The morning call., 1893-11-23

but few days before hardly knew how to
handle gun.
This organization concluded with the
hanging of Casey by the Vigilantes and
the subsequent reassertion of law and
order throughout the city. AS Mr.. Cole
man said in his article:
While a perfectly honest and pure admins
tratlon was not attained, yet so superior was IL
TO the old, so relatively pure, as to make it
seem well-Digh perfect. The reforms of 1856
took deep root, aud in their vigor have re-
manned unlmpaired to the present day.
Then followed Mr.. Coleman's chairman
ship of the Committee of Safety in 1877.
within five days from the first call we
had organize armed, gone through sue
cessful action, completed our undertaking.
established peace, order and security"
was the summing up OF this experience by
its modest chronicler.
The Vigilance Committee (he concludes) was
new departure IN the jurisprudenc Of the
world. Ii may be called compromise between
the regular course OF law and the action of the
people without regard to officers of the law
1t was Selling upon the forces OF mob, arrest
ing them in their mad course, Harvesting them
quietly, and utilizing their powers in regular
form, systematically, cOoiy and deliberately.
1t was a demonstration that had never before
been made, and it was left to California to make
it. While the law was lying dormant on the one
hand, and trampled down ana disgraced on the
other, the peOple-the power OF all government
IN our System-determlned to execute In legal
form what their servants had ne elected or liz.
nored. While they loved and reyeTed the law,
respected, upheld and applauded its faithful
servants. they condemned the fatering, and
scorned the false and faithless administrators.
In 1851 IL cleared the country of Sydney ex-
coDvicts and all the worst elements of the
crimiaal classes. In 1856 1t saved San Fran
cisco from the rule of a mob of political out
casts, ballot-box suffers and a recent i'm
migration of other criminals. In 1877, in the
same place, the same people under different
conditions. and yet IN some regards similar,
finding danger from much the same elements
but on more formidable scale, determined TO
act under the law. The State Government was
in better hands than in 1851 and 1856; The city
government was in better hands; the country
1uence of the Vigilance Committee of 1856 had
continued and prevailed all the time. The
at the earlier date. The early experiences
were valuable to individuals as we'll as to the
masses. and when called up for self-govern-
ment the people again demonstrated CAPACITY
that has few parallels.
Mr.. Coleman's elevated thought and
broad reasoning are shown with peculiar
force by this personal review of the events
in which he took such leading part.
Though so well known he never &C
cepted public office or received any pecu-
mary compensation for his labors, He
was characterized as war Democrat"
and in 1884 was brought forward by the
New York Sun as fit candidate for the
Presidency.
Several stories of Mr.. Coleman's per-
sonal nerve are extant The folio wing is
but one Of innumerable instances that
might be told to illustrate this point: One
day, sitting in his office engaged in writing
a letter, he was suddenly confronted by a
''hard Citizen" who plat ed the muzzle of
revolver at his temple. saying: "You are
a member of the Vigilance Committee
that hanged my brother. and now Pm 60
ing to do you up"
Without so much as glancing at his ad-
versary, Mr.. Coleman continued his letter,
which he was about concluding,
and, having signed his name. cooliy
blotted the sheet, and then, turning to the
individual with the pistol. said, in a per-
fectly buslness-like tone. Now, my friend,
what can j do for you?" The California
desperate was won by the gentIeman's
sublime fearlessness and self-possession
| and departed in peace.
1t Is also matter of record that this
same modest appearing. unostentatious
william L. Coleman once found himself
one OF several hundred passengers on
sailing vessel ten days out from any port,
upon which vessel that dreaded scourge
the yellow fever had broken out In all its
virulence. The surgeon of the ship be-
came panic-stricken and finally demented,
50 that it was found necessary TO place
him in irons. Panic seized all on board.
At this luncfure Dir. Coleman, who was
| simply a passenger. took command. lie
organized a corps OF nurses and assistants,
| overhauled the ships medicine-ch tests,
studied the few medical books on board
| for symptoms and remedies, induced a
druggist among the passengers to become
the ships apothecary. and actually sue
ceeded in restoring confidence and hope
among the panic-stricken and demoralized
shipl0ad of humanity.