, 1856-11-28
From the San Francisco Herald, Oct 9th.
Gov. JOhRSOn'S Reply TO Gen Wool


conveyed through the medium Of the press
whether in the guise of editorials, anony
@ nous scTibblcrS, or letters published by
permission, | have remained content TO pas
D .Gunoticed, but wien Il deliberate effort i
made to question the truthiuneS of state
mcnts made by ne in an official communi
cation of the character TO which you aludt
in your letter of the 18th ult., and publish
cd in the iHa California Of the goth, anG
coming from one whose position at least
gives more than ordinary consequence tC
the merits of the controversy, ! am colr
} strained FROM a sense of duty | owe tC
those i represent, more than TO myself per
sonally, to depart from the observance o.
this rule Of conduct, GEd make reply to this
communication. The character Of its con
tents and circumstances of its Transmission
aud publication were such that your letter
demanded an immediate reply, but when |
received it, (two days after it bears dnte) }
the absence Of a gentleman whose testimony
desired with which to refresh your eIring
recollection, and afterwards my own. ab,
sencc, has necessarily deferred an answer
to the present time.
Now, sir, l leg leave TO call your atten-
! ton TO some circumstances connected Fith
our interview at BeniciH, on the Both land
3lSt days Of May, and It'll Of June laS4
In the evening Of the both Of May, Gen.
W. T. Sherman, Gen. d. +. Douglass Jmy
brother aud myself, met you at your lddg-
ings in Benicia. | called your attention
to the then existing state OF affairs in San
Francisco, and advised you THAT the OBJ
ject Of my visit was 10 confer with you re-
garding these matters, and ascertain, if it
became necessary for the interference Of
the Stale authorities, whether assistance
could be obtained from you 2" To this
you replied | have but a small number
Of troops which are not employed in dis
tant parts Of this State and in the Terrific
RIGS Of Washington and Oregon" l said 4:
We do not want men merely arms and
smmunition-that l was in receipt Of q
letter which induced me 10 believe the next
steamer wonld bring intelligence Of the
passage of a bill giving to the State 5000
stand of muskets, and whatever you fur
nsh US can be deducted from such quota as
may be allowed to the State" You said /:
Under ordinary circumstances no person
but the President can order arms and an
munition TO be issued to the State authori-
ties but, situated as We are here, so fat
from the seat Of Government, don't know
but the General Of Division would be au-
thorized to do So"
On that particular point bat little more
was said during the evening. My recolec-
ton regarding the conversation which you
relate concerning Casey and Cora, and my
intentions towards the Vigilance Commit
tee, are widely diverse from yours. |
know that the language or sentiments
which you imputc TO me did not use either
there or elsewhere. l stated most dislictly
that l would interfere whenever officially
notified OF the existence Of a state Of iRSur'
rection 10 the manner pointed out by law
But to the present time had not receiv
cd such information as the law prcscribed'
Neither can recall to recollection on thai
remarkable occasion the Suggestions ani
counsel you aver you gave, but instead, ]
well recollect you seemed, from your CONFER
sation, the most beligerent individual pres
sent, and you did suggest you would wan
but an inconsiderable number OF men t
entirely suppress those insurrectionary
movements, and by way Of illustration
cited an instance in which with the aiC
Ofbut handful Of troops, you quelled tn,
nutiny Of almost an eutlre army" l fur
thermore do recollect that our attention
during the evening was principally giVeI
10 your recital of difficulties with the au
thorities Of Oregon and Washington Terri
tories, and the reading of an elaborate arti
Gle in relation 10 those matters, which yoI
bad transmitted for publication to th
INatiOHat Lntelhgeneer.
At that time the period was not antci
pated by me when | would become tn
subject agaiN4 which you should indulg
your notable PenehaAa for neswpaper lette
writing.
We separated for the night, and the fol
lowing morning the gentlemen named, an,
myself in compliance with your invitation
joined you at tie quarters Of Capt. Jones
if am not mistaken) for the purpose O
visiting the arsenal Whilst there you in
vited Gen. Douglass and myself to take
walk. In our course, you inquired "vhel
l intended issuing u proclamation NJ
reply was, "as soon as l receive ofteia
information Of the character referred Il
last night, which expect to DO furnishe,
with today" Said you, That's right
:. l have been thinking over the matter sine
. our conversation last night, and have cor
4 cluded 10 furnish you such arms and ammu
milton as you may want, as soon as yo
$ issue your proclamation"
e In your company we proceeded to til
e; arsenal and examined the different kind Z
:; arms. You separated from US there, an
!, we, during the day, visited Mare lsanC
l. | communicated the promise you had mad
r, me to Gen. Sherman and my brother, an
J. arranged with Gen. Sherman, in the even
!, Of the necessity of interference on the par
Of the State authorities, l would make tn
e requistion on you for arms and ammunition
a through him. For this reason, Gen. SheI
: man suggested the propricty of having tn