San Francisco County CA Archives History - Books .....Chapter 10 1900
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Book Title: History Of The First Pastorate Of The Howard Presbyterian Church

X.

  I HAVE previously mentioned the interest taken by members of the church and
congregation in the municipal affairs of the city. But all they could do seemed
to go for naught, and things were going from bad to worse. Successive sets of
city and county officers seemed to consist more and more of adepts in the lowest
and most corrupt methods of ward politics,—a class of men who came here from New
York. Time after time there were attemps made to rid the city offices of these
characters.

  Conventions were held, better nominations were made before elections, and it
was well known that better candidates were voted for by a majority of the
people. But it was of no use. Candidates of the same kind were always returned
as elected. In one case a notorious character, whose name had not even been
mentioned as a candidate, was declared elected.

  Among other methods of making certain the election of candidates selected bv
these office-holders, ballot-boxes were made with false sides and bottoms, in
which were packed any number of ballots beforehand. It made no difference how
many votes were cast on cast on election day. The result being predetermined,
voting was useless.

  This device was not known at the time, or the predetermination of elections
would have been no mystery. At the same time, the political party in power had
the support of the guilty parties, and consequently their outrageous proceedings
were overlooked, and seemed destined to be self-perpetuating.

  Meanwhile public morals were at a very low ebb. According to Mr. Hittell,
there had been one thousand homicides in San Francisco between 1849 and 1856,
and only seven executions.

  As the year 1856 opened, the San Francisco Evening Bulletin appeared, edited
by James King of William.

  It was a remarkable paper. It discussed the municipal situation with a free
and fearless hand. It told the truth, and gave the names of men who were
responsible for the scandalous and threatening condition of the city.

  One of these men had been a convict in New York state prison at Sing Sing, and
this fact was stated. The man sought Mr. King, the editor, on the afternoon of
the publication, and shot him. The news spread with lightning speed, and the
people were exasperated.

  The murderer was quickly shut up in the county jail, — the only place then
safe for him. Swiftly then the Vigilance Committee was organized. Business was
suspended.

  In three days the committee was in working order.

  All the sober, industrious, and influential citizens seemed to have joined it.
Members of our churches were conspicuous among them. They joined in sheer
self-defense against the lawless element that had grasped the forms of law, and
were using them, unrestrained, against every public interest.

  Mr. Goddard, one of the elders of our church, was a member of the committee,
and Colonel Charles Doane was chief commander of the entire armed force, which
consisted of several thousand enlisted men.

  Mr. King was shot on the twenty-third day of May. The committee took control
of the city almost immediately, and held it through the summer, and until near
the time when the municipal election would be held according to law.

  Meanwhile the city was thoroughly policed, and the criminal class left for
parts unknown, or went into hiding, and the city became, all at once, perfectly
orderly and safe, by night as well as by day.

  The moral sentiment of the city firmly sustained the committee. But one pastor
of a church spoke against it, while most of the ministers in the city upheld it
with their united influence.

  It was seen to be simply a matter of self-preservation.

  When the work of the committee was done, there was a grand review-day of the
citizen-military force on which the committee had depended to enforce its orders.

  Business was suspended, and everybody turned out to see the display. Five
thousand one hundred and thirty-seven enrolled men marched by companies and
divisions, and gave such emphasis to the public will in support of the
committee's administration as settled the course of our municipal affairs for
many years. In the city elections that fall, political partisanship was ignored,
and the voters joined in electing officers who were known to have been in favor
of the committee's administration, and who were also known to be qualified and
trustworthy men.

  The high character borne by the city for many years thereafter is the best
testimony to the thoroughness with which that work of municipal reform was
carried through.

  But through it all our church-work proceeded with almost as much regularity as
if there had been no public danger or pervading anxiety. People were sober
during that critical time, and were disposed to listen to the word of Him who
controls the destinies of peoples and nations. It was wonderful how quickly
public affairs fell into order under the new regime.

  The character of the men who had been chosen to fill the offices was such as
inspired public confidence at once, and there was a general sense of relief.

  It was hardly needful now for ministers of the gospel to urge upon citizens
the duty of voting and giving prompt attention to all civic duties, for the sad
consequences of previous neglect had taught them the lesson in a way never to be
forgotten.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST PASTORATE OF THE HOWARD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA 
1850-1862

BY REV. SAMUEL H. WILLEY
THE FIRST PASTOR

SAN FRANCISCO: THE WHITAKER AND RAY COMPANY (INCORPORATED)
1900

COPYRIGHT, 1900
BY
SAMUEL H. WILLEY


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