Lost Journals of a Pioneer.—III [pp. 276-287]

The Lost Journals of a Pioneer.
if they do acquit, and even discharge, him,
it does not follow that they mean to disband; on the contrary, the probabilities are
that their political organization will be more
fully and boldly developed immediately thereupon, under the presumption that the act
will be imputed to justice, and conciliate the
people in their favor. They have delayed it
too long to gain credit for magnanimity.
The change of popular sentiment is already
made, and their conduct will receive a right
explanation [as] cowardice and conscious
weakness, and they will [lose] instead of
gaining strength by the act. [They] had
reached a point when to persist in error was
better policy than confession of a fault.
They will now be obliged to disband the
open acknowledgment of Terry's innocence,
the concession of the great point of the last
two months, silences their advocates, encourages their adversaries, decides the doubtful
against them, and disbandment is inevitable.
It will be reluctant, but will be certain. Their
rod is broken.
Tuesday, 29th J.uly.-The Vigilance Comnmittee murdered two men this afternoon by
hanging-one named Brace, for the alleged
murder of Captain West, in the neighborhood
of the Mission Dolores, many months ago, for
which he was tried and acquitted; and the
other of the nanie of Hethrington, for shooting Dr. A. Randall, in an affray a few days
since. These murders were committed to
endeavor to pander to the vicious spirit of
the mob, and regain the ground lost by the
detention of Judge Terry, and as a bravado
to the State and Federal authorities, and to
pretend a strength and daring which they do
not feel; and instead of being an evidence
of strength, is a proof of weakness and division. They must disband and [will] do so,
despite this bloody display of im[porta]nce,
in shame and chagrin before or immediately
[after] the arrival of the next steamer from
the East, without resisting the Federal authorities. If they wait until the United States
interpose, they must disband hastily, and
leave much to expose their nefarious proceedings, and disband entirely. If they separate before that time, it will be only a
nominal, an ostensible separation; the real
organization being kept up for political purposes, and a strict watchfulness maintained
upon their members to secure secrecy as to
the past, and indemnity for the offenses that
have been perpetrated by them, singly and as
a body. Doubtless, too, many of them will
slip away from the State by every opportunity, until they are all beyond the meshes of
the law.
.Thursday, 7lh August.-The Vigilance
Committee have released Judge Terry, and
he has taken refuge upon the "John
Adams." He will come up tonight.
Friday, 8th August. Judge Terry arrived
from San Francisco this morning about three
o'clock on the steamboat "Helen Hensley,"
and was received by a large crowd with cannon, rockets, and bonfires. The Confidence
Engine Company, No. i, and about one hundred and twenty-five persons in citizen's
dress, making upwards of two hundred and
thirty, escorted him from the landing up K
Street to Fourth, up Fourth to J Street,
down J Street to Second Street, and to the
Orleans Hotel, where a welcoming speech
was made by Tod Robinson, to which Terry
replied, and the assemblage, which was large,
was then addressed by several gentleman,
and dispersed. The uncertainty of the hour
at which the boat would arrive, and the certainty that it would be long after midnight,
prevented any but the most enthusiastic from
attending.... The award of this reception
to a man a stranger in this city, is a stronger
evidence of public feeling than thousands assembled in broad day to receive a familiarly
known and popular man....
Thursday, T4th August.-The San Francisco papers publish an alleged telegraphic
dispatch from Washington to New York.
saying that the General Government had refused to attend to the requisition of the
Governor of California for assistance to repress the Vigilants, and that the refusal is
based upon the failure of the legislature to
join in the demand. This stamps the story
as a falsehood, and proves it to be a dispatch,
if at all, made to order, for use here. The
truth is, the demand had not [yet] been
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1886.]
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