A SKETCH OF THE CAUSES, OPERATIONS AND RESULTS OF THE SAN FRANCISCOVIGILANCE COMMITTEE IN 1856

By Stephen Palfrey Webb

1874

Stephen Palfrey Webb was born in Salem on March 20, 1804, the son ofCapt. Stephen and Sarah (Putnam) Webb. He was graduated from Harvardin 1824, and studied law with Hon. John Glen King, after which hewas admitted to the Essex Bar. He practiced law in Salem, served asRepresentative and Senator in the Massachusetts Legislature, and waselected Mayor of Salem in 1842, serving three years. He was Treasurer ofthe Essex Railroad Company in the late forties. 

About 1853, he went to San Francisco, where he resided several years, serving as Mayor of that city in 1854 and 1855. It was during this timethat he witnessed the riotous mobs following the Gold Rush of 1849, andupon his return Salem made notes for a lecture, which he delivered inSalem; and later, with many additions, prepared this sketch, probablyabout 1874. He was again elected Mayor of Salem, 1860-1862, and CityClerk, 1863-1870. He died in Salem on September 29, 1879. On May 26, 1834, he married Hannah H. B. Robinson of Salem. 

There have been several accounts of the activities of the VigilanceCommittee, but this is firsthand information from one who was on theground at the time, and for this reason it is considered a valuablecontribution to the history of those troublous days. It certainly is arecord of what a prominent, intelligent and observing eye-witness sawregarding this important episode in the history of California. Theoriginal paper is now in the possession of his granddaughter, Mrs. Raymond H. Oveson of Groton, Massachusetts. 

Many of the evils which afflicted the people of San Francisco may betraced to the peculiar circumstances attendant upon the settlement ofCalifornia. The effect all over the world of the discovery of gold atSutter's Mill in 1848 was electric. A movement only paralleled by thatof the Crusades at once commenced. Adventurers of every character anddescription immediately started for the far away land where gold was tobe had for the gathering. The passage round Cape Horn, which from theearliest times had been invested with a dreamy horror, and had inspireda vague fear in every breast, was now dared with an audacity which onlythe all absorbing greed for gold could have produced. Old condemnedhulks which, at other times, it would not have been deemed safe toremove from one part of the harbor to another, were hastily fitted up, and with the aid of a little paint and a few as deceptive assurances ofthe owners, were instantly filled with eager passengers and dispatchedto do battle, as they might, with the storms and perils of the deepduring the tedious months through which the passage extended. Thesuffering and distress consequent upon the packing so many human beingsin so confined a space; the miserable quality and insufficient quantityof the provisions supplied; the weariness and lassitude engendered bythe intolerable length of the voyage; the ill-temper and evil passionsso sure to be roused and inflamed by long and forced companionshipwithout sympathy or affection, all tended to make these trips, for themost part, all but intolerable, and in many cases left feelings of hateand desire for revenge to be afterwards prosecuted to bloody issues. 

The miseries generally endured were however sometimes enlivenedand relieved by the most unexpected calls for exertion. A passengerdescribed his voyage from New York to San Francisco in 1849, in companywith several hundred others in a steamer of small size and the mostlimited capacity in all respects, as an amusing instance of workingone's passage already paid for in advance. The old craft went groaning, creaking, laboring and pounding on for seven months before she arrivedat her destination. Short of provisions, every sailing vessel thatwas encountered was boarded for supplies, and almost every port on theAtlantic and Pacific was entered for the same purpose. Out of fuel, every few days, axes were distributed, and crew and passengers landed tocut down trees to keep up steam for a few days longer. He expressed hisconviction that every point, headland, island and wooded tract on thecoast from the Cape to San Francisco had not only been seen by him, buthad resounded with the sturdy blows of his axe during the apparentlyinterminable voyage. His experience, with the exception of the axeexercise, was that of thousands. 

The extent to which the gold fever had impelled people on shipboardmay be judged by the facts that from the first of January, 1849, fivehundred and nine vessels arrived in the harbor of San Francisco; and thenumber of passengers in the same space of time was eighteen thousand, nine hundred and seventy-two. Previous to this time, one or two shipsin the course of a year found their way through the Golden Gate andinto the beautiful harbor of San Francisco in quest of hides, horns andtallow, and gave languid employment to two or three Americans settledon the sand hills, and engaged in collecting these articles of trade andcommerce. In the closing days of 1849, there were ninety-four thousand, three hundred and forty-four tons of shipping in the harbor. The streamof immigration moved over the Plains, likewise; and through privation, fatigue, sickness, and the strife of the elements, passed slowly andpainfully on to the goal of their hopes. 

Thus pouring into California in every direction and by every route, this strange and heterogeneous mass of men, the representatives of everyoccupation, honest and dishonest, creditable and disgraceful; of everypeople under the sun, scattered through the gulches and ravines in themountains, or grouped themselves at certain points in cities, towns andvillages of canons or adobe. Perhaps never in the world's history didcities spring into existence so instantaneously, and certainly never wastheir population so strangely diverse in language, habits and customs. Of course gamblers of every kind and color; criminals of every shade anddegree of atrocity; knaves of every grade of skill in the arts of fraudand deceit abounded in every society and place. In these early timesgold was abundant, and any kind of honest labor was most richly andextravagantly rewarded. The honest, industrious and able men of everycommunity, therefore, applied themselves strictly to business and wouldnot be diverted from it by any considerations of duty or of patriotism. Studiously abstaining from politics; positively refusing to acceptoffice; shirking constantly and systematically all jury and other publicduty, which, onerous in every community, was doubly so, as they thought, in that new country, they seemed never to reflect that there was aportion, and that the worst, of the population, who would take advantageof their remissness, and direct every institution of society to thepromotion of their own nefarious purposes. 

Absorbed in their own pursuits, confident that a short time would enablethem to realize their great object of making a fortune and then leavingthe country, the better portion of the community abandoned the controlof public affairs to whoever might be willing or desirous to assumeit. Of course there was no lack of men who had no earthly objection toassume all public duties and fill all public offices. Politicians voidof honesty and well-skilled in all the arts of intrigue, whose great endand aim in life was to live out of the public treasury and grow rich bypublic plunder, and whose most blissful occupation was to talk politicsin pot houses and groggeries; men of desperate fortunes who soughtto mend them, not by honest labor, but by opportunities for officialpickings and stealings; bands of miscreants resembling foul and uncleanbirds which clamor and fight for the chance of settling down upon anddevouring the body to which their keen scent hag directed them; all wereastir and with but little effort obtained all that they desired. Theoffices were thus filled by rapacious and unscrupulous men. The agentswho had helped to elect them, or impose them upon the people byfraud, were supported and protected in their villainies; and in theconsciousness of impunity for crime, walked the streets heavily armedand ready on the instant to exact a bloody revenge for an interferencewith their infamous schemes, or an attempt to bring them to meritedpunishment. 

