The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-05-21
The Macready Riot in New York.


should be called in to repress mobs too formidable
for the civil power TO control, and that the demon
straton should not have been effectual until blood
had been she'd All the particulars of an affair so
serious and lamentable, will be scrutinized with
extreme jealousy. The taking of human life where
guilt is clear and proved, is fearful responsibility
to tender consciences, even when the infiction of
that last penalty is by the rigid direction of law and
the individual agency is merely ministerial. Over
whelming, then, must be the necessity-not conjec-
tural or prospective, but sure, immediate and ncon
testible-that will justify the employment of SOL
diery to charge and fire upon a multitude, how
ever lawlessly employed, which must, from its
nature, be composed of parties involved in very
different degrees in the guilt of the riot, and in
which there are sure to be not only the desperate
leader, but the ignorant, the idle, the curious, and
often the feebe-women and children. The mar
ratives tell us of many such victims in this dreadful
affair." An old man, waiting for the cars, was shot
instantly dead little hoy, eight years old, was
killed by ball, at the corner of Lafayette Place !;
a woman sitting in her own house, corner of the
Bowery, was shot in the side. These are shocking
Details and show the mixed character of the multi
tude. Before raining bullets such mass. it
ought to be made so sure that humanity cannot
doubt, that the work of slaughter is work of abso
lutte necessity, and that nothing but fire and steel
can subdue riot. Even in that admitted extremity
of hard duty, executive vigor may be applauded for
its skill and promptness in the crisis of action and
yet not escape the rigid inquiry whether, by proper
foresight and sufficient preparation the civil power
might not have been adequate to preserve public
ORDER and spared this deplorabe ef1uson of blood.
These rules of judgment will be applied strictly,
we doubt not, TO the New York riots The first
impulse of admiration which always follows any
signal act of high energy will give way to search
ing and saddening investigations into the proofs by
which the authorities are to be acquitted of unne-
cessary bloodshed.s
The New York press-just come out of the heat
of the conflicts almost unanimous in approval of
the whole course of the magistracy. We suspect
there is in this something of pride in the unmistake
able demonstration that in this country mobs can be
met and put down by lhe citizen military. In fact,
there are not u few boasts that foreign countries
may here see, what they have often doubted,
that the American citizen will kill his brother ci
zen, if it be needed for the maintenance of law
As political fact it is worth something, for the
military obeyed orders well, and at the same time
with as much tenderness as was consistent with
obedience when the order was given, it had be-
come perhaps impossible to withhold it, and the con-
duct of the soldiers to have been at the same
time faithful to the law and forbearing to the ag-
gressors. They behaved well, and showed that they
resoute supporters of public order but it does
not detract from their merit to persist in the inquiry
whether this necessity for bloodshed might not have
been avoided by precautions, with the aid of an
and sufficiently organized civil power.
The disturbance was anticipated. Preparations
had been made for the defence of the building
against an attack, and within the preparations
were effective The attempts at riot were put
down, and the rioters promptly arrested. The play
went on to the end. Out of DOORS the papers say
that although the crowd was prodigious in num-
bers, the actual rioters did not exceed few hun
dreds The rest were mere spectators, or if sympa-
thisers not TO the extent of forcible resistance the
officers of the law. The British Geve,nnaont pro
vded very efficiently against tAe apprehended riot
of the vast Chartist meeting, few years ago, by
organizing large extra police force, out of the vol
eer supporters of the law. In the city of New
York, doubt not that active men could have been
obtained, to twice the number of the real active
rioters, ready to assist the police in guarding the
avenues of the theatre, keeping off the crowd at
Ill points after the sale of tickets closed and
aking the turbulent into custody at the first symp
ON of riot With a military force, perhaps, in
eserve, to assist the volunteer force in REFRESHING
disorder, some such precautions might have been |
Effective. 1t is at least a subject for profound |
egret that they have not been tried At all events,
lad conflict then arisen, by direct attempts to |
ssault the police obstruct them in the discharge
# their duty, one satisfactory consequence would |
ave followed. None but the active rioters would |
ave been hurt. No force would have been re-
ured except in resistance to attacks the officers
# the law. No violence would have been used,
kept against men taken in fragrant acts of vio-
ence. The event might not after all have been
ntirely bloodless, but there would have been that
onsoling reflection, which is not now so surely
that every thing had been done TO save
uman life, and that the penalty of the crime had
Ot fallen at random, or on the innocent.
We have no desire to Judge the New York au-
horites harshly, but we could say no less than we
ave done, with the facts as they are before us,
nd feeling deep sentiment of horror at the she'd
ing of blood in a domestic strife among our own
eople.
And after all it is notifying fact that the riot
RS, comparatively few, unsupported by any large
lass in their designs of violence and Outnumbered
Ivy W one ny tne real people Oh new 1Ork, AFTER
tirrng up such deadly strife, and having been
nbdued by military force, did actually accomplish
neir main object. They had sworn TO drive Mr..
Iacready off the New York stage, and they sue
,eded. He threw up his engagement and left the
ty forever. lie may be said literally 10 have
cen prohibited from the exercise of his profession,
nd driven from New York. by intimidation and
olence. The public sentiment was largely in his
vor, as stranger assailed and prosecuted by an
mob, and on the merits of personal con-
oyersy with Mr.. Forrest, the ostensible provoca-
on to all this shameful contest. In this latter
after Mr. Macready has showed, by conclusive
stimony of the best character, that Mr.. Forrest
greatly in error, and has been most grossly mis-
formed in relation to Mr. Macready's feelings
I'd conduct in England. If that miserable pri-
lite squabble were any thing in which the public
I've an interest, the strength of the case is en-
ely with this insulted stranger-and yet, after ALL
gives way, abandons his lawful business, and
ently flies from the malice Of his adversaries.
his Is a curious commentary upon the success of {