A large audience welcomed Prof. Royce last evening on the occasion of his third lecture on California. "Popular Government and Lynch Law in the Mines" was the subject. California, said Prof. Royce, was essentially an American community in all stages of her development. The "new comers of 1849" imbued a spirit of youthful energy into the old camps. Bayard Taylor tells of their industry, mirthfulness, hospitality and public spirit. He found that the first election resembled a "blind pool" of the present day, everyone voting on men and questions of which they know nothing. Among the laws and customs the idea of non-interference in private quarrels was very general.

The miners considered the state tribunals as inefficient, and so took the law into their own hands. They were very honest in their disgust at the law and believed that justice would never be administered by the state. Did the miners not find ropes cheaper than bricks for prisons and for the purpose just as strong? This is one of the fundamental troubles of the state. Flogging and banishment from the camp was a very general punishment. The result of this was a friendly interchange of thieves. Hanging prevented this, out the effect of hanging was disastrous on the morals of the miners. After a time the communities began to see that this kind of law was not sufficient. The native American desire for order soon prevailed and by 1858 California was a well organized society.