In San Francisco the effects of all this were visible at an earlyperiod in the prevalence of crime and outrage; in the laxity with whichoffenders were prosecuted; in the squandering of public property; theincreasing burden of taxation; and the insecurity of life and property. Now and then when the evils of the system weighed with the mostdepressing effect upon the business part of the community, somespasmodic effort for a time produced a change. But a temporary checkonly was applied. The snake was scotched, not killed. The ballot boxupon whose sanctity, in a Republican government must the liberties ofthe people depend, was in the hands of the pliant tools of designingpoliticians, or of desperate knaves ready to bargain and sell the resultof the election to the party or individuals who would pay the largestsum for it. By such infamous arts had many officials of law and justicebeen placed in situations of trust and power. Could it reasonablybe expected that they would honestly and fairly apply the law to thepunishment of the friends who had given them their offices, when theyadded to these crimes against society, the scarcely more flagrant onesof robbery and murder? If it was possible, the people did not believeit would be done. They saw enough to convince them that it was not done. They saw an unarmed man shot down and instantly killed in one of themost frequented streets of the city while endeavoring to escape fromhis pursuer. They saw the forms of trial applied in this clear case, andafter every quibble and perversion of law which ingenuity could devisehad been tried, the lame and impotent conclusion arrived at of a verdictof manslaughter, and a sentence for a short period to the State Prison. They saw a gambler, while quietly conversing with the United StatesMarshal in the doorway of a store on Clay Street, draw a revolver fromhis pocket and slay him upon the spot. They heard that gamblers andother notorious characters, his associates and friends, had raised largesums; that able lawyers had been retained for his defense; and then thathis trial had ended in a disagreement of the Jury, soon to be followed, as they believed, by a nolle prosequi, and the discharge of the redhanded murderer. They saw an Editor, for commenting on a homicide in theinterior of the State, committed by a man claiming to be respectable, and followed by his acquittal in the face of what appeared to be theclearest evidence of his guilt; assaulted by the criminal in a publicstreet in San Francisco, knocked down from behind by a blow on the headfrom a loaded cane, and beaten into insensibility, and, as seemed, todeath; while three of the assailant's friends stood by, with cockedrevolvers, threatening to slay anyone who should interfere. Againthey saw the farce of trial resulting, as every one knew it would, inacquittal. At length, so confirmed and strengthened were villains bythe certainty of escape from punishment, that they did not even troublethemselves to become assured of the identity of their victims. A worthycitizen in going home through Merchant Street between eight and nineo'clock in the evening was approached from behind by a person who, pressing his arm over his shoulder thrust a knife into his breast. Luckily the knife encountered in its passage a thick pocket memorandumbook which it cut through, and but for which, he would have lost hislife. The intended assassin undoubtedly mistook him for another personwhom he somewhat resembled. A few days after a gentleman passing by theOriental Hotel heard the report of a pistol, and was sensible of thepassage of a ball through his hat in most uncomfortable proximity tohis head. A person immediately stepped up to him saying, "Excuse me, Ithought it was another man. "

The ally of the people in times of difficulty and danger, the Press, seemed subservient from choice to this vile domination, or overawed andcontrolled by it. Experience had proved that its conductors could betrue, bold, effective only at the peril of their lives. More than onehad suffered in his person the penalty of his allegiance to truth andduty; until at length intimidated and desponding, they had ceased tostruggle with the spirit of evil.... 

One man upon whom public attention was now turned, and whom the peopleof the City and State began to regard as their champion and deliverer, was James King of William, and he was no common man. He was born inGeorgetown, D. C. , in January, 1822, and was therefore thirty-four yearsold at the time of his death. Having received a common school education, he was placed at an early age in the banking house of Corcoran & Riggsat Washington City where he remained many years. His health at lengthfailing from steady application to business and conscientious devotionto his employer's interests, he was induced to seek its restoration inthe invigorating climate of California. He arrived in the country justprevious to the discovery of gold. The marvelous growth of City andState soon required facilities for the transaction of business, and hebecame a resident of San Francisco, and established the first bankinghouse in that City. For several years he was eminently successful inbusiness; and his strict honesty and integrity secured for him theabiding confidence and respect of the business community. But the suddenand extreme depression in business in 1855 closed his doors as wellas those of many other bankers and merchants. By the surrender to hiscreditors of all he possessed, even his homestead, which, to the valueof five thousand dollars, the laws of California allowed him to retain, and which might well be coveted by him as a home for his wife and sixchildren; every claim against him was promptly met and discharged. Retaining amidst all his reverses, the respect of all who knew him, heengaged as a clerk in the banking house of Adams & Co. Where most of hisold customers followed him, induced to do so by their confidence inhim. After the failure of that firm, he was for some time out of activeemployment. But compelled by the necessities of a large family to seekit, he determined to establish a daily newspaper and take uponhimself the editorial charge of it. For such an undertaking, his largeexperience in business, his resolute spirit, his sound judgment, his keen insight into character, his lofty scorn and detestation ofmeanness, profligacy, peculation and fraud, eminently fitted him. Thepaper, the Evening Bulletin, was first issued on the eighth day ofOctober, 1855. From that day to the day of his death, he devoted all hisfaculties most faithfully and conscientiously to the exposure ofguilt, the laying bare gigantic schemes for defrauding the public, the denouncing villains and villainy in high or low station, and thereformation of the numerous and aggravated abuses under which thecommunity was and had long been groaning. Day after day did he assailwith dauntless energy the open or secret robbers, oppressors orcorruptors of the people. Neither wealth nor power could bribe orintimidate him. It would be difficult to conceive the enthusiasm withwhich the People hailed the advent of so able a champion, andthe intense satisfaction with which they witnessed his steadfastperseverance in the cause of truth and the right. 

At length, on the fourteenth day of May 1856, the anxious fears andgloomy forebodings of his family and friends were realized.... Hisassassin, James P. Casey, was well-known and of evil repute in the City. Bold, daring, and unscrupulous, his hand was ever ready to execute theplans of villainy which his fertile brain had conceived. Sentenced inNew York to imprisonment for grand larceny in the State Prison at SingSing for the term of two years, and discharged when that term had nearlyexpired; he soon after sailed for California. Shortly after his arrival, he was chosen Inspector of Elections in the Sixth Ward of San Francisco. Here he presided over the ballot box, and was generally believed to haveaccomplished more ballot box staffing, ticket shifting and falsereturns than any other individual in the City or State. He made, as wasgenerally believed, his office a means of livelihood, and held the Cityand County offices in his hands to be disposed of in such manner asmight best promote his interest or fill his pockets. Year after year bythis means he was accumulating money, until he was reputed to have madea fortune, although never known by the people to have been engaged inany honest industrial occupation in California. For the purpose perhapsof adding the levy of blackmail to his other modes of accumulation, heestablished a newspaper, called the Sunday Times, and without principle, character or education, assumed to be the enlightener of public opinionand the conservator of public morals. During the few months of itsexistence, the paper was conducted without ability; advocated no goodcause; favored no measures for promoting the public interest or welfare;attained no measure of popularity; and its discontinuance inspired noregret, but was felt rather to be a relief. 

The thought seems now to have suggested itself that having been so longthe distributor of offices to others he might well assume it himself;and thus while obtaining position in society, enlarge his sphere ofoperations in plundering the public. Accordingly a ballot box at thePresidio Precinct in the suburbs of the City was so arranged or presidedover by friends or pliant tools, that four or five days alter theelection, the law being conveniently silent as to the time which mightbe consumed in counting votes and making the return, it was made to turnout James P. Casey a member of the Board of Supervisors of the County, although not known to have been a candidate for the office at the Pollson the day of election. In this responsible position, he could find hisway on important Committees, be able to squander the resources ofthe County, and by his vote and influence assist in passing the mostexorbitant claims, of which, it is to be presumed, he received asatisfactory percentage. 

