Page:History of Washington The Rise and Progress of an American State, volume 4.djvu/431

 buildings and goods that remained. But it was desirable, if possible, to prevent similar proceedings in other places, and the governor accordingly issued a proclamation warning all persons against participating in any riot or breach of the peace, and particularly against inciting others to riot, and calling upon all sheriffs and law-abiding citizens generally, to secure the Chinese against assault. The proclamation also contained an appeal to all good citizens to, “array yourselves on the side of the law. This is a time in the history of the territory for an intelligent, law-abiding and prosperous community, who love their country and their homes, who are blessed with the boundless resources of the forest, field, and mine, and who aspire to become a great and self-governing state, to assert their power of self-control and self-preservation, as against a spirit of lawlessness which is destructive alike to immigration, to labor and to capital. If you do not protect yourselves you have only to look to the step beyond; which is, simply, the fate of Wyoming and the speedy interference of the United States troops.”

In Seattle the agitation had been carried on during September and October as noisily as in Tacoma, but it did not have the secret or open encouragement of the sheriff as it had in Pierce County, and the law-abiding part of the community took a bolder stand in opposition to it. In order to show the lawless element that it would not be permitted to resort to violence without opposition, a public meeting was called, which was addressed by several speakers, all of whom favored the maintenance of the law, and the preservation of public order. C. H. Hanford, then assistant prosecuting attorney, after outlining the dangers of the situation, as he saw it, suggested that the most effective service law-abiding citizens could render at the time, would be by declaring their