Justice Field
reached his quarters in San Francisco on the 20th of June. From that
day until the 14th of August public discussion of what the Terrys
would do continued. Some of the newspapers seemed bent upon provoking
a conflict, and inquired with devilish mischief when Terry was going
to carry out his threatened purpose.
The threats of the Terrys and the rumors of their intended assault
upon Justice Field were reported to him and he was advised to go
armed against such assault, which would be aimed against his life. He
answered: "No, sir! I will not carry arms, for when it is known that
the judges of our courts are compelled to arm themselves against
assaults in consequence of their judicial action it will be time to
dissolve the courts, consider government a failure, and let society
lapse into barbarism."
As the time approached for the hearing of the motion for a receiver
before Judge Sullivan, July 15th, grave apprehensions were entertained
of serious trouble. Great impatience was expressed with the Supreme
Court of the State for not rendering its decision upon the appeal from
the order denying a new trial. It was hoped that the previous decision
might be reversed, and a conflict between the two jurisdictions thus
avoided. When the decision came, on the 17th of July, there seemed
to be some relaxation of the great tension in the public mind.
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