So high-handed an offender against the law and the rights of the peoplecould not escape the notice or the withering rebuke of Mr. King. Hefearlessly proclaimed him a convicted felon, and dealt with him as oneof the principal of those offenders against all law, human or divine, with whom San Francisco had been so long and so terribly cursed. 

The Bulletin of May 14th, in which the charges founded upon the mostincontrovertible evidence, of Casey's conviction, sentence and dischargefrom Sing Sing, was made in the plainest terms accompanied with commentsupon his ballot-box stuffings and other criminal acts in San Francisco, was published at an early hour in the after noon. At four o'clock Caseycalled at the Editor's room and demanded of Mr. King what he meant bythe article in the Bulletin just issued, and was asked to what articlehe alluded? "To that" was the reply, "in which I am said to have beenformerly an inmate of Sing Sing State Prison. " "Is it not true?" saidKing. Casey replied, "That is not the question. I don't wish my pastacts raked up; on that point I am sensitive. " King then pointed to thedoor which was open, and told him to leave the room and never enterthere again. Casey moved to the door saying, "I'll say in my paper whatI please. " To which King replied "You have a perfect right to do as youplease. I shall never notice your paper. " Casey said, "If necessary, Ishall defend myself. " King, rising from his seat, said, "Go, and nevershow your face here again. " Casey immediately retired. 

At five o'clock, his usual dinner hour, Mr. King left his office. Withhis arms crossed under his Taima, as was his wont, and his eyes castdown, he passed along Montgomery Street apparently in deep thought, andat the corner of Washington Street began to cross the street diagonally. When about half across, Casey stepped from behind an Express wagon, dropped a short cloak from his shoulders, and uttering a few words, theonly ones heard by Mr. King, as he said on his death bed, being "Comeon, " immediately discharged one barrel of a large revolver into Mr. King's breast. Mr. King drew himself up, and then made a slight motionsideways, indicating plainly to the few persons in sight at the time, that he was hit. The spectators immediately ran in towards him, andassisted him into and seated him in the Express Office. He was badlywounded in the left breast, and was apparently in a dying condition. 

In the meantime Casey was hurried by his friends and the Police to theStation House in the City Hall, and from thence, when the demonstrationsof the immense multitude of infuriated citizens became awfullythreatening, in a close carriage, to the Prison on Broadway, where, within stone walls, he might, as he did, receive the visits ancongratulations of his admirers and the haters of the good man, whom hehad slain; and lay his plans for eluding justice as so many before himhad done. But he reckoned without his host. His hour had struck. TheAvenger was on his trick, never more to lose sight of him till he hadforced him to a speedy, public and ignominious death. The People, whomhe had so long abused and deprived of their rights, as at last almost tohave learned to ignore their very existence, had reached that point atwhich forbearance had ceased to be a virtue. Through the City dartedwith the speed of light the intelligence of his crime; and to the sceneof it rushed from all the streets, lanes and by ways of the City, withwild haste and fearful imprecations, the thousands upon thousands whomthat word of fearful import had filled with sorrow, hate and desperateresolve. Filling every street and avenue in the neighborhood with theinnumerable multitude which swayed to and fro like the tempest tossedwaves of ocean; the main body continued for hours, loading the air withhoarse murmurs or angry shouts; detachments breaking off from time totime to rush with frantic speed and hurl themselves successively butimpotently upon the iron doors and stone walls of the Station House orJail. 

During the evening, so threatening became the demonstrations of thepeople that every effort was made by the authorities to reinforce thePolice. Armed men were dispatched from time to time to be stationedaround and on the top of the Jail. They were received, as they madetheir way through the dense mass with hootings and execrations. TheMayor vainly endeavoured to obtain a hearing, and to calm the fierypassion of the multitude. With wild rage, fruitless clamor andineffective effort, that great crowd waited impatiently but vainly forsome leader to give direction to their energy. At half past elevena mounted battalion consisting of the California Guards, First LightDragoons and National Lancers, were mustered, supplied with ammunition, and marched off to the Jail, where they did duty during the night. The safety of the Prison being now provided for, the people quietlydispersed to their homes, not, however, until a Committee, consisting ofMessrs. Macondry, Palmer and Sims in whom they had confidence had beensent in, and reported to them that the prisoner was securely locked in acell within it. 

Meantime, amid this wild tumult of the people, a number of merchants andother prominent and influential citizens had assembled in a store inthe lower part of the City, and there after full consideration of theintolerable condition of affairs, it was resolved forthwith to organizea Vigilance Committee. At an early hour the next morning another meetingwas held and a Constitution adopted, the publication of which wassometime after sanctioned by the Executive Committee. 

This Instrument was deliberately approved, and was subscribed by severalthousand citizens of San Francisco, who, in action under it, periledlife and fair fame. The following extracts from it will show thecauses of the movement; and the ability and determination of those whoinaugurated and prosecuted it to its final issue:

Whereas it has become apparent to the citizens of San Francisco thatthere is no security for life or property either under the regulationsof society, as it at present exists, or under the laws as nowadministered, and that by the association of bad characters our ballotboxes have been stolen and others substituted, or stuffed with votesthat were never polled, and thereby our elections nullified; our dearestrights violated; and no other method left by which the will of thepeople can be manifested; therefore, the citizens whose names arehereunto attached, do unite themselves into an association formaintenance of the peace and good order of society; the prevention andpunishment of crime; the preservation of our lives and property; andto insure that our ballot boxes shall hereafter express the actual andunforged will of the majority of our citizens; and we do bind ourselveseach to the other by a solemn oath to do and perform every just andlawful act for the maintenance of law and order, and to sustain the lawswhen properly and faithfully administered. But we are determined thatno thief, burglar, incendiary, assassin, ballot box stuffer, or otherdisturber of the peace shall escape punishment, either by the quibblesof the law, the insecurity of prisons, the carelessness or corruptionof the police, or the laxity of those who pretend to administer justice;and, to secure the objects of this association, we do hereby agree, that the name and style of the Association shall be "The Committee ofVigilance, for the protection of the ballot box, the lives, liberty, andproperty of the citizens and residents of the City, of San Francisco. "

That there shall be Rooms for the deliberations of the Committeeat which there shall be some one or more members of the Committee, appointed for that purpose, in constant attendance at all hours of theday and night to receive the report of any member of the association orof any other person or persons whomsoever of any act of violence doneto the person or property of any citizen of San Francisco; and if in thejudgment of the member or members of the Committee present, it be suchan act as justifies or demands the interference of this Committee, either in aiding in the execution of the laws, or the prompt and summarypunishment of the offender; the Committee shall be at once assembled forthe purpose of taking such action as a majority of them, when assembled, shall determine upon. 

That whereas, an Executive Committee has been chosen by the GeneralCommittee, it shall be the duty of the said Executive Committee todeliberate and act upon all important questions and decide upon themeasures necessary to carryout the objects for which the association wasformed. 

That whereas this Committee has been organized into subdivisions;the Executive Committee shall have power to call, when they shallso determine, upon a Board of Delegates, to consist of threerepresentatives from each division to confer with them upon matters ofvital importance. 

That the action of this body shall be entirely and vigorously freefrom all consideration of, or participation in the merits or demerits, opinions or acts, of all sects, political parties, or sectionaldivisions in the community and every class of orderly citizens, ofwhatever sect, party or nativity may become members of this body. No discussion of political, sectional or sectarian subjects shall beallowed in the Rooms of the Association. 

