From the hour that the bill had been passed, the Governor had been in
consultation with his lieutenants in the Assembly. Speaker Stanton made
canvass of the situation. But little headway was made. That
reconsideration would be denied was evident. Leeds, to save the
situation, moved that reconsideration be postponed until February 10th.
An amendment was made that it be re-referred to the Judiciary Committee.
It was on this amended motion that the issue was fought out.

"I know what you want," declared Johnson of Sacramento in his opening
speech, "and you know it. You want to bury this bill. You want time to
hold another caucus on the question and decide what you will do. You
want time to take another canvass of this Assembly."

Had the question been put when Johnson had concluded, reconsideration
would unquestionably have been denied. In the emergency, Speaker Stanton
left his desk and took the floor to plead for delay. For once in his
life, at least, Phil Stanton was impressive. He did not say much, - and
as the sequel showed he had little to say - but there was a suggestion
of thundering guns and sacked cities and marching armies in his words,
that caused the listening statesmen to follow him with unstatesmen-like
uneasiness.

"It was not my intention," said Stanton, "to take the floor unless we
were confronted by some grave crisis. Such a crisis is, in my opinion,
upon us. I not only believe it, but I know it. But my lips are sealed."

"I would that I could tell you what I know, but I cannot for the
present. But I can tell you that we are treading upon dangerous ground.
I can feel it slipping from under my feet."