CALIFORNIA
MEN AND EVENTS
Time
1769-1890
By
George H. Tinkham
Author of "History of Stockton," "Monterey County," San
Benito County" and "Half Century of Odd Fellowship"
Panama-Pacific Exposition Edition – 1915
Chapter
X.
THE
FOREIGNER AND THE SLAVE
The
pioneers of the early '50's were very antagonistic to the
foreigners. They believed that the Peruvians, Chilians,
Mexicans and Chinamen would dig all of the gold and
emigrate to their native land. It was the law of
self-preservation that actuated the pioneer, the same law
that influences the citizens of today regarding the
Orientals and the Hindus.
Before the pioneers landed upon California's soil the idea
of driving out the foreigners prevailed, and a
correspondent writing to the Panama Star said, "If
foreigners come, let them till the soil, or do any other
work that may suit them--the gold mines were preserved for
Americans--we will share our interest in the mines with
none but Americans."
The Legislature, voicing the same opinion, declared the
foreigners trespassers upon American soil and in a memorial
they asked for Congressional relief. In this memorial they
asserted "that during the year, swarms of foreigners had
come -- worked in the mines -- and extracted thousands of
dollars -- without contributing anything to the support of
the government or people." They decalred that the foreign
element were slaves, and they had no interest in
California, except to dig and carry away its gold. The
memorial also affirmed that the young men, just from home,
were in danger of moral destruction in associating with the
criminal foreign element, many of them just from Botany
Bay, and their increasing immigration would prevent the
settlement of American families and the country's
prosperity would be checked.
Congress seldom gives to petitioners the relief for which
they pray, especially upon the race question. The
Legislature, then taking action, passed what was known as
the "foreign tax law." It was a law compelling all
foreigners to pay a monthly license of $20 per month. If
any person refused, the collector was empowered to seize
their working tools or other property. The estimate was
made of 200,000 foreigners then in the mines, and it was
believed that the enforcement of the tax would monthly
increse the state treasury a half million dollars. They had
not counted on the amount stolen by the collectors.
In some localities the foreigners protested and holding
indignation meetings declared that they would oppose the
collection of the tax by force if necessary (a). Wild
reports were spread that the foreigners intended to attack
the Americans and in haste the citizens of Columbia
hastened to Sonora, four miles distant. Then came the
report from a would-be joker that the Mexicans were
organizing to burn Sonora and that one of the citizens of
Columbia had been killed (b).
A few days later a second joker on horseback rode to all of
the surrounding camps and repeated the rumor of attack. In
a short time 150 men were organized, and armed with guns,
revolvers, knives and swords, they marched to the Mexican
camp. They found the foreigners quiet and peaceful. A
second time they were "sold." With fife and drum they
returned to Sonora, and visiting every whiskey saloon many
became to "weary" to further march.
The time set for the collection of the tax was June 1,
1850. From all indications and reports, trouble was
expected in making the collections. On that day some 300
men, forming into companies, led by the sheriff of the
county and Collector Bascom, marched to the Mexican camp.
The found the frightened Mexicans, their wives and children
pulling down their tents and hastily packing their little
property upon their mules and burros, starting as soon as
possible for other parts of the land. Crowds upon crowds
were already upon full retreat, the Mexicans and Chileans
fleeing from the country to save their lives, as they
believed. The exodus was alarming to merchants and they
indignantly protested against the outrage. Many of the
mining camps were entirely deserted, as the foreigners
formed one-half of the mining population. Sonora lost a
third of her people, and in Columbia but ten persons
remains. Real estate fell fifty per cent; the mountain
merchants saw bankruptcy staring them in the face, and a
general stagnation of business took place.
In Stockton and Sacramento there was great indignation and
excitement, especially among the merchants, for they were
dependent entirely for business upon the northern and
southern mines (c). At Stockton a mass meeting was held on
the plaza. The president of the meeting was David S. Terry.
Strong resolutions were passed condemning the law, and they
asserted that it was "odious and an unjust infliction upon
the mining population, an outrage upon the miners, and as a
public measure its continuance was a robbery."
The merchants of Sonora passed it up to the Supreme Court.
They declared it unconstitutional. The Legislature of 1851
repealed it. This repeal was published and circulated in
three languages, Spanish, French and English. The Chileans,
Peruvians and Mexicans understood Spanish. The love of gold
was a strong in the mind of the foreigner as in the
American and long before the publication of the repeal they
began returning to the mines.
The race hatred between the Americans and the foreigners
still continued. The ignorant, degraded whites began a
series of insults, abuses and maltreatments of the
foreigners, and the innocent and the guilty alike suffered.
Their abuse was especially directed against the Mexicans
and the Chileans, the Americans even ouraging their wives
and daughters. The Mexicans, retaliating, began to rob and
murder. An open warfare was declared and every crime
committed, the Mexicans being considered the guilty
parties. Many American criminals for a time escaped
detection because of this belief. Innocent Mexicans were
arrested, tried and convicted for supposed crimes, and
several punished by whipping. Others were hanged
(d).
Full
text....
sfexodus.com
is sponsored by justicefound.org