That no person accused before this body shall be punished until afterfair and impartial trial and conviction. 

That whenever the General Committee have assembled for deliberation, thedecision of the majority upon any question that may be submitted to themby the Executive Committee shall be binding upon the whole; providednevertheless, no vote inflicting the death penalty, shall be bindingunless passed by two thirds of those present and entitled to vote. 

That all good citizens shall be eligible for admission to thisbody under such regulations as may be prescribed by a Committee onqualifications; and if any unworthy persons gain admission, they shall, on due proof, be expelled. And, believing ourselves to be executors ofthe will of a majority of our citizens; we do pledge our sacred honor todefend and maintain each other in carrying out the determined action ofthis Committee at the hazard of our lives and our fortunes. 

By this Constitution, it will be seen that the responsibility ofdeliberating upon the subjects which demanded the interference of theVigilance Committee was devolved upon the Executive Committee consistingof twenty-three persons. Of this Committee, the largest number weremerchants, but most of the professions and occupations were representedon it. Many of its members were men of large fortune and extensivebusiness; all of them were men of standing and good character, andpossessing the confidence and respect of the community. All sects inreligion, and parties in politics had representatives among them. Theywere shrewd, sagacious, business men; never seeking office; having notaste for excitement; desiring only to be protected in their rights, andto be able to devote their energies uninterruptedly to their business. Only a sense of intolerable wrong and oppression could have induced suchmen to leave their employments and engage in so anxious, laborious andperilous an undertaking. Having assumed the task, never did men devotethemselves more entirely to the discharge of the duties which itimposed. Freely at all times did they contribute their money to defrayexpenses incurred. Faithfully did they dedicate all their forecast, sagacity and wisdom to insure success; upon which indeed, theirfortunes, and lives depended, and which a single mistake might involvethe loss. 

The writer of this sketch was never more profoundly impressed than when, on two occasions, he was summoned, at half past twelve and two o'clockin the morning to the Executive Chamber as a witness. The room wasof the plainest, even rudest, appearance. A semi-circular table wasliberally supplied with stationary, and around it sat gravely, withfaces paled by long continued vigils, anxious thought and awfulresponsibility a few individuals, some of whom he recognized, and knewto be quiet, humane, order-loving men. On a raised platform sat thePresident, and in front of him the Secretary. These few grave men, seen at so late an hour, by dim candle lights, the leaders of an armedinsurrection, usurpers of all power, rule and supremacy in a City ofat least sixty thousand inhabitants; whose commands thousands of theirarmed fellow citizens obeyed implicitly; who, in disregard of all law, arrested, imprisoned, tried and executed offenders; but whose power, boundless and undisputed as it seemed, rested solely on the convictionof their fellow men that they were just, wise, patriotic and true;would faithfully administer the despotic power of which they werethe depositaries; and cheerfully resign it whenever the work of theregeneration of society was accomplished. If this conviction should beshaken, the association must instantly be dissolved and each of theseleaders and directors of it be left to die upon the scaffold. Well mightany person of the slightest sensibility look on such a body of men withthe utmost interest and curiosity, and in the contemplation be filledwith deep and solemn thought. 

The Constitution likewise provided for a Board of Delegates, withwhom the Executive Committee might confer whenever matters of vitalimportance should require it. This body was organized by the choice byeach company of two of its members, who, with the Captain, should be itsDelegates. When the military organization of the force was completed, the field officers were added to the Board of Delegates; and when theorganization included many regiments, the number of Delegates was ofcourse larger. Whenever the death penalty had been decided upon by theExecutive Committee, the whole evidence upon which it was based wassubmitted to the Board of Delegates, and a two-thirds vote of that Boardin confirmation of the Executive vote was required before it couldbe inflicted. The element of discussion thus introduced into a bodyessentially revolutionary, and whose success might be supposed todepend upon the secrecy, promptness and unfaltering determination ofits councils and of the blows it struck, was thought at the time tobe likely to detract from its efficiency, if it did not endanger itsexistence. But the good sense and prudence of the members restrained theinnate Yankee propensity to speech making, and this danger, with manyothers, which from time to time threatened to make shipwreck of theorganization, was happily surmounted. 

The Constitution having been adopted, the doors of the Committee Roomson Sacramento Street were opened for initiation into the body. The greatest caution was exercised to prevent the admission of anydisreputable or unreliable man. Every person presenting himself wascarefully scrutinized at the outer door by a trusty guard and at thestair head within by another; and if unknown to them, was required tobe vouched for by two respectable citizens. From Thursday the 15th untilSaturday the 17th at two o'clock P. M. A crowd of people were constantlypressing forward for admission. On Thursday both battalions of theCity military refused to act further as a guard upon the Jail; and thecompanies for the most part disbanded; several of them reorganizing aspart of the Vigilance Committee force. The defense of the Jail beingthrown entirely upon the Sheriff; he placed arms and ammunition in it;and made strenuous efforts to provide a force which might suffice withhis Deputies, the Police & co. To accomplish that object. On Friday hisDeputies were very busy in serving printed notices upon all citizenswhom they could induce to receive them, or to listen to their reading. The summons was to meet at the Fourth District Court Room in the CityHall at half past three o'clock to aid him in keeping the peace. Themeeting took place at the time and place appointed, but for variousreasons, did not prove a very decided success. The replies made when thequestion was propounded to each individual whether he was preparedto proceed with the Sheriff to the Jail to defend it against allassailants, were very various. A merchant said he had been summoned, buthe refused most positively to move, and wished it to be most distinctlyunderstood that he was not a member of the Vigilance Committee, nordid he intend to act against it. A lawyer declined serving, and onhis reason for doing so being required, said he was afraid; as he wasafterwards in the ranks of the Vigilance Committee, with a musket on hisshoulder, it may be presumed that his fear was of fighting against thepeople. A medical man professed great doubts about his ability; said hewas not accustomed to the use of firearms, and thought it not unlikelythat he might wound himself or kill his neighbor. At length, a partystarted with the Sheriff for the Jail; but whether their sober secondthought was discouraging; or they had no stomach for the fight; orfound their courage oozing out of their finger ends; the number began todiminish immediately after starting; at every corner some would detachthemselves from the group; at every saloon or restaurant a distressinghunger or thirst would silently but imperiously demand a halt; andas the Jail was neared, a light pair of heels was frequently put inrequisition without the slightest ceremony. As might be supposed, thenumber that finally reached their destination, was distressingly out ofproportion to the work to be done; and the Sheriff, after detaining themfor a time, was reported to have dismissed them with but scant courtesy. 

Bulletins meanwhile were issued daily and almost hourly, by thephysicians in attendance upon Mr. King, detailing his condition. Theywere posted in conspicuous places, and were read and commented upon byeager and excited crowds. The enlistments into the Vigilance Committeewere constantly going on. The French citizens held a meeting andtendered their services to the Committee, and a battalion of threehundred men was at once organized and armed. The Germans had no separateorganization, but were distributed in large numbers through the variouscompanies. Arms were collected from all quarters; cannon were obtainedfrom ships lying at the wharves or in the harbor; the gunsmiths shopswere thronged; dray loads of muskets and ammunition were taken to theJail and the Committee Rooms; armed men guarded and observed the Jailnight and day; and although every thing was done quietly, no personcould escape the conviction that an awful crisis was impending. Inall the streets men on foot and horseback were constantly passing andrepassing, apparently engaged in their ordinary pursuits; but a closeobserver could detect by the interchange of a word, a motion, or asignificant glance, that they had a mutual understanding and a commonpurpose, and were on the alert and quick and observant of all that waspassing. 

