Page:History of Washington The Rise and Progress of an American State, volume 4.djvu/439

OF AN AMERICAN STATE was not realized. Judge Burke's speech, as it was reported from mouth to mouth, increased the excitement. The estimation in which he had been held by those whom he had so uniformly befriended was, for the time being, completely changed. He was no longer popular with the crowd; instead of praises, and expressions of confidence and esteem, the bitterest denunciations were heard. The peacable part of the community felt alarmed for his safety, but he continued to go about his business as usual, and made no effort to answer his detractors.

During the next two days a home guard was organized under command of Captain George Kinnear, and Governor Squire was urgently advised by telegraph, to have a detachment of Federal troops sent to the city at the earliest moment. “Delay is criminal,” said Sheriff McGraw; “Quickest action possible is necessary” was Judge Greene's dispatch, while ex-Governor Ferry telegraphed, “In my opinion troops should be sent here instanter.” Thus urged the governor sent equally urgent appeals to Washington, and on the 8th, five days after the Chinese had been driven out of Tacoma, General Gibbon arrived from Vancouver with three hundred and fifty soldiers, and took charge of the city. In the presence of this force the riotous element quickly dispersed. The troops remained only nine days and then returned to their barracks on the Columbia.

For the time being the agitation seemed to be at an end. The city was as orderly as it had ever been. Excited crowds were nowhere to be seen on the streets, and the agitators had apparently given up the contest. It could hardly be claimed, in fact, that there was further need for a contest. Chinamen were no longer employed in the mills, mines, factories or by the railroad, and the number of house servants and