Daily national Republican., 1863-09-07
THE GREAT RIOT.

In our outside columns tO-dey Wtu % IOund
an article with the above title. It is a review
of an essay in the last Continental Moathly on
the late riot in New York, BY Mr. Edward B.
Freelssd. Ths goueral tone Of the review Is
healthy, and many Of the suggestions II con-
tains nre excellent. But We differ with the
author on one important point. He says Mr..
Frcelsnd had opportunities for " k'.o~iny the
true character Of the disturbance
If Mr.. Freelaud really used such opportuni.
ties, We do not believe he has honestly stated
their results, for he says that "the New York
riot had Its dctve origin, nucleus, and strength
in feeling Of btaer injusties, entertained BY ig.
nordnt, sipis -mi1ed, crude nen, the losest class
of our population, who had been deliberately
deceircd In relation to facts by ssscrap'sloas
politicians for ambitious purposes"
The italics In the quotation are ous. With
out extending our remarks on the subject, we
beg respectfully to protest against the promul-
cation Of the idea that every time great out
rage is committed In a community IL is 10 bc
charged TO the Flower classes" and "igno-
rant" We deny that the New York riot chad
its actiss origis" among slmpie.minded,
crude men Of the lopxa class" Tho very oppo-
site was the fact. There Is positive evidence
in possession Of the Federal authorities that
the riot In New York was the result Of great
Northern movement intended 10 be co-opcra-
tive with the rebellion Of tho South, conceived
at the time the Emancipation Proclamation
was announced, and had lie birth in ths cleo
tion of Seymour - Goysrnor Of New York. It
had its :'setiss orHts" among some Of the
ablest. minded and best educated inen Of the
higher classes In the land. New York
city was only the field Of operations. The
chief actors gsthsrod In thst city from
all parts Of the South. Some Of them had
been in The rebel army, some had bean In Fort
Lafsyetts and Fort Warren charged with trea-
son. Among the men who figured extensively
in New York during the progress Of the riot
and who came out usin5ured l--were several
active member Of james Buchsnan's admin.
istration, from Peunsy lvanls, Maryland, and
Washington, who held under him high and lu.
erative Offices soms Of them were among tac
dastardly towards who organised to sssassi-
nate Abraham Lincoln when he was en- route
to the national capital 10 bs iAsugurstsd. The
movemsas whtcA tsrninsssd In shc hot was In.
tended to be . very different affair. The lead.
ers-the active originators-were acquainted
with Lss's intentions 70 invade The North.
They were the spies and advisers Of Leo - 70
the strength and position Of the Army Of the
Potomac. They believed that army incaps-
BILE Of checking Lee's advance northward.
They accordinsiy prepared to seize the Gov
crnment srscnah and stste stmories In New
York city. That tbcse places were 10 be seized
was we'll ksowp 70 Gov. Seymour bsforc the
battle ofGetsysLurg, who was made acquainted
with the facts BY parties cognizsnt Of what was
going on In New York among the secesslosists.
Gov. Seymour went from Albsuy down 70 New
York, according 10 staisinsnt In the Herald
at the time, and ordered military force out 10
guard the ayenals and armoriss. The plot
being discovered snd brought 10 his knowledge,
Seymour was Obliged 10 act.
Had tho mob been successful In seizlng any
considerable number Of arms, we should have
witnessed an armed body Of men whose purpose
was to take possession OF the city and tun II
over to Lee. The partial discovery of the
rebels plot, the glorious victory of Gen. Meade
at Gettysburg, and the subsequent humiiistlng
rout Of Leo, exploded tho grand programme Of
the New York rebels, sud the active originators
of the whols thing skulked away, leaving the
Ignorant, si0pls-mipded, crude men" " of the
lower classes, who were 70 be employed as
thor Instruments, eutireiy in the iurch, with.
out organization aad without leaders. Those
poor, ignorsst creatures, who. had beon, ~
Mr.. Freeiund very truly ssys, 20" deliberate
ly deceived" and whose temper had been
sharpened up to do dsspssse dssds, made
the draft pretext, and for days and
nights they dehed law and resisted the military
and civil authorities, murdered men, women,
and children, robbed and destroyed public and
private buildings, paralyzed business, spd uD-
III the Federal authorities interfered, they car.
red on complete reign Of terror" in the
great commercial metropolis. We repeat that
this riot had Its "activc origin -" among sdu.
Gated men who move In the highest cI.ssss.
Tho true cause was real sympathy with m.
armed rebels OF the South, who ar. .ude,vor.
ing to establish on this continent a slave oil.
gsrchy, ssd tbs strength Of the riot was oh.
tslned from among the "lowest classes, -
But they are pure spd eau easily be- forgiven
when compared with tlis hsndish, soulless, God
deiyng, deva-daripg instigstors Of the stipend.
oub crime against law, order, and civilized So
ciety.