On Saturday evening, May 17th, in consequence of a telegraphic dispatchfrom Mayor Van Ness earnestly requesting his presence, Governor Johnsonarrived in the City from Sacramento. He was met by General Sherman whomhe had appointed Major General of the Militia, Ex-Mayor Garrison andsome others. After a long conference with the Executive Committee at twoo'clock in the morning, he went with a sub-committee of that body to theJail. The Sheriff agreed that a detachment of ten men of the Vigilanceforce should be permitted to enter and remain in the Jail to satisfy thepeople of the safe keeping of the prisoner. It was agreed the Committeeshould not take advantage of the permission to wrest the prisoner fromthe hands of the Sheriff, but that if they should resolve such a course, they would withdraw their guard. At two o'clock P. M. On Saturday, theprocess of enrollment was suddenly stopped. Two thousand six hundredmen had then been enrolled. In the evening the whole force was brokenup into twenty-six companies or divisions, as they were called first, of one hundred men. Each division then made choice of its officers, consisting of a Captain, two Lieutenants; and Sergeants and Corporalswere likewise appointed. The Command-in-Chief was entrusted by theExecutive Committee to Colonel Charles Doane; who, in all the subsequentmilitary operations proved himself to be a most skillful tactician andefficient commander. The great body of the force at first under hiscommand, was infantry armed with flint-lock muskets, afterwards changedfor percussion ones. There were, in addition, a company of horse;two companies of riflemen, and artillerists for two field pieces. Theevening closed with a sharp drill of all the divisions. 

Sunday the Eighteenth day of May was bright and beautiful. It dawned onthe pleasant and picturesque City slumbering in its holy light. The roarand tumult of the populous City in its hours of business were stilled. The sun shone joyously in the deep blue sky, undimmed by cloud or vapor. All was hushed in the breathing repose of nature, and the soft andfragrant air, the still earth, and the unruffled surface of themagnificent bay, graced and dignified by grand old Monte Diavolo lookingdown upon it from its far off border, seemed united together in the samesweet spirit of devotion. As the day wore on, the bells of the variouschurches rang out their summons to the house of God. No unusual movementor sound in the early morning gave token of that calm solemn, mostfearful uprising of the people which, at a later hour, was to make thatday one never to be forgotten by any who took part in or witnessed itsextraordinary events. The Executive Committee with consummate prudencehad kept their plan of action profoundly secret. 

At an early hour in the morning the Commander of the force issued ordersto the Captains of Companies to notify their men to appear at HeadQuarters, No. 41 Sacramento Street, at nine o'clock A. M. Ready forduty. Time was of course required to circulate the notice through theCity; but soon the men began to congregate from all quarters and thebuilding, extensive as it was, by half past ten o'clock, was filled, both above and below stairs. A most extraordinary assemblage was thatwhich filled those large halls on that Sabbath morning. Men of everyrank, occupation and condition in society obeyed that summons, andsilently took their places side by side, prepared to do their dutyand abide the issue whatever it might be. Many of these order andpeace-loving citizens had never before, when in health, been absent fromchurch on the Sabbath day or had the slightest skill in the use of arms, or knowledge of military movements, yet so really a military peopleare the Americans, and so completely overmastered was every man by thesentiment and purpose common to all; that the precision with which thewhole body handled their arms, and marched without music, was remarkedwith astonishment even by officers of the regular army. 

After a short drill in the Rooms, ammunition was distributed, and ordersissued to load with ball. The companies then moved in succession intothe street. Not a drum was struck, or other instrument of music sounded, but in silence the various detachments moved by different routes uponthe designated point. Such a body of men have been seldom if ever seenunited, armed, and resolutely bent upon accomplishing such an object. The high and low, rich and poor, men of all classes, ages, and nations;the merchant, the dairy man, the professional man, the clerk, theporter, the father and son, the philanthropist, the patriot, theChristian, all were in the ranks of this great Company; and withflashing eyes and compressed lips marched in silence to accomplish whatthey deemed an absolutely necessary measure of Retribution and Reform. 

As the various columns moved through the streets, from the lower to theupper part of the City, the occasional low but distinct word of command, and the steady tramp of armed men, attracted attention, and windows anddoorways and sidewalks became filled with silent, wondering awestruckspectators. From street, lane and alley, they thronged the thoroughfaresin which the troops were moving, and keeping pace with them, in likesilence, moved steadily on. By exactly calculated movements, eachdivision came upon the ground almost at the precise spot it was tooccupy, and upon deploying into line formed part of a hollow squareenclosing the whole space in which the Prison was situated. A fieldpiece heavily loaded with grape, was placed in position in front ofthe iron gate of the Prison. A body of riflemen marched down Broadway, cleared and took possession of a house next the Prison, and whichcommanded its roof, and filled the roof of the house with sharpshooters. Another body of riflemen were posted on a bluff in rear of the Jail, andwhich commanded that side. In the meantime windows, roofs of houses, andhill tops at a safe distance were crowded with spectators. Such soundsas must necessarily attend the moving and getting into position so largea body of men were soon hushed; and in profound silence, all awaited theprogress of events. 

At length a battalion was marched to the front of the Prison withinthe lines, and drawn up on three sides of a square. Detachments fromcompanies of picked men took post in rear of the square. Soon an emptycarriage followed by two others containing members of the ExecutiveCommittee were driven into the inner square. They alighted and werejoined by the Commander, proceeded up the steps of the Jail, and wereadmitted into it, and the door closed upon them. All knew that a demandwas then making for the surrender of one or more prisoners by SheriffScannell; and that upon his answer it depended whether the Prison shouldbe stormed or not. A formal demand was willingly made upon the Sheriffby the Executives for the delivery to them of James P. Casey and that hebe placed in irons before such delivery. The Sheriff informed Casey thatthe Prison was surrounded by two thousand armed men and that he had noforce adequate to his protection. Casey finally concluded to go withthe Committee provided two respectable citizens would assure him thathe should have a fair trial, and not be dragged through the streets. Apledge to that effect was given him by the President and other membersof the Executive Committee. The Committee then withdrew from the Prison, and, with their armed escort, awaited the surrender of the prisoner. City Marshal North having placed irons upon him, led him to the doorof the Prison and delivered him into the hands of the Committee. He wasthen placed in a close carriage, Mr. North, at Casey's request, takinga seat by his side, and two members of the Executive Committee alsooccupying seats in it. As the guard descended the steps of the Jail withthe prisoner amid the profound silence of the armed force, a shout wasraised by a portion of the spectators several blocks off; but a gestureof disapprobation from one of the Committee was sufficient instantly torestore silence. The Committee arranged themselves in the carriages; thepicked men filed in on each side; a heavy guard closed in on all sidesin square; the people rushed in, packing the streets with a dense mass;and all moved on in silence to the Committee Rooms. 

