| Show HE SHOWED THE WHITE FEATHER 19 CONDUCT OF THE COLONEL OF NEW YORK volunteers ON THE APPROACH OF DANGER at the meeting held in san francisco on the night of june ath 1851 when the first committee of vig vigilance tigilau ilau as known by such name organized in america there were present those who fully realized the and importance of the step about to be taken their seeming duty lay counter to the regular course of law plainly they proposed tu to break the law and in so doing lay themselves open to punishment by the law in the eyes of the law they were about to become offenders of as deep a dye as any they proposed pio posed to p punisa u fisli though from very different motives but according to hubert howe ban crof crofts Ls popular tribunals vol 1 just published there were also present young and inexperienced men who did not know what they were about to do and the sage tutor to these was the colonel stevens commanding the new york volunteers which company when disbanded furnished many ot ol the ruffians that infested the cily li y these mettlesome innocents the mettlesome old colonel set about to instruct it suited well te eternal fitness of things that he who had brought hither new york vagabonds should now bang them feelingly he spoke to his former associates calling to mind past dangers and privations in common shared but recalled to things present stern duty swelled the breast beneath the well buttoned army coat and the severest of military airs wreathed bathed the features ot of the ire illuminated face there were those both at this and at subsequent meetings says mr bancroft who were more ready with their tongues than with their sword upon this occasion the doughty colonel concludes an address brimful of nervous energy with these words an and d mind you let there be no skulking I 1 let there be no skulking now I 1 I 1 but bu t when the bell summoned to actu actual danger and responsibility and the more timid looked for their brave commander amander he was nowhere to be found though there was made diligent search even to the sending to his house for him he failed to put in an appearance appeal ance then certain profane youth filled with merry bontem contempt t took from a white fowl ft its whitest feather and carefully enclosing it in an envelope addressed it and sent it to we ane brave talker very different was the conduct on this occasion of mr brannan to whom the highest praise is due peculiar as he was in some respects I 1 cannot but regard his connection connect fon w with it h the first vigilance committee as the brightest epoch in his eventful life and so long as society holds its course in san francisco francisca his name should be held in honored and guate grateful ful remembrance with the most cheerful recklessness he threw his life and wealth into the scale anything and everything eve ry he possessed was at the disposal of the committee co free of any charge |
