e fury of their troops, by ordering the execution, their death was
certain at the hands of Judge Terry's avengers. In this quandary, the
Executive Committee were as anxious for a safe way out, without blood or
sacrifice, as any of the friends of Terry. Secretary of State Douglass
came to San Francisco. He persuaded ex-Senator Gwin to interpose on
Terry's behalf. Gwin dispatched Sam. J. Bridges, Appraiser-General, to
Mare Island, to request Commodore Farragut to meet him in San Francisco
on Wednesday, June 25th. On the afternoon of that day, Farragut, Gwin
and two others, on behalf of Law and Order, met four members of the
Executive Committee, in a room on the third floor of the Custom House.
Senator Gwin explained the object of the conference--to secure the
release of Judge Terry. Commodore Farragut then made the proposition:
that he would have a boat sent from the John Adams to a stipulated
landing place on Market street wharf, at midnight; that the Executive
Committee should have Judge Terry escorted to the landing place at that
hour; that the Adams should immediately sail for Mare Island; and that
there he (Commodore Farragut) would exact a promise from Judge Terry,
before he left the vessel, that he would go into the interior of the
State, not visit San Francisco inside of six months, and meantime
neither excite nor encourage any popular feeling against the Vigilance
organization. To this James Dows responded on behalf of the Executive
Committee: that the Committee had already submitted to them a
proposition from Judge Terry himself, to the effect that he would resign
his place upon the Supreme Bench, consent to have the Committee put him
on board the next steamer for Panama, and not return to California
within the succeeding six months. He added that, although this
proposition had been before the Executive Committees twenty hours, no
definite action had yet been agreed upon; the recovery or death of
Hopkins was the paramount factor in the case, because of the intense
feeling against Terry among the larger proportion of the Committee
troops. At this juncture, J. D. Farwell, also one of the Executive
Committee, spoke. He was voluble and vehement. He said that the
Vigilance organization acknowledged no authority to be superior to
itself. "We have," he continued in loud tone and gasconading temper,
"proved ourselves the superiors of the City and County, government, and
of the State government; and if the Federal governme