Profound stillness again reigned around the Prison among the troops andthe great body of spectators who kept their ground in expectation ofwhat might follow. A part of the troops who had attended the prisonerto the Rooms, at length returned, and soon after, the carriages againarrived at the Prison, and the Executive Committee demanded of theSheriff the body of Charles Cora, the murderer of Gen. Richardson, theU. S. Marshal. Only after twice requesting and being granted furthertime for consideration and being then peremptorily informed that if hewas not delivered up in ten minutes, the Jail would be stormed, did theSheriff produce him. He was brought out in irons, placed with officersin a carriage, the Executive occupying the others, the whole armed forcefell in front, on the sides and in the rear in a long column; and thewhole, accompanied by a crowd of people, swept on to the Rooms ofthe Committee. Most deeply was every one impressed with the fearfulresponsibility assumed by the actors in this extraordinary scene, andwith the resolute spirit with which they had thus far prosecuted it. As the procession passed through Montgomery Street, very many of thespectators were observed to uncover their heads, apparently impressed bythe solemnity of the scene; or perhaps by their respect for the menwho filled the ranks. Arrived at the Rooms, and the prisoner secured, alarge force was detailed for guard and patrol duty, and the remainder ofthe troops were dismissed. Thus ended this eventful day. 

From Sunday the 18th until Tuesday following, all was quiet upon thestreets. Crowds thronged in silence and deep concern around the BulletinBoards whenever a new announcement was made of the condition of thesufferer. From five o'clock on Tuesday morning it became apparent thathe was sinking; and the public anxiety became momentarily more intense. At half past one P. M. The dreaded intelligence was communicated thatMr. King was dead. Immediately every demonstration was made of thedeepest feeling and most profound grief by all classes of the community. Stores, offices and other places of business were immediately closed. Hotels, public buildings and many private dwellings were, in anincredibly short time draped in mourning; and mourning badges wereassumed by a large portion of the population. The bells of thechurches and engine houses were tolled until a late hour. The differentflagstaffs, and the shipping at the wharves and in the harbor displayedtheir colors at half-mast. Never did a more general, spontaneous, heartfelt sadness oppress a whole people, or manifest itself in a moretouching manner. The news was telegraphed in all directions, and fromevery part of the State came back responses showing that the wholepeople felt as deeply as the citizens of San Francisco, the lossthey had sustained: But sorrow was not suffered to expend itselfin respectful but unsubstantial mourning emblems; and while a greatmultiture, from five o'clock in the afternoon to a late hour in thenight, were slowly and sadly passing through the room in MontgomeryBlock in which their friend lay cold in death, taking a last look atthat face long so familiar upon the streets, but soon to be seen nomore on earth; a Committee was appointed by the citizens, consisting ofMessrs Macondry, Park and Patterson, to receive subscriptions forthe benefit of the widow and six young children of Mr. King, left butslenderly provided for. The object was nobly accomplished, and the sumof thirty thousand dollars placed in trust for them. The claim forthe widow and the fatherless having been thus met; a sterner dutywas believed to rest upon the citizens of San Francisco. Formal anddeliberate trials of the two prisoners in the hands of the VigilanceCommittee were held by the Executive Committee as provided by theConstitution; and the evidence introduced and the result arrived at werelaid before the Board of Delegates for its concurrence or disapproval. Extraordinary precautions were adopted in and about Head Quarters. Thenumber of men on duty within and outside of the building was largelyincreased. A full company of horse patrolled Sacramento Street day andnight. At a block or two above the Rooms, a company of infantry wasdrawn up in double rank across the street. Any one wishing to visit theRooms for any purpose, was required to pass to the centre of the companywhere two soldiers with crossed muskets barred the way until he hadgiven the password. Everywhere evidence was presented that the measuresto be adopted had been thoroughly matured; the means abundantlyprovided, and that the results would be wrought out with quiet butinflexible determination. 

On Thursday, the 22d of May, the day broke in clouds over the City; butby ten o'clock, the clouds had dispersed, and amid sunshine and softairs the hours stole on. The funeral of Mr. King was appointed to takeplace at twelve o'clock. Great crowds had poured into the City fromall parts of the State, and the streets were black with the masses. Preparations were making by almost every society in the City forattending the funeral; and but for another call upon the citizens, itis probable that full two thirds of the men of San Francisco would havetaken part in the procession, or looked on from the sidewalks. Nosuch demonstration of profound mourning was ever before witnessed inCalifornia. The services in the church were most solemn and affecting. The funeral procession was more than a mile in length, and the number ofpersons in it was estimated at more than six thousand. Slowly it passedthrough the City and made its way to Lone Mountain Cemetery where withMasonic services, and in presence of the great multitude, standinguncovered and affected to tears, the remains of the just and good man, the martyr to truth and duty were deposited. 

But large as was the assembly thus occupied in the upper part of theCity in rendering the last tribute of respect to the loved and lost; astill larger number had collected in the neighborhood of the CommitteeRooms in the lower part to witness a solemn act of retribution. Theyswarmed upon the housetops, filled windows, and such, portion of thestreets as was open to them, and from which they could obtain a view ofthe proceedings, and waited in anxious expectation the infliction ofthe penalty of their crimes upon the two assassins in the hands of theCommittee. From an early hour in the morning, movements in and aroundthe Rooms had plainly indicated the purpose for which they were made. Riflemen were stationed on the roofs of the Committee building andthose adjoining. A detachment was sent out, which cleared and thoroughlysearched a building opposite. Cannon were placed at points to commandand sweep the streets in the vicinity. Cavalry patrolled in alldirections, and large bodies of infantry were gradually placed inposition, and formed an immense square enclosing the entire block, andallowing no new approach to the Rooms. Ominous preparations were alsomaking in the building by projecting from two of the second storywindows in front, platforms with, hinges just beyond the window sills, supported by ropes running to the roof of the building. 

At a quarter past one, as the funeral procession was leaving the churchon Stockton Street the two offenders against the law of God and man wereplaced upon the scaffolds, and, after a few words from Casey, denyingrepeatedly that he was a murderer, as charged by the Alta California andother papers, on the ground that he had been taught always to revengean insult or injury, a signal was given and the unhappy men instantlypassed to their account. The whole body of the military, and many of theother spectators stood uncovered and in profound silence and awe, while this stern and solemn People's tragedy was enacting. Late in theafternoon the entire force of armed citizens was drawn up in line onSacramento Street presenting a most imposing array; were reviewed by theCommander, and then marched by companies to the Rooms, deposited theirarms, and, with the exception of guards detailed for further duty, amounting to some three hundred men, were dismissed. 

During this period and for some time after strenuous efforts were makingfor the discovery and arrest of two men, McGowen and Wightman, who hadbeen indicted as accomplices of Casey in the murder of Mr. King. Greatanxiety was felt for the arrest of McGowen not alone on account of hiscomplicity in the murder, but because it was believed that he knewmore of the operations of the ballot box stuffers and other politicalmanagers than any other person, and that if taken, he would be likelyto expose many who had stooped to obtain office or position by hisunscrupulous arts. Long and earnest search was made, but for some time, no trace of him could be discovered. At length in the latter part ofJune, it was learned that he left the City on horseback, disguised as acattle drover, in company with an American and a Mexican, and had beenseen in Santa Barbara, a small town on the coast about four hundredmiles below San Francisco. Being recognized, he fled, and was pursued bya party from Santa Barbara. On receiving the intelligence, the ExecutiveCommittee immediately dispatched twenty resolute men in a fast sailingvessel to join in the pursuit. On the 16th of July an arrival from downthe coast brought information of his probable escape. His condition wasrepresented to have been such as to have excited pity for even such acriminal. When last seen he was dreadfully wearied and chafed by hislong ride, was without a hat to protect him from the fierce rays of thesun, his face dreadfully burned and blistered, and oppressed with hungerand thirst; and thus the poor wretch, loaded with guilt, flying from thegallows, with hate and despair stamped on his face, spurred on in hismad flight. 

