"We do bind ourselves to perform every just and lawful act for the maintenance of law and order, and to sustain the laws when faithfully and properly administered, but we are determined that no thief, burglar, assassin, ballot stuffer, or other disturber of the peace shall escape punishment either by quibbles of the law, the carelessness or the corruption of the police, or a laxity of those who pretend to administer justice."
The Vigilance Committee of San Francisco, 1851