Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1864-07-30
More about the Vigilance Committee st
New OunGenoos.

More about the Vigilance Committee st
1ew Dungenssa.
New DrxoESEss. w. T.. July II. 1864.
Siace my letter Of July I'd, our seh.pamsd
vigilance committee have been again trying
their hands at dispensing what thy eall jus
tic~ to their fellows. BY issaiog 70 Joseph
Clifford and George Lawrence, two men Of nm.
impeachable regulations, who have resided in
this place for the past six years and who arc
iudus'riously laboring to make for shemselves
homes among US. the following notice:
New DssgcSess, July 10. 1864.
To Joseph Clifford BE it known to You
that the vigilance committee Of this place have
arrived at the conclusion that you or your ser.
vices are not wanted in this county any longer
than this next week, for the reason Of the
threats made by you. and ifyou are found in
this county after the 10th day Of tho present
month. you may expect what your fate will
BE-. BY order Of tho committee,
81, Secretary.
This is verbatim copy Of the notice issued
to these men. without their having any previ-
Gus notice tina: their names were to be brought
before the committee, or without knowing
with what they were charged or who they
had threatened or having any opportunity to
defend themselves against their enemies. The
committee say, "y0x may erpect schat yoxr
fate sW be-" Take into considerable that
one week prior to this notice poor Tucker had
been cruelty murdered for daring to violate
their orders in coming into this county after
they had abducted him out Of the Territory.
and is it difficult to know the meaning Of this
threatl 1t means that they are to b. shot
down from an ambush without show for their
lives. And for what: The mob say they
have made threats, but what or whom they
have threatened nobody knows. Atth same
time these notices were written, two more
were addressed, one to Capt. Daniel Smallcy.
gentleman that has been for the past ten
years resident of this place, and who has
made for himself reputation for honesty and
fair-dealing enjoyed by very few Of his perse.
cutors, the other to myself, and the following
is copy:
New Dungencss. July 10, 1864.
10 all whom these may come: Belt known
unto you that the vigilance committee OF this
county of Claim consider that you have aided
and abettcd the several men who were sent Oft
from here. and have determined that should
any damage be done to the persons or proper.
ty vf any one in the county, VIC will hold you
equally as guilty as the perpetrators OF the
damage and will deal with you accordingly.
BY order of the committee,
81, Secretary.
Now, Mr. Editor, will leave you to judge
what kind of material that mob must be made
of, who, in addition to breaking into private
residences and abducting citizens, and shoot
ing them down from hiding places, propose to
hold ,nen responsible for acts they know
nothing Of. 1t reminds me of the fable Of the
wolf and the lamb. The wolf says, If YOU
have not injured me your father did," and
sprung upon the helpless limb and devoured
him.
DO not be deceived into the error that this
mob is the people of this community. When
it was gotten up. no notice was given, no in
vitation to the public was held out to come in,
but it was organized privately. only certain
ones that they were sure Wore bad enough to
do any act however unlawful or bad, beingin.
vitcd to join; and up to this time. they have
no members but Democrats and Copperheads,
and every man they have assai!ed thus far has
been for tho past two years member OF the
Union party and q true Union man.
This committee are extending their organi-
cation into the edoining counties, and if they
do not involve us here in general war. it
will not be their fault. Before this reaches
you, If this mob undertakes to enforce their
order against Clifford and Lawrence, there
will BE- resistance, and it will be demonstrate
ed that "Yanks and furrencrs'' as they call
us, can fight in Washington Territory for our
firesides and our lives, when Southern chivs
make it necessary.
Yours in haste,
G.. NJ. BRADSHAW.
TO J. NJ. Murphy, Esq, Ed. Washington
STANDARD, Olympia.