Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-02-09
MAroR's OFFIcE, City Of Washiagton,l
Eahnnn.,, r 1oEI (

ASS iioh'mayor oh Wasmningt0n, City Hail.
MAroRs oFFIcE, City Of Washiagton,l (.
February 5, 1861,
Dear SE:-'l am in receipt of your letter of
the 4th instant, in reply to mine Of the same
date, In which you state that ! must have
strangely misunderstood the nature of your re-
quest, to be furnished with the names and resi-.
dences Of the police force, and that your pur.
pose was "simply to know, in case of emergen
cy, where" you "could get the services of one
or two officials in the shortest time" While
you now assure me that you have no wish to in
terfere with my duties, or to take out Of my
hands the control of the police, you, never.
theless, at the same time repeat the request
contained in your former letter by asking me to
state whether will or will not furnish the in.
formation required. u.H 8
Whatever may have been your real purpose
in addressing TO me your letter of the LIST inst,
submit that the language therein employed to
convey your wishes, the scope of the informa-
tion you sought to gain, and the reason assigned
for desiring to obtain it, warranted fully the in
depreciation which placed upon it, and led in
evitably to the conclusion that upon the happen
ing OF contemplated contingency, it was your
purpose to assume command of the police force
Of the city.
Called upon by the Major General command
ing In chief the militia of the District of Coum.
biai Ia an official communication; 70 furnish him
at my earliest convenience, list of the names
and residences, not of part; not of one or two,
but of the entire police force for dayl and nioht
serptce because you say, If the assistance of the
police should be required it is important to have
the means OF reachingl them as early as praci.
cable, what else could understand such lam
guage to import, than that you apprehend the
occurrence of some disturbance OF the public
peace, or an attempt to obstruct the execution
OF the laws, requiring your interposition an a
military commander, to the exclusion of any
agency Of the Mayor, and that for this purpose
you meant to enlist the iphole police force OF the
city, and not '.simply to know where" you could
get the services of one or two officials at the
shortest time" @
| 1, therefore, respectfully insist that the Ian
guage and tone Of your letter justified the in
ference as to its meaning which deduced from
1t, and that by no possibility could it have
been limited to a simple desire to know In case
OF emergency where the services of one or t,et
officials could be found at the. shortest notice,
and that, consequently, from the face Of the let
ter itself, did not strangely misunderstand'
the nature of your request. 5-l
Accepting, however, as do with great plea
sure, the explanation which you have given as
to your meaning and intentions, while | should
not hesitate to canse to be detailed, at your
request as private citizen, any number ol
tho police force that might be deemed nee
essary for the protection of yourself or your
| property, or that of any other citizen, OF
| to maintain order and enforce the laws, eithel
of which you might have just gounds to believe
were likely to be endangered, cannot consent
to furnish you, in your military character, the
information requested; because do not per.
ceive that the great principle which requires the
military to be kept in strict subordnation to th,
civil authority, would be the lees violated b.
placing under the command or subject to .th
orders of military officer, aportion instead o
the whole police force.
Awaiting myself Of the occasion to assure 70,
Of the high esteem and regard which, personal
ly, l entertain for you, am, with great respect
your obedient servant, ~
| JAMEs G. BERRkT, Mayor.