The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-08-08

That the American party would not cast more than
few votes, aud that il they did, they would have
to vote in the afternoon througla file of Marines
win show you that another citizen said in sub.
stance the same thing. | viii show you that
workman asked his employers, who were opposed
to the American party, whether they could not
find employment for him on that Monday in some
other placey and on being asked why, he said
because there would be more American blood shed
on that Monday, than over before in the city Of
Washington. l will show you that instead OF the
Mayor being prepared with his police force of 46
men-l4 police officers and 80 of the auxiliary
guard, with their captains--they were not at their
duty, and the Mayor could not be found
l will show you that il was all calm until 8
o'clock, when, IL or IA young men went up 7th
street. and that then one of the police magistrates
who was candidate for the Office of Alderman,
sent to the Mayor for police force to prevent
riot, but the Mayor could not be found, nor could
the Captain OF the auxiliary guard, when the ARRAY
might have been prevented.
! shall show you that those young men from
Baltimore, some of whom are on this Indictment
do not know them-after some jeering, when
Goddard sent for the Mayor, went away They
were gone some 30 or 80 minutes, and on return
ing to the polls they found a column of naturazed
citizens, ranging from 100 to SEQ men, reaching
up to street. There was scarcely an American
in the column except at its head, apparently car
rying out what had been before said, that the
Americans would not be able to vote except in the
afternoon through file Of marines They were
in solid mass, literally taking possession of the
polls. Those young men approached the column,
next the curb-stone, and jeers and laughter fol
lowed /; but will show You that the first violence
was done by police magistrate John Fl. Goddard,
and the first pistol was fired by Captain Baggott,
the captain of police. Then, gentlemen, take all
this preparation, take all this arrangement tax 9
all these facts, and group them together, and
ask you If these did unite to resist this force,
whether it was not a riot by them in resisting
rioty
Well, gentlemen the ARRAY lasted three minutes
at the outside. This riot, which so disturbed the
Executive of the United States that he sent to
Baltimore for military force to keep the citizens
OF Washington in order, continued for three min
utes. Nay, so soon was peace restored, that
when Captain Goddard met the Mayor and Captain
Mills in barouche and returned to the polls, they
found the judges were ready to proceed. And
what nextg
Gentlemen, ! tell YOU it was prepared; tell
you 1t was pre-arranged tell you it was pre-
concerted that this riot should be encouraged and
ripened to its Lead in order that the marines
might be called out. How do | show it? They
remained there few minutes, when the Mayor
without leaving his barouche, said he would soon
have the marines there They left Captain Mills
at the polls, and the Mayor and Capt. Goddard
went to the Executive. They got an informal
order, but the order could not be issued until
certain information was produced, and on its pro-
duction the order was formally obtained. The
Mayor then returned to the City Had. When
the Mayor was preparing the information on which
the order was issued, two citizens of Washington
visited him, and before the order was issued a,
private message was sent to Capt. Tyler to hold
himself in readiness to march when he should re-
ceive the order of the Executive. Accordingly,
the application having been made. the order WI
issued. In regard to it we shall offer you certain
proof-we will sho~you that that application is
founded upon false premises and gross misrepre-
sensations. However, the order is sent for the ma
rines to march up and place themselves under the
command of the Mayor. They are ordered to fix
bayonets and load with cartridge, composed of a
bullet and three buckshot and march against whop
1t will be shown that 100 marines marched with
loaded guns and fixed bayonets, with heavy tread,
amongst a crowd of defenceless men, women and
children. They were first brought to the City
Hall offer after offer was made to the Maror to
quell the mob, if mob there were but the services
of citizens were refused The volunteer military
force of the city was rendered to the Mayor, and
that, too was refused. He had the power to swear
in many special constables as he saw fit, he had
lut VI the DiSJrlCt AT T1BUt UdUQ, WIFI
power to summon the posse coDaitatus, and ask,
why was it not done The plan was well matured
completely ripened, and thoroughly executed
With ample power to call out every citizen, with
the Marshal of the District by his side, with power
to call upon the Msjor-Geneial of the militia and
with citizens pressing upon him with offers Of vol
untary service, he chose to resort to that deadly
column, with Minnie balls and buckshot, to march
upon defenceless crowd.
The drama is Fastening to its conclusion. He
marches this force to / street; they come into
line, and the polls are closed by the judges the
demand is made that they be opened. The an
swer Is, withdraw the military and it shall be
done, but not till then. The marines are marched
to the polls; they form line; the polls are not
opened, and to the eternal honor Of those judges
they did not obey the mandate to open them 80
long as the military was there to control them.
Well, gentlemen, what is the next step? After
the marines had marched, parcel of wild, rattle
Drained young men from the Navy-yard seized a
cannon, and unquestioned they passed by the ma
rines and ran through the streets with it, while
those In the secret laughed, for they knew that
that gun could do no harm. That gun was carried
into an open space beyond the polls. They pro.
cured, by some means, ammunition; they station
ed II 9TH street, with the marines in line facing
them. The Mayor was again accosted by respect
able citizens, who said, Give US 25 men and we
will remove that gun He refused. The conflict
is approaching. He turns off goes to the military,
and platoon charges across the street and takes
the gun. Gentlemen, will show you that not a
weapon was discharged nor a stone thrown at
those marines, until, In capturing that gun, they
shot at least one American citizen. | will show
you, that as they charged, the men fed from it,
there was no one to resist, yet muskets were
fred, and one man was killed dead. | mean
Wells. As Harper and Wells we're sitting at the
markethouse, above the gun, the marines charged
dagonslly across the street, and as they charged,
Wells was shot dead. The others fell over on
their hands and knees and escaped. / know there
is a conflict Of testimony on this point, but / say
it here in the face Of day, that if had been there
and armed, il had died the next moment would
have shot down the men who did it. It was the
duty of every one to resist such lawless aggres-
sion.
These are the incidents of that day. Nay, |
will 20 further. / will prove out Of the mouths
of respectable citizens that the order was given to