Sacramento Daily Union, Volume 11, Number 1618, 2 June 1856 — Untitled [ARTICLE]

The people must help to continue the peace by willingly contributing their share of time and trouble to public affairs. Good men must serve on juries when so requested, because if they beg off for ordinary excuses, such as pressure of business, and the like, the Sheriff' will be obliged to bring in the morally lame, maimed and blind, and they will, of course, acquit their old friends who are in the prisoner's box. In short, peace will be promoted if morality will but assert itself, and be seen in our daily walks. Let honesty and quietude be visible, and vice and bullyism will become ashamed, peace continue, and California will acquire a moral reputation which she is sadly in want of now. The Marysville Herald closes an editorial upon the "internal peace" which now reigns in San Francisco, with the expression of the above very just sentiments. Good men should serve on juries; they should perform that disagreeable labor as a solemn duty they owe to their country, their families and themselves. If men of sterling integrity, business experience and high intelligence would never refuse to serve on juries, we should cease to hear denunciations against the manner in which our criminal law is administered. Heretofore, it has been the habit of men engaged in business to beg the Sheriff' to let them off, or go before the Judge and give reasons, under oath, why they were unable to serve as jurymen. Admit it to be a sacrifice for the public good, and still, where is the man who is unwilling to give so much of his time to promote virtue, to administer the law, and to do thus much for the good of that community in which his lot may be cast ? Our juries, too, ought tobe selected upon a different principle — one that would insure the service of the responsible, the moral, the men of oharacter and reputation oftener upon our juries. As matters are now managed, men are often summoned who are hangers on upon the skirts of society, who arc ready to act as jurors for the two dollars paid in each case, and who would not hesitate long to bring in a verdict to suit parties for a consideration. * The members of the Vigilance Committee, after they disband, which should be done at the earliest possible moment, can do their country eminent service by resolving that they will serve on a jury when summoned — that being a member of a volunteer company or fire company shall not be considered as a release from that duty, and our word for it, the character of courts, officers and juries will soon be materially improved. The Great Race Against Time. — Yesterday, June lst, a great race of one hundred miles against time, for $2,000, was to have come off over the Pioneer Course, San Francisco. In alluding to it, the Alta, of Friday, says : The horso named is much celebrated for his game and enduring qualities, he being a very fast nag nt heats. Combined with game and good blood, we predict a slashing race and much amusement to the lovers of field sports. We had the pleasure of a good look at the " flyer," and to our eve he is in admirable condition, just to the point in flesh, and limber in his joints, and, without a doubt, will give his backers a good show for their money. He was imported by D. O. Mills, Esq., a resident of Sacramento, some eighteen mouths since, and lately purchased by James Vantine, Esq., of this city, who named him Sacramento. He is a strawberry roan, fifteen hands, one inch and half high, with a splendid head and neck, (blood like) and is well ribbed — good stifle and gaskins, perfectly sound and shows a desperate flight of speed when called upon — has been trained by Mr. C. S. Ellis, and we have no doubt that his performance will not only give great satisfaction to our sportsmen in general, but prove to the world that California can do one hundred miles in ten consecutive hours, placing her on an equal with our Atlantic States. This race will be under the supervision of seven judges, who are well known on the turf hero and abroad, and for the satisfaction of the public we take the liberty to name them. The horse will start precisely at six o'clock, and will finish at four — giving plenty of time for gentlemen to visit to visit the Oceon House, and return to see the result of the match. Judges.— T.. K. Battelle, Esq.-, P. Hunt, Esq., T. R. Flenner, Esq., W. F. Williamson, Esq., M. Nickerson, Esq., B. Stockton, T. M. Freeman. The above named judges are well posted in field sports. Drunken Fun.— On Wednesday last, May 28, some wild chaps, returning from a ball in Volcano, half seas over, put two or three pounds of rifle powder in the cannon, then filled the gun with clay, placed an empty powder keg over the muzzle, and touched off with a slow match. The Ledger says : The result was a terrific explosion, making the earth tremble in the immediate vicinity as if shaken by an earthquake. The gun, not a large but a very heavy piece of ordnance, wai blown to very fragments, and they scattered in every direction. Some of the larger pieces performed astonishing feats in their progress. One piece knocked a heavy sill from the foundation of the Union Hotel; another went entirely through a house on Consolation street, (distant three blocks) slightuously astonishing the inmates, breaking five rafters and carrying away any quantity of other lumber in its course; still another opened a way for daylight through a stable roof; a fourth, weighing forty or fifty pounds, was thrown almost to the residence of Col. Madeira, (say oneeighth of a mile) going through a house, destroying without mercy a chicken coop, killing an innocent porker that was reclining gently by the side of the coop, and finally spending the remnant of its force upon a stone fence, which was pretty well ground up. Pieces of metal weighing some fifty pounds were thrown a distance of half a mile. . Rumors. — Various rumors were current in San Francisco on Friday and Saturday last. How much credence is to bo attached to them, we are, of course, unable to say. Among them waa the report that Gen. Wool and the Commander of the U. S. naval forces were about to take part against the Vigilance Committee ; that a writ of habeas corpus was to be issued by Judge Terry, of the Supreme Court, for the prisoners now in confinement ; that those prisoners on the vessel which is to be sent to Australia had demanded of the naval commander the protection of the American flag, and that it would be granted ; that Quartermaster-General Eibbie had made a formal demand for the cannon and arms of the State ; that the Vigilance Committee had been ordered to be under arms and hold themselves ready for any emergency, &c. The search after McGowan was still kept up without success. Seal of the Vigilance Committee. This important instrument is thus described : It is about two inches and a quarter in diameter. , In the center is an eye, surrounded with rays, and the words, " Committee of Vigilance, San Francisco." Around this is a raised ring, between which | and the circumference of the seal are engraved the words, Flat Justieia mat C'eelum — " No creed, no Party.no Sectional lasues." :' ' ' ■: " ■-.*.-• "~'^y_ Tlacerville Theater.— Mr. and Mrs. E. S. Conner were to have performed at Placerville on Saturday night last. They are traveling under the management of Mr. D. V. Gates. ,; El • Dorado Medical Societt.— This society is now fully organized. On Saturday, the ; 24th of. May, -a. meeting ■ was ; held at ■ Placerville, at which a good deal of business was transacted.