In the first week of June, measures were taken by the State Authoritiesto frighten into submission, or to dissolve by force the VigilanceCommittee. The Governor issued a Proclamation declaring the County ofSan Francisco in a state of insurrection, and gave orders to the MajorGeneral of the District to make all necessary preparations to suppressthe insurrection. General orders were issued for all lovers of law andorder to enlist, choose officers, and commence drilling. Recruitingstations were appointed in different parts of the City, and aconsiderable number of respectable citizens, and most of the gamblers, bullies and other notorious characters who had not yet fallen into thehands of the Vigilance Committee, but must have had very reasonablefears that they soon might, answered to the call. They mustered nosuch force however as led to a public exhibition of their number orcondition. General Sherman, being unable to obtain from General Woodsuch arms as he deemed necessary for his purpose, soon resigned, and Volney C. Howard was appointed in his place. In the meantime theCommittee proceeded quietly in perfecting their arrangements. Thepeople, to the number of several thousand, offered themselves and wereadded to the already formidable force. The demonstrations of citizensnot professedly belonging to, however in favor of the organization, were, at this and subsequent periods, very impressive. An eveningmeeting was held in front of the Oriental Hotel, the number present atwhich was variously estimated at from five to eight thousand. Thisgreat meeting was presided over by Hon. Baillie Peyton, formerly adistinguished member of Congress, and then City Attorney. He addressedthe meeting, as did Judge Duer and other leading men. At the close ofthe meeting, the immense assembly was called upon to say whether theyapproved and would support the Vigilance Committee, and instantly such athundering "Aye" went up as seemed sufficient to rend the sky. When theotherwise minded were called, two "No's" were heard, faintly breakingthe profound silence. Several other meetings came to a like conclusion. Such occurrences, and they were frequent, greatly strengthened thehands, and encouraged the hearts of the Executive Committee. Theirlabors were various and unremitting. They issued notice to quit tonumbers of persons whom it was neither for the interest nor credit ofthe community longer to retain. By their Police they were daily andnightly arresting disturbers of the public peace, thieves and desperatecriminals, whom they quietly deposited in their strong rooms to be dealtwith according to their deserts. To be prepared for any emergency theirHead Quarters were made an armed camp. Barriers six feet in height, madeof sand bags, with cannon planted in the embrasures, extended along thewhole front of the building. Sentinels paced the roof day and night. Companies were drilling at all hours at Head Quarters or in theirArmories. These defenses were strengthened from time to time; and othersingeniously contrived were placed in the interior; so that, at length, in the opinion of an officer of large experience, a very large force ofregular troops would have been required to carry it by storm. 

In the afternoon of Saturday, June 21st, the perfect quiet of theearly part of the day was broken up by a tempest of excitement of rareoccurrence anywhere. Between three and four o'clock, a Police Officerof the Vigilance Committee named Hopkins, being ordered with a party ofmen, to arrest a man named Maloney, having ascertained that he was thenin the office of Dr. Ashe, Navy Agent, on Washington Street, enteredthe office alone, leaving the other officers in the street. A number ofpersons were in the room beside Maloney, amongst them Judge Terry, oneof the three Judges of the Supreme Court of California. Hopkins wasunable to make the arrest; and retiring from the room, collectedhis men, and kept watch in the street. The party in the room armedthemselves and scattered into the street to make their way to the Armoryof the San Francisco Blues. While passing up Jackson Street, Hopkinsattempted to arrest Maloney. Terry opposed him with a double-barreledgun, which Hopkins attempted to or did, wrest from him, when Terryimmediately struck him on the neck with a bowie knife, inflicting aterrible wound. Terry and his whole party then ran and placed themselvesfor safety in the Blues Armory. Hopkins was immediately taken into thePennsylvania Engine House. The news flew with lightning speed over theCity. The bell of the Vigilance Committee Rooms sounded; and instantlythe streets were swarming with members obedient at all times to itssummons. As the sound struck his ear, every man discontinued the workupon which he was employed. Draymen passing with loads, unharnessedtheir horses, mounted and rode off; engines in the great foundrieswere stopped, and employers and men started off on the run; builders, pressmen, shopmen, merchants, professional men, were alike hurrying tothe Committee Rooms. As they arrived, they took arms, were formed incompanies, and reported ready for duty. In a few minutes, a body ofcavalry were thundering through the streets and surrounding the blockin which was the Blues Armory. Then up every street poured companies ofinfantry at double-quick time, and took possession of every importantpoint. So quickly was this done that only some thirty men of the socalled "law and order" party had been able to assemble in the Armory. They were summoned to surrender, and alter some little parley, concludedto do so. Terry, Ashe and Maloney were placed in carriages and conveyedto the Committee Rooms. The other prisoners were then disarmed and theywere kept in the Armory until evening, when they likewise were marchedto the Committee Rooms. 

While this was enacting, a strong force had surrounded the CaliforniaExchange on the corner of Clay and Kearney Streets, where some seventyor eighty of the "law and order" men had assembled, and where was adepot of arms. In front of this building, a battery of artillery was inposition flanked by a detachment of infantry. The commander of the partyin the building was summoned to surrender in five minutes. When fourminutes and a half had expired, the cautionary order of "Artillery, attention" was heard, and at the same instant the doors were thrownopen, and a surrender made. Every, man was made to present himself atthe door, deposit his musket, strip off his accoutrements, and go backinto the room. The arms were taken to the Committee Rooms, and thebuilding left under a strong guard. All the other Armories of the "lawand order" party were taken about the same time by other detachments. Inless than two hours after the sounding of the alarm bell, the "law andorder" party had surrendered; all their arms were secured; the leadersof their troops dismissed on parole; and the rank and file placed insafe keeping; without the shedding of a drop of blood. The people lookedon with astonishment to see with what precision and dispatch thewhole work had been accomplished. At eleven o'clock the next day, the prisoners, with the exception of a few, who, had hitherto escapedcapture, were dismissed from the Rooms after having been cautionedagainst being taken' again. Their appearance as they marched out of thebuilding and up the street, each man with his blanket strapped acrosshis shoulders, some with looks of dignified disgust, and others with amost crestfallen or woebegone expression was ludicrous in the extreme, and caused hearty laughter and many jokes at their expense. In additionto the offenders those secured in the Rooms of the Committee, there weremany others at liberty for whom a quiet but unremitting search was keptup. When any one was found, on the street or in any of his usual haunts, he was very sure to surrender at the first summons of the officer, probably for the reason humorously assigned by one of the most bitteropponents of the Committee, who, after an envenomed tirade against it, was asked, "Suppose, while talking on Montgomery Street, some oneshould tap you on the shoulder, and say, you are wanted at the VigilanceCommittee Rooms, should you go?" "Of course I should, " said he, "Indeed, " said the other, "I should not, from your talk, have expectedit. " "Why, " said he, "you don't think me such a consummate fool as toattempt to buck up against two thousand men. " Sometimes, however numbersgave confidence to the rowdies, and they ventured, regardless of thelessons of experience, to indulge in their old practices in public. Apublic evening meeting was held in front of Montgomery Block to considerwhat action should be taken in reference to certain Officials believedto have been unfairly elected, and a part of whom at least were chargedwith maladministration of the affairs of the City. A Committee had beenchosen to request these City officers to resign, and this Committee weredirected to report at an adjourned meeting in the same place. Before thesecond meeting was held, it was understood that an attempt would be madeto break up the meeting. The intended disturbers stationed themselvesopposite the Montgomery Block, and by shouts, groans and noises of allkinds, endeavoured to interrupt the proceedings. This was borne as longas possible. At last a party of Vigilantes broke in from the extremityof the crowd, and bore straight down through it, leaving a clear spacebehind them, until they reached the point of disturbance, when they madea charge upon the rowdies, some of whom drew pistols but were afraid touse them; secured the leaders and principal bullies, and hurried themoff to secure lodgings in the Committee Rooms. The work was done in awonderfully short time and in the most skillful manner; and no furtherdisturbance occurred. 

