New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-07-20
The Auimus Of the Riotsrs.

To the Editor ofthsN T. Tribune
Sir: II is nv custom to correct misepresentn-
ton, notice it a, all, in the quarter in which II IL
made, bu, ~ under the present Circumstances IL
would 10 quite dseless, il not worse than nsees -,
for me 10 address letter 10 The World, beg some
,nsoe in your columns for what have to by in re-
gard TO The World, notice Of my letter which you
published on Friday last.
The World calls ne " an anon yuious writer, who
has TOO little confidence In the laws Of the land 10
give bis name 10 the public, and shelters Itself and
those for whom it speaks, by taking the position
that assertions made 10 such manner are bcoea,h
contempt" /, adds ths, owe il 10 my country as
10 myself, ITO assume full personal responsibility
for assertions which are either contributions Of the
frs; importance 70 historical truth, tho most
ronable FLANDERS imaginable, )" that seem 70 have
passed the greater part Of my time sinoe the mot
broke ont in the company Of the rioters" and
that "tbe authorities, both municipal and naiions
will DO grossy negligent Of their duty they fail "
make me reveal my own name, and that OF per-
son OF whose conduct spoke.
Now, according 10 all the usages which govern
uch matters among people Of general intelligence,
AM no, an snony nous writer. Had sent m, letter
without a name IL would have been proper for you
70 reject it 80 anonymous; or Ind you published it
and ,ad nothing 1t might have been justly treated
10 ANONYMOUS. But gave my name 10 you, and
ny competence a. witness, and my trastworthi-
ness as 9 man, were testified to by person respon-
sble 20 the public-yourseh am not, then, in any
sense Of tie WORD anonymous But more than this:
did not wait for the authorities 20 make" me re-
veal either my name or nytbing knew about these
riots Before / wrote my letter to you, