Page:History of Washington The Rise and Progress of an American State, volume 4.djvu/433

 Another public meeting was held by the citizens' party on the evening of the day following the publication of the governor's proclamation, and although the call for it had been hastily issued, a large number of the most prominent residents and business men of the city were present. Some of the principal agitators were also there and were listened to patiently. All were willing to have the Chinese go. A committee had hastily drawn up a plan for getting rid of them, in a peaceful and lawful way, which it was hoped would be acceptable to everybody, but a majority of those present were resolved to prevent their expulsion by force if there should be a need to do so. Several short but very forcible speeches were made by J. C. Haines, Judge Lewis, and by two speakers reprasenting the turbulent element, who were loudly cheered by their sympathizers who were present. Judge Thomas Burke made the most impassioned speech of the evening. He had long been known as the friend of the oppressed against the oppressor, and up to this time he had been a general favorite among the laboring people, whose cause he had invariably championed, when there had been occasion. But on this occasion they were not in sympathy with him, or fancied they were not. He declared himself as unalterably opposed to riot, at all times, and particularly at the present time when there was no need or cause for it. He would stand for the rule of law, and no other, at all times and in all places. He denounced the proceeding of the mob at Tacoma, and declared that he would rather live under the rule of the Autocrat of all the Russias, than under that of a dozen or twenty lawless men, who were the worst kind of tyrants.

This declaration was received with hisses and jeers by the noisy element present, and one of their leaders appealed to