Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/420

 requent

arbiter of  important  civil  cases,  especially  in  the  set- tlement of squatter  disputes,  and  in  swindles  affecting the general  public. Whatever was  wrongfully  accom- plished by law,  the  people  who  had  learned  to  look upon themselves  as  above  the  law,  deemed  it  incum- bent upon them  to  make  right,  and  this  they  did  in the  surest  and  most  direct  manner.

The town  of  Oakland  was  thrown  into  a  state  of great  excitement  on  the  27th  of  August,  1853,  arising from the  claims  of  Carpentier,  Moore,  and  others  to the  long  line  of  water  property  along  the  front. A meeting was  held  and  resolutions  passed  repudiating these claims,  and  determining  to  divide  such  property equitably among  the  people. This, with  the  assist- ance of club  and  pistol,  they  proceeded  to  do. Two hundred and  fifty  citizens  signed  a  pledge  to  stand by each  other  at  all  hazards. Then at  it  they  went. Business was  suspended;  fighting  was  free  to  all;  and the result  was  that  Carpentier's  men  were  beaten  and ignominiously driven  from  the  field.

Nowhere did  the  energy  and  audacity  of  the  squat- ters assume greater  proportions  than  on  the  lands  of John  A.  Sutter,  in  the  Sacramento  valley. Sutter's claim was  beyond  all  question  valid. He was  the  pio- neer in this  region. He had  received  from  the  Mex- ican authorities a  genuine  grant,  in  due  time  confirmed by the  United  States  government. He built  a  fort, cultivated the  soil,  and  raised  flocks  and  herds. If there were  anywhere  rights  and  conditions  entitled  to respect  by  immigrants,  they  were  here  present.

The 14th  of  August,  1850,  witnessed  a  serious afiray between  the  citizens  and  an  organized  band  of squatters  composed  of  emigrants  who  had  taken  up claims  on  unoccupied  lands  in  and  adjoining  Sacra- mento. It appears  that  a  case  had  lately  been  tried and decided  against  the  squatters,  the  judge  denying an appeal. This decision,  together  with  what  they deemed an  illegal  attempt  on  the  part  of  an  inferior court -^o  make  it  final,  ?o  exasperated  the  squatters