Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-04-27
Lieutenant GeDerai Thrilling
s. Incident.

Rev. DIR. Bellows, in the Liberal
Christian, thus relates a conversation
he recently had with General Sherman,
in st. Louis: General Sherman was in
California at the period when ali the
worth, sense and patriotism of San
Francisco were converted into unwill-
ing law-breakers and an organized mob,
by the establishment of the celebrated
Vigilance Committee, whose objects
were most righteous, but whose meth
DDS were doubtless iustifable only by
revolutionary necessity, if at all. They
seized the known and marked ruffians,
gamblers, banditti of the city, and
without legal judge or jury, hung them
from the windows on the streets and
with bloody threats drove violently all
the. rest. out OF the place. Gen. Sher-
man was then a banker, but had been
educated a soldier.
His military conceptions did not al
low him to countenance so complete a
violation of lawful authority, and sin
gle handed, he stood out against the
whole moral weight and wealth of the
excited community, insisting upon the
peril of unlawful and high pro-
ceedings. / asked him If it did not re-
quire greater courage to face such an
opposition, than to face battery? He
said it was stern work, but
that the greatest demand ever
made on his moral courage was under
the following circumstances: The citi-
zens of San Francisco were celebrating
the Fourth OF July In the large Ameri-
can theatre, which was packed 10 it's
utmost capacity. General Sherman
was Chief Marshal, and occupied seat
near the front of the stage. 81 ~.
The orator had completed his Grafton,
the poet began his song, when one of
his aids, white with fear, made his way
down the middle aisle to the footlights
and reckoning the Generals ear, whis-
pered to him that the theater had set
tied foot and a half in one of its side
walls, under the weight Of the crowd,
and might be expected any moment to
tumble on their heads III ruins. The
General commanded him to sit down
just where he was, without turning his
panie-stricken face to the audience, and
say not one word. He then quietly
sent an aid out to report the condition
of the wall, and to see if the settling
increased, then gave his apparent at
tention to the poem, expecting every
moment, as he said, to see the pillars
reeling and the roof falling in, but new
ertheless, certain that any general
movement and alright of the people
would hasten the catastrophe and ag-
gravate the ruin, while, by the ordinary
slow method of dispersion, the danger
might possibly be escaped. -
The exercises continued calmly to
the close. The audience left the thea
ter quietly without suspecting their
peril, and the terrible destruction was
averted by the presence of mind, the
selt-control, the courage of the brave
soul who, contemplating at one glance
ali the possibilities oft case, decided,
in divine calmness, upon the policy
OF duty. and awaited without tho be-
traying glance, or treacherous change
of complexion, the uncertain, tremend-
Gus consequences.
Can we not understand the march to
the sea better from this story =? Can
We not all the clearer and more inspir-
ingly see the priceless worth of the
brave, social leaders of souls that look
to God and duty for their guidance,
and do not reflect the pains, the pas
sions, or the infirmities and follies of
their day and hour God sends Us
such savIors for our American civiliza-
tion.