Year: 1867

Rev. DIR. Bellows, in the Liberal Chris
tian, relates conversation he recently
had with Gen. Sherman in st. Louis:


Gen. Sherman was in California at the
period when all the worth, sense AID pa
trotism of San Francisco were converted
into unwilling law breakers and an organ
ized mob, by the establishment of the eel
ebrated Vigilence Committee, whose OBJ
jects were most righteous, but whose
methods were doubtless justiiiable only by
revolutionary necessity, if at oil. They
seized the known and marked ruflians,
gamblers and banditti of the city, and
without legal judge or jury, hung them
from the windows of the street, and with
bloody threats drove violently all the rest
out of the place. Gen. Sherman was then
barker, but had been educate soldier.
His military conceptions did not allow
him to countenance SO complete violation
of lawful authority, and, single-handed, he
stood out against the whole moral weight
and wealth of that excited community,
insisting upon the peril of such unlawful
and high-handed proceedings. ! asked
him if he did not require greater cour-
age TO face such an opposition than TO face
a battery? He said it was stern work but
the greatest demand ever made on his
moral courage was under the following cir-
cumstances The citizens of San Francisco
we're celebrating the Fourth of July in the
large American theatre, which was packed
to its utmost capacity. Gen. Sherman was
chief marshal, and occupied seat near
the front of the stage. The orator had
completed his oration, the poet began his
song, when one of his aids white with fear,
made his way down the middle aisle to the
footlight and beckoning the generals ear,
whispered to him that the theatre had set
tied foot and half in one of its side
walls under the weight of the crowd, and
might be expected any moment to tumble
on their heads in ruins. The general COIN
manded him TO sit down just where he
was without turning his palic smitten face
to the audience and TO say not word. He
then quietly sent an aid out 10 report the
condition of the wall, then gave his appa-
rent attention to the poem, expecting every
momen, as he said to see the pillars reeling
and the roof falling in; but nevertheless,
certain, that any general and sudden move
ment and alright of the people would has
ten the catastrophe and aggravate 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 theatre
quietly without suspecting their peril, and
the terrible destruction was averted by the
presence of mind, the self-control, the cour-
rage of the brave soul, who, contemplating
at one glance all the possibilities of the
case, decided, in divine calmness upon
the policy of duty, and awaited without
one betraying glance, or treacherous
change of complexion, the uncertain, tre-
menduous consequences.


Can we not understand the march to the
sea better for this story? Can we not all
the clearer and more inspiringly see the
priceless worth of brave, social leaders, of
souls that look to God and duty for their
guidance, and do not reflect the pains,
the passions, or the infrmilies and follies
of their day and hour? God sends US
such sayors for our American civilization.