  history  of  Ameri- can occupation in  California,  squatterism  became  an evil. It was  indeed  only  a  phase  of  mob  law,  but  with this important  difference. A resort  to  popular,  arbi- trary administration of  justice  might,  under  certain circumstances, be  excusable  in  criminal  cases,  where the vital  principles  of  social  good,  conduct   were  at