Address, the power to defend themselves if attacked; to enforce the
penalty against any banished criminal who should return; and to preserve
the public peace, if it should become necessary. A tap of the bell would
in future, summon the members, if any emergency should require it.

On the following third of November, the State arms which had been sent
by the Governor from Benicia to be used by the "law and order" party in
suppressing the Vigilance Committee, but which had been intercepted in
the passage down the river, were restored; and the Governor then
withdrew his Proclamation declaring the County of San Francisco in a
state of insurrection.

This great and hazardous experiment of Reforms thus brought to a
conclusion nearly six months after its inception, was planned by some of
the best men in the community....

Happily the right prevailed without civil war. The imminent danger of a
collision between the Committee and the United States authorities which
might have arrayed against them the whole military and naval force at
that station was surmounted by the exercise of consummate prudence. The
most deadly peril of all, the internal dissensions and excessive
exasperation in the ranks of the Committee consequent on the dismissal
of Judge Terry without punishment was, with prodigious effort, finally
averted. And then the determined front of the People thoroughly roused
in City and State to their support, awed and finally crushed the force
of organized ruffianism which had so long held sway, and run riot with
impunity ....

The approval or condemnation of the extraordinary movement described in
these pages will depend upon the answer given by every person