The punishments prescribed for offenders by the Committee being onlytwo, viz, death and banishment, and neither being applicable to thecases of some of the numerous prisoners now in their hands, these weredischarged after being cautioned not again to offend. The rest, aftertrial of each one in the mode prescribed, were sentenced to banishment;were quietly embarked at night, and so "left their country for theircountry's good. "

Perfect quiet now seemed restored to the City. But soon the people wereagain roused and horror-stricken by the deliberate murder of Dr. Randal, a large land owner in various parts of the State, while quietlyconversing with the bar-keeper in the St. Nicholas Hotel, by oneHetherington who, four years before had been tried for murder, but bysome means had escaped conviction. Several gentlemen were in the room atthe time, and were in considerable danger from the shots fired by him. The alarm being given City Policemen who first arrived, arrested him;but he was immediately taken from them by Vigilance Policemen, and atonce conveyed to the Committee Rooms. Two murderers, Hetherington andBrace, were in due time tried the counsel whom they selected, wereprocured; and the witnesses they named, obtained for them. They werecondemned, and some time after publicly executed in open day and inpresence of a great multitude in a public street in the lower part ofthe City. 

The case of Hopkins so dreadfully wounded by Judge Terry, was, for along time, considered desperate by the eminent surgeons and physiciansin constant attendance upon him. But after long hovering between lifeand death; to the astonishment of all, he began slowly to recover, until, at length, after many weeks of seclusion and intense suffering, in the early part of August, he was able again to make his appearanceupon the streets. And now that his recovery was assured, the question asto the disposition to be made of the author of his dreadful sufferingswas one of the most difficult imaginable. It seemed at first impossiblethat the Executive Committee should reach a conclusion acceptable to theBoard of Delegates, and in which the whole organization would concur. The meetings of both branches were frequent, long protracted and stormy. At length a majority of both Boards determined that though his guilt wasunquestionable, under the circumstances the first penalty prescribedby the Code did not apply. The second, that of banishment, at firstapproved itself to a majority of both Boards, but, after anxiousconsideration, it was deemed to be impracticable to carry it out, andmake it permanent. It was therefore decided to dismiss him with a publicnotice of their belief in his guilt, and that the people of the largestCounty in the State were of opinion that he should resign the JudicialOffice he held, and for which they deemed him unfit. Accordingly atan early hour in the morning his prison doors were opened, and he waspermitted to go at large. In the afternoon of the same day he tookthe steamer and returned to his home in Stockton. No sooner wasthe decision, and the action of the Executive consequent upon it, promulgated, than a wild storm of passionate excitement brokeforth, which threatened for several days the very existence of theorganization. But the Delegates met their respective Companies;explained the action of the two Boards; gave the reasons for it infull; answered all questions; urged every consideration likely to removesuspicion, allay passion, and inspire confidence; and finally, withinfinite difficulty, the perilous crisis was passed, and acquiescence, if not entire satisfaction was secured. 

A week afterwards, on the 18th of August a public Parade and Reviewof the entire force of the Vigilance Committee took place. The severalCompanies assembled at their Armories and marched from thence to theHead Quarters of their Regiments, and thence to Third Street, where thewhole force of Cavalry, Artillery, Riflemen and Infantry, consisting ofat least four thousand men, in black frock coats and pants and caps andwhite gloves, were formed in line in double rank, extending a fullmile from Market Street some distance beyond South Park. The line wasreviewed by the Commander and his staff and the Executive Committee, about forty persons in all, who thundered along it with heads uncovered, at full speed. The line then broke into columns of companies, and withinspiriting music from numerous bands, began their march through theCity. The sidewalks, windows and roofs of buildings on the line of marchwere crowded with spectators. The scene from the upper part of ClayStreet, when the Cavalry and Artillery, having wheeled into StocktonStreet, the whole steep ascent of Clay Street, between Montgomery andStockton Streets, was filled from sidewalk to sidewalk, with the darkmoving mass of infantry, was most imposing; and to very many, of thespectators so touching from memories of fears, anxieties and terrorsfor their relatives and friends throughout, the eventful movement now sohappily drawing to a conclusion; as to dim their eyes with tears of joy, and thankfulness. The march extended through the principal streets ofthe City, and was terminated and the line dismissed at six o'clock inthe afternoon. This was the last public appearance of the VigilanceCommittee. 

In the last week of August, the Executive Committee caused thefortifications in front of the Head Quarters to be razed to the ground, threw open the doors and invited public inspection of their rooms, anddisbanded the whole force; retaining however, as they stated in theirAddress, the power to defend themselves if attacked; to enforce thepenalty against any banished criminal who should return; and to preservethe public peace, if it should become necessary. A tap of the bell wouldin future, summon the members, if any emergency should require it. 

On the following third of November, the State arms which had been sentby the Governor from Benicia to be used by the "law and order" party insuppressing the Vigilance Committee, but which had been interceptedin the passage down the river, were restored; and the Governor thenwithdrew his Proclamation declaring the County of San Francisco in astate of insurrection. 

This great and hazardous experiment of Reforms thus brought to aconclusion nearly six months after its inception, was planned by some ofthe best men in the community.... 

Happily the right prevailed without civil war. The imminent danger of acollision between the Committee and the United States authorities whichmight have arrayed against them the whole military and naval force atthat station was surmounted by the exercise of consummate prudence. The most deadly peril of all, the internal dissensions and excessiveexasperation in the ranks of the Committee consequent on the dismissalof Judge Terry without punishment was, with prodigious effort, finallyaverted. And then the determined front of the People thoroughly rousedin City and State to their support, awed and finally crushed the forceof organized ruffianism which had so long held sway, and run riot withimpunity.... 

The approval or condemnation of the extraordinary movement describedin these pages will depend upon the answer given by every personthoughtfully considering the subject, to the question whether, under ourpeculiar institutions, when a community has lapsed into a conditionin which the bad element has become dominant and has succeeded inparalyzing or perfecting law and justice so that brute force andviolence have full sway, and life and property are entirely insecure, there is any other conceivable mode in which the well disposed, industrious and orderly classes can assert their rights and secure theirliberties, than the one adopted by the San Francisco Vigilance Committeein 1856? No other was suggested at the time, nor, so far as the writerknows, has been since. It obtained and preserved throughout, theapproval, countenance and support of a large majority of the citizens ofSan Francisco, and also of the people of the State of California, as wasabundantly shown by the numerous and continual expressions of sympathy, and proffers of assistance when needed and at the shortest notice, whichwere received by the Executive Committee.