New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-08
MILITARY OUTRAGEs.

MILITARY OUTRAGES.
During the ceremonious reception Of Gov. Ssy-
mour b. bis Hartford admirers on the 3otn u's',
one Charles W. Banks, 10 company with crowd
Of others. "worked himself forward directly upon
the military" The crowd-though requested oy
"ap officer (of mili.i,) to fall back said request
bepg seconded BY "sentinels" who Appealed
10 the populace-refused to fall back Wnere-
upon, "s being absolutely necessary to clear the
space about the center Of the line, resort was
"bsd TO the bsyonet" The paper from which We
are quoting (being evidently in the mltis interest)
ssys that Mr.. Banks was " hurt by abayonetprlck
" in the ribs" The Ner-H ares Palladium says
"Mr. Banks has been in the mos. e1crucia1lng
"sgopy ever since the affair, gssping for breath
constantly He was stabbed in the BACK on the
"right eide, when sitting peaceably in q wagon
with ladies' The carriage was 30 wedsed IN that
il could not be moved in season to escape the
-" deadly charge" This unfortunate young man has
since breatbe1 his lsst but We do regard that fact
AZ of much Importance, in the consideration OF the
legal right of militia company, paradiDg for its
own qualification and for the goriication OF an e1'
Emba.sador, to charge with fixed bayonets upon
crowd of men, women and Children in order that
certain space may be cleared, aud that private
barouche containing two or three private citizens
may 90 on immediately We do not knew that the
drvotees of Gov. Seymour, uncomfortable as were
their emotions at beholding once more his beloved
countenance, hsd any right either at Common
Law or BY the Statutes of the State OF Connectlcu!
to block up the streets Of Hartford, and to put TO
death-for morally it amounts to SO much-who'
ever might obstruct their triumphl march. If
aspiring men, finding it impossible or uconvenient
to enter the regular military service, please to spend
their money in purchasing uniforms and muskets-
please to spend their time in ornamental Parade''
and in drilling for the sake of drill-please to
parade in honor of the return OF
defunct lenipotentisry-why, this is
free country, and human tastes have always diff
fered, and will continue to differ until the end of
time. But, when one Of these amateur soldiers is
SO far carried away either by the music of the
band, or by his own buttons, as to suppose that he
10 real soldier in active service, and that it Is
really his duty to slaughter any poor devil in plain
clothes who may get in his way, the entertainment
becomes serious, and demands the attention of tho
nearest Justice of the Peace In such case, the
DE- rformer Identifies himself too enthusiastically
with the character which he is representing, and
requires little wholesome restraint To mimic
the pomp and circumstance of glorious war may be
a wholesome and refreshing pastime, but We w)ud
suggest that there is point at which the perform
ances should be suspended and that is the point of
murder. Militia companies are chartered in
peaceful, aw.abding community like that of Hart
ford for show, and not for slaughter.
Let us look once more at the circumstances of
this unfortunate case. The troops were not out
upon strict public duty, but were, to crafty them
selves or their friends, making voluntary parade
IT, ia their march, they encountered crowd, con-
voked expressly to gaze upon their plumed and
golden glores-s crowd, indeed, of their own crea-
tion-what could be more criminal, recklessly,
murderousy crminal-we do not say laughable,
for the subject is too serous-than for these braves
to fix bay and charge upon their own admirers.
gathered together expressly to admire them Sup
pose that the propretOrs Of menagerie or circus,
on making an advertising entry into some country
town or city, should engage file of musketeers to
shoot the crowd whenever it became too dense to
permit the progress Of the horses the elephants.
Would not the magistrates interfere Yet this is
almost precisely the Hartford case. There was
very large elephant in barouche, and the people
were anxious to see him. One of them, at least,
paid dearly for bis curiosity
Connecticut paper says: ave know not who
"esve the order"-fo Cor the bayonet charge. This,
il seems to ~, is q piece of information which it
behooves the Magistrates of the City of Hartford
te obtain. The person who gave the Order"-the
most preposterous and reckless onceivable-shOuld
have all the credit Of the achievement, an
introduction to the Grand Jury, an inter
view with the proper criminal Court, and such
other public attentions may, after fit nvestiga
ton, be deemed his due. A newspaper apoogist
in speaking Of the outrage rays: 1T was absolute
"ly necessary to clear the space about the center
" Of the lne"-that Gov. Seymour might ride at ease
in his baroucbe! Let u, see if some other things
are not considered absolutely necessary" in Con-
nectcut