Page:History of Washington The Rise and Progress of an American State, volume 4.djvu/434

332 them to listen respectfully to what the judge had to say. This offer of assistance the judge resented, coming as it did from one who scarcely had been known to a dozen people in the city before the trouble began. “I need no one to intercede with a Seattle audience for me,” he said. “I know these people, and they will hear me if they hate me. They have no reason to hate me, for I have always been their friend. . . . I am a free man and will preserve my liberty. The question is on the road to a solution, but in order to hasten it you cannot afford to violate the eternal laws of justice. The Chinese want to go, but don't like to be robbed or murdereed. Let the working men of Seattle show to the world that the great principle of justice prevails here. Do not be unjust to a dog or a horse. The Chinamen are here under solemn treaty stipulations, but they are going. It is to our interest to see them go, but not to our interest, but just the opposite, to see one drop of innocent blood spilled, or a single breach of the law.”

Before the meeting closed John Leary reported for the committee of which he was chairman, that the Chinese had agreed to go, and were preparing to do so, but that some of them had a large amount of property which thy wished to dispose of, that one firm being valued at $135,000, while the city owed another $30,000. These wanted to have time to dispose of what they had, and make their collections, and it ought to be granted. As he understood matters the opposition were willing that a reasonable time should be granted for this purpose.

It was hoped that this report, and the evidence given by the meeting that no one was opposing the removal of the Chinese by any lawful means, would pacify the excited element, and that quiet would soon be restored, but the hope