Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-02-06

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an executive appointment in another Court He
was not content 70 withdraw in silence, but he
sought tire opportunity 70 make a speech. The
pref, xt was 10 say someth ng on behalf of party
for whom he had been specially retained, but it
was soon apparent that his object was not SO much
to defend his client, for against him at that time
no evidence had been given, proving any criminal
connection with the riot but to defend quite another
person whom he unexpectedly found criminally
araigned; that person was himself the crime be-
ing his engagement in the way of his profession,
TO defend one Of the parties TO this Indictment.
GentlemeR, his deferce was addressed to his polt-
ical friends IL was from his political friends there
fore, that the accus ton came. We learn that his
defence successful; our part, we only regret
that clients lost the services OF an advocate so
adroit. For myself, / belong to neither Of these
parties. No combinations of either have ever en-
braced me. stand ere upon my professional re-
sponsibit-, TO defend these persons according to
my best ability, without regard to the nature Of
the offence, the quarter from which the accusation
comes or the influences under which it is pressed
forward. am conscious of no feeling calculated
TO blind my Judgment, or obscure my sight touch
ing anything that belongs to the proper merits of
the case, and expect to argue it fairly aud can
didly. ] shall make no rude assaults upon the
feelings If any party implicated in it; but at the
same time those who have figured most conspicu-
conduct criticised where criticism is just. am no
apologist for violence and lawlessncss. My sent-
ments arc all conservative. would have the pub
lie authorities respected, and the laws observed,
but to be respected, the public authorities must
themselves be respectable. Properly to enforce
the law, they must not transgress the law
On the first day of June, under the provisions of
your city charter, an election was to be held for
certain municipal officers. Among other places
s.l r.. L.IJ al toot fret
precinct of the Fourth Ward. At an carly hour
of that day. a large number Of persons, of foreign
BIRTH said to be naturalized citizens of the United
States repaired together to that poll and in col
umn exceeding hundred in number took pos
session of the polls. That, of itself, was an extra.
ordinary spectacle, or rather, ali extraordinary
event. 1t may be material to inquire, what gave
rise to il. We are not left altogether in the dark
as to the origin of it, because are told that it
was broughtab about by preconcerted arrangement
However discrepant the testimony may be on other
points, however conflicting may be the proof and
the Witnesses in other respects, there is no con-
hict no discrepancy here. This party Of foreign
voters did assemble at an early hour, and did
press together in body upon the polls, claiming
priority of right to vote all other persons. 1t
could not have accidentally happened. That is
impossible. 1t was the result Of arrangement and
concert--preyious arrangement and previous con-
cert One witness tells us that there was a talk
in the city previous to the election, that all such
voters were to be vote 4 In, in the early part of
the day, and that those of the American party, if
they voted at ALL would have to vote in the after
noon, through file Of Marines. But we are not
left, gentlemen, TO speculate about the previous
arrangement. We have il from one of the princi-
pal witnesses for the United States, who told US
he Justice OF the Peace, and volunteer recipi-
ent Of the commission ofa policeman for that day
j mean Mr.. Justice Dom. He, a Justice of the
Peace, and, therefore, peace ollicer-a special
policeman, and, therefore, charged with other du-
ties, stationed himself at the polls, busted himself
In the conduct of the election guarding, as he
said, the outlet through which persons, when they
had voted passed of. Yet he tells US that be had
taken special interest in these foreign voters, and
was one of those who actively exerted themselves
to bring them TO the polls. He was an active,
working partizan, busy in bringing up the Irish,
and banding them together at the polls. Jrs.
tce of the Peace, whose Office required impair
tiality--an officer of police, whose duty required
equal impartiality lent himself 10 these purposes
as one of the instruments by which this foreign
array was marched TO the polls; and he stationed
himself at an important point, claimed TO partici
pate in the business OF the ele ton; and upon the
stand he acknowledged the interest which he took
in the vote OF that class. Then, again. there was
Corporation officer named Owens, who told us
that he performed the part of challenger on be.
half Of that party. 1t was his duty TO be impair
tai and TO stand aloof between contending parties
but yet we find that he, with his associate Dom,
was instrumental in the successful achievement Of
this preconcerted plan. These we're not the only
men. Goddard was there, another Official and
candidate himself FOR party favor. Thus, so far as
arrangements were made on the part OF the city
authorities 10 preserve the peace, to keep order
and quiet, and secure fair-dealing at those polls,
you lind 1t committed to men who stood in the
condition Of Dom, Owens, and Goddard-parti.
zans in the contest interested in its result-men,
through whose agency this foreign legion had
banded together and taken possession Of the polls.
I am not here, gentlemen, TO question the right
Of man to vote, because he had his birth in ano-
ther Jurisdiction. ! am not here TO question the
lawful right Of any naturalized citizen Of the Uni
ted States having the local qualifications prescrib
ed by your charter, 70 vote in your elections; nor
an to be understood as questioning the legal
right OF any one Of that banded legion il he pos
sessed the qualifications, to cast his vote; but
do say this-tbat know Of no law, no considera-
ton, civil or political, that entitled those foreign
born TO privileges over our nstive.born. / have
no sympathy with the sentiment, elsewhere ex-
pressed, that those whom poverty or crime has
east upon our shorss, have greater rights TO
exercise civil or political privileges, than those
whom Providence produced on our soil; but
do say that, when one Of two political pat ties
shall band together for the purpose Of claiming
priority Ct vote-si all ban together, and IN solid
phaanx, take pos ession OF place Of voting by an
arrangement pref oncertel, with design avowcd
before hand, Il is calculated TO lead TO dstur-
bance, and TO a breach OF the peace whether IL Is
done by the native or by the foreign born. II must
lead 10 distu barce. Itmust lead TO breach Of the
peace. SO that in tracing gentlemen, the origin
OF the morning riot justice 10 the pa ties and JUS
ice 10 this case requires us TO begin our invcs iga-
tons atthe thu eshold 50 that we may find out the
responsible authors, and Jay at their doors the
consequences, whatever they may be. say il be-
gan in this foreign array. IL was caused by these
city officers who resoftcd TO II as means Of sig
Mailing their devotion TO their party, or to
achieve some private or party end. That was the
beginning. After this thing bad obtained for some
time-we are left by the evidence uniformed as 10
the precise time--a party Of strangers from Bal
iimore, who rejoice In the euphonious name Of
"Plug Uglics," appeared. Their number has been
variously estimated by the witnesses ranging from
fifteen TO twenty. The most reliable account Of
their number Is that which. we obtained from Mr..
Merrill who tells they brcakfasted at his board.
ing-house where he counted them at the table
He estimates them at fifteen. He says he followed
them 10 the fret precinct Of the Fourth Ward,
and that Of the fifteen that were at breakfast only
about ten or twelve went up 10 the voting place,
and there they committed no breach OF the D ace;
thcv efood out In the atroct M srcctatora of what