not enough could be expected from the country. In the harbor, in front
of the city, the war-ship John Adams, Commander Bontwell, was anchored.
Commodore Farragut, commandant of this naval station, was at Mare
Island. It was rumored that the Adams would support the authorities in
case of conflict with the Committee. Another rumor was that cannons were
to be placed upon the hills and at points which commanded the city, to
be used if necessary. The excitement continued and increased. A
deputation was sent to Washington, at the instance of the Governor, to
represent the condition of affairs to the President, and prevail upon
him to order the services of the military and naval forces to the
suppression of the Committee and the restoration of law and order. The
deputation took the next steamer and proceeded to the national capital.
President Pierce replied that the federal government had no authority to
interfere until the request came from the State government after the
Legislature had assembled, acted upon the matter, and the State
authorities had exhausted every means to put down the Committee and
failed.

While the excitement was heightened by these rumors and proceedings, an
incident occurred which augmented it to frenzied quality. The armory of
the Law and Order forces was in the capacious brick building, northeast
corner of Dupont and Jackson streets. On Jackson street, near by, a
number of its members and sympathizers were standing in groups. Sterling
Hopkins, the volunteer hangman of Casey, of the Vigilance police, came
up and attempted the arrest of Reub. Maloney, a notorious politician,
whose impudence of speech and reckless ways in partisan devices had made
him an unenviable reputation. His bravery was in his mouth; his mouth
beyond his own control. Judge David S. Terry, then of the State Supreme
Court, interposed to prevent the lawless arrest, and in the struggle he
drew a knife and dangerously wounded Hopkins. In a few minutes word had
reached the Committee headquarters, and the alarm was sounded with
unexampled vigor. The Committee forces, marshalled and led by the
Commander-in-chief, Charles Doane, Major General, marched in quick time
to the scene. Judge Terry had gone to the armory, Maloney and others
with him. The Law and Order troops were less than three hundred strong.
The Vigilance force numbered several thousand. A surrender was demanded.
It would have been folly to resist, and with Terry and Maloney as