Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-18

ties with the ChlckaSaw and Choctaw lnuahs,
would Notwithstanding the same at the rate
of S1.25 per acre-and the sum Of Slj7,09S.o %
reported TO be due the State on said account
The several accounts referred to have been
reported to the First Comptroller OF the treas
ury for the purpose of revisiO on and setuemeht.
REPoRr OF THE GRAND JURY Upon THE
ELECTION RIoTs.-Below We give this import
ant document. prepared by the Grand Jury in
accordance with the suggestion of Judge Craw
ford in his opening charge, and containing an
embodiment of the facts elected by an exami-
nation of more than one hundred witnesses:
The Grand Jury having completed their labors
for the present term Of the Criminal Court, and
the Judge of that tribunal having specially di-
rected their attention to the riots in the city of
Washington on the first day of June last deem 1t
to be duty which they owe not less to the cause
OF peace and good order than to the sacredness
OF the ballot-box, to present the following sum-
mary of the principal disgraceful events Of that
day:
They have examined upwards of one hundred
and twenty five witnesses i'm relation to the gen.
eral subject Of the riots, and have noted the tes-
timony; from which appears the fact that at the
first precinct Of the Fourth Ward polls the bal
loting proceeded quietly until a few minutes past
nine O'Clock in the morning, when party of
twelve or fourteen persons, designated as 50 Rip
RaPs' or g Plug Ugles, " from Baltimore, came
on the ground.
They marched above the polls, clear of the Cit
liens, (from eighty to one hundred Of them,) who,
in line, were proceeding towards the window,
each voting in turn. Having reconnoitered the
premises the party of strangers left the scene for
a short period, and then returned with an in
creased force of their partiZans, also from Balti-
myre. together with number of persons who
reside in this city That they were coming to
Washington with evil Intentions: he Chief of
Police and the Captain of the Auxiliary Guard
had reason to suspect several days prior to their
arrival. But this apprehensi on was removed by
subsequent information received by the Mayor.
However, detachment of police repaired to the
railroad station on the morning of the first of
June, and there witnessed the arrival of the Bal
timore party. The object of proceeding thither
was, as stated i'm evidence, to scan closely the
appearance of the strangers, so that, should they
commit breach of the peace, they might be
readily identified.
1t is proper to remark that the exciting causes
of the riot, and subsequent bloodshed, in the
Fourth WaId may, in the opinion of the Grand
Jury. he ascribed mainly to the presence of these
strangers, who were joined by a large number of
disoTderly persons of this city at the polls
AT that time an attempt to arrest them must have
been neffect owing to the inadel nate force of
the police then and there preSent-the Board of
Common Council having refused TO pass a bill
authorizing the Mayor to inc crease the police force
if he should deem il necessary for the purpose of
preserving order. 1t is in evidence that the
strangers and their companions were armed with
pistols and other deadly weapons which were
displayed with view to intimidate peaceable
citizens from voting at the polls.
This body OF men divided themselves into two
parties-one going inside. to the fence, near the
window. and the other remaining outside of the
voters. The latter section soon became trouble
some. abusing men in the line; threatening them,
and loudly Boosting, with others, that they could
whip any OF their opponents. At this point of the
disturbance, they threw stones. Some of them
protested against - Foreigners voting. and de-
clared that, elsewhere, they would he deharTcd
from such privilege. The cry of fight was
frequently reiterated from the ranks of the rioters
Them vain nd Nyh
Justice of the Peace was engaged in the laud,ble
effort 10 enforce order. nv calmly appealing To
their better feelings. he was struck with d brick
upon the breast, and otherwise assaulted. Other
respectable citizens were seriously wounded by
the discharge of firearms and missiles thrown,
both by the Baltimorcdns and their friends who
acted with them.
The latter encouraged their visiting brethren TO
make the attack. Fifteen or twenty of the parties
impaticntly swore that they would 40 in" aud
not wait any longer, when stones were again
thrown and pistols discharged Ivy them. By the
combined movement and impetuouS charge, the
line of voters was broken, and in the general
alarm the commissioners of election fed deem
ing it unsafe to continue at their post. The voters
In the line were, for the larger part, nauralized
citizens. Driven away, some of them did not re-
turn, according to creditable witnesses the aim
Of the rioters was avowedly against those whom
they designated ''fOTeigners,' - and whom they
would not permit to vote. But il is proper say
that this hostility was not extended To those of
American birth, though of politics opposite to
their own The rioters having gained their OBJ
ject in the Fourth Ward, gave three cheers for
their victory These disturbances occuICd be-
tween nine and ten o'clock in the morning.
Information of these dis9raceful and riotous |
occurrences was communicated to the Mayor of |
Washington. At that time there were only one |
policeman and six or seven members of the Aux
Hilary Guard at the Fourth w ard precinct, and |
these were driven away. The Mayor visited the |
scene, and having entertained the true condition
of affairs forthwith called upon the President of
the nited States and requested him to order out
the Marines for the preservation of the peace. In
accordance with representations made, first YER
bally, and afteIward in writing, and under oath
the President acQuesced, on the ground as as
sumed, that the civil force was Insufficient TO re-
press the riotous proceedings against the despe-
rate and superior numbers of the dsturbers of the
public peace. Accordingly, official orders were
Immediately dispatched to the Garrison reauir-
ing the Marines to repair to the City Hall, and
that they report to the Mayor for duty
When Ii became known at the Navy Yard that
that the Marines had been ordered out a six
FOUNDER, or field piece taken from the Ana.
costa Engine House, by party of Inen and bows
avowedly for hostile purposes, and with which 10
operate against the military. The persons hay.
ing IL in possession drew ii to the First Precinct
of the Fourth Ward before the Marines reached
that neighborhoOd, and from twenty TO twenty
five minutes anterior TO that .time. The Mayo-.
returning to the polls, demanded that thew he
opened, but several persons interposed saying
that they should not until the Marines were re.
moved, while another person was at the same
time, haranguing the excited crowd The Mayor
attempted to address them, and to inform them
protect citizens in their right But he was sa-
luted with cries OF ''Drive him OFF - 'turn him
out - and other similar expressions
The Marines, on their arrival, were TAINTED NV
the rioters, and provoking language was made
use OF with view to irrtate and insult them
During these proceedings message was sent by
the party in possession of the cannon saving that
II the officer in command did not abandon his
position they would fire upon him. Ii was then
that charge was made upon the gun by the first
platoon of the first company of Marines. and
after two of the Marines had been wounded NV
the rioters IL was taken without bloodshed
Just before this was accomplished an attemnt
was made to fire il. The discharge of pistols
continued in quick succession, and stones were
thrown by the rioters as they retreated from the
cannon, and not until then did the Marines IRE
Their muskets in the direction of their assaiIants
The Mayor did not give the order to fire nor
dld either OF the officers in command accordin,y
to the testimony elected and the Marines NAV
have mistook for an order to that effect the words
" " ny ooh you IRE - the language uttered by
some person unknown Ia the witnesses interro
gated on that point The Marines numbered