Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-03-06

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With an pnloallsd swivel The MaFines tafnrd ~
10 report 10 tbs Mayor ~ thls place and he boy
got ahead II them With theit Piepp. Da A..
ground la seventh street they ga posdrf hna
inaterisl with which Il i proved they charged a.
But on gestns on the Kroand lhey iniriiena
with no Que tkeEe; they made NO riot; thcy
caused no aiifsy; and the voting west GA Thsy
took their station along ths MARKET iiouss, and a
little attention did they attract, that nsluk one
or more Than one witness who passed on tha
opposite side Of the street, came 70 the plaee a
voting without noticing them. They scfs ussasf
the shelter ~ tho Market iionsc-.a pslci " boys
with swivel. Ny friend, Mr. kEf, askcd Why
| the Commissioners did not complain 81 the pgos.
enee Of those boys Ito might have answered hls
own question. Ifhc had pat ON a pair " cromasie
glasses by which he could have sen them u a
| proper light, he could have answered that they
did not complain because tho boys did noi annoy
them; they betook themselves 10 another pisoe
they assaulted no ono; thcy committed no dis
tarbance; the voting went on aid tnal u ths
reason they did not complain. They had no cause
70 complain. Then the Marines took up their
| line OF march, and the Mayor conducted them ~
| the corner OF Seventh aud Streets where they
were drawn up in line. The Mayor proceeds 10
advance OF them 10 the polls, and he tells "a that
he found the polls closed; that he knocked At che
window, but received no reply. lie was iniornsd
1
lie also tells us that he received with ders,oa
and scoiiing, and his attempts 20 address she
crowd were unavailing- Well, suppose they
derided the Mayor--suppose the persons about
| there scoiicd at him--does that make rioti
| Suppose George Wilson aud William Wilson both
said that the Commissioners had closed the polls
| and that they should not be opened until tlse
military were taken away, would that make riots
They did nothing 70 resist the Mayor What they
said was expressive OF their own feeling, their
indignant feeling, think justly indignant feeling,
at the presence VI the mntary. Did that constl.
tute riot? Why, the commissioners we're not
there to respond TO the Mayor. II Mr.. KEY could
make riot out oft, he must show that the Com.
InissioIiers we're there 70 be acted upon by what
the Mayor said to have their conduct influenced,
because unless 1t was so IL could hot be
sand that these remarks were obstructing the
Mayor. But the Commissioners were absent;
they were not present To hear the Mayor,
and they were inaccessible to his appeals.
Because George and Wi liam Wilson said The polls
should not be opened, Mr.. KEY says they are
guilty Of riot, by obsrucling the Mayor ia having
them opened, when the Mayor tells you that he
had no power 10 open them. Now, that is a Curl
GUS sort of riot 1t was riot in which there was
nothing rotous said or done. Can you charge US
with that riotg And was it not distinct from the
morning riot? Had it any connection with the
morning riot that was directed against the Ii.h
legion--,he unenlisted legions Ibis was directed
III opposition to the Mayor in his attempts to have
the polls opened. There is no connection at ALL FIR
as long as the polls were closed, no man could
vote, Native, Wing, Democrat, or Known othing.
If il was riot he could not allege il here, for hn
has not charged it against Us. But, he says, this
was not only riot on the part of George Wilson,
who Was sanding up on an elevated platform
where he could really take no part in the affair,
where he was expanding his force upon the free
air it was not only riot the part Vi George and
William Wilson, but of those, also, who were in
charge Of the swivel. The parties at the polls had
nothing to 10 with the swivel. George Wilson
had nothing to do with it. He was not near
it. He had nothing to do with the riot, 70
that was taking place up above. This was sepa-
rate and distinct offence by distinct persons, and
Tor n single purpose. Gentlemen, i not only
object to this firing into an innocent crowd, but
to such platoon firing in coults OF justice. Take
your rifles in your hands and shoot single bullet
at the mark. Try your case with the precision
that belongs to the law, and don't come here with
scattering fire that is apt to kill at point that
the marksman has not in view.
But there was riot about the cannon. How
was the cannon brought there, and by whom?
1t is conceded that it was done by a parcel of
boys six, seven, eight, or ten, in number, at the
outside 1 do not believe any body puts the NUN.
Der higher Of those boys who were in charge Of
this swivel, which, in all probability, was spiked,
so that it could not be fred especially as it was
surrounded by crowd Of citizens who were at
tempting to arrest them with the muzzle at one
time down the pavement, at another time turned
oil from the street toward the market-house away
from the polls, and away from the Marines We
had in the crowd around it, Mr. Richard Wallach.
Mr.. Carlisle, and gallant old general, who, to the
misfortune of this community, had not charge Of
that force that day. We know that that galaut
old man pressed his knee upon the muzzle, and
kept Il there until the Marines got into position to
charge upon it.
The parties around this gun said they came
there for no purposes Of offence, Eve come here
to attack no one !" but then 1t was also said we
have brought it here to defend ourselves IL we are
assaulted, or TO defend our friends when they are
assaulted.
think that was lawful and excusable purpose,
Il such were the real purpose but IL was in con.
dltion in which they could not fire the gun, with
cloth spread over it 10 protect it from the rain
Now, am not going TO stop to enquire into the ex-
act position of the gun, whether as Haack said,
they attempted to touch IL Off or not These discrc-
pancies are insepaiabe from the case and are
proof Of the integrity Of the witnesses rather than
ground for questioning their truth. No two
'f'' ~So'H eomO INV touIt aHu give Tue same hc-
count OF that affair. But taking general view Of
the testimony, fairly and impartialy drawing con-
cusion from the WHOLE you arc obliged TO say that
up to considerable time, at least such was the
crowd around that swivel, such It's direction, and
such its condition, that it was impossible TO have
used il in a hostile manner against tho Marines
Mr.. Merrill aud Mr.. Wallach tell us that with their
own bands, while the Marines were drawn ND be-
fore the polls, they turned its muzze towards the
market-house. There can be no doubt about that.
apprehcnd, that willie some Of the most violent
were in charge of they turned around the gun,
and second and a third time turned Il Off Gen.
eral Henderson said that he stood with his knee
against the muzzle, his purpose being to arrest
the firing of the piece. He did this at the hazard
OF his own person, both on account of the parties
concerned with the gun, and on account Of the
Marines whom he regarded 10 some respects as
children Of his household; and he stood there un.
til the Marines got into position from which they
could charge and take 1t. Major Ty.cr supposed
that from the time be first came in sight OF this
piece, II was turned upon him, and that, as he
changed his position, the position OF the piece was
changed, so ms to bear upon him. Certainly this
account of the condition of The gun does not tally
with the account given by the other witnesses
Idonot imputc intentional error TO that gentle
man mo one would be found casting such an i'm
putation upon him but we all know how liable
men are TO misconceive facts under circumstances
OF excitement Now that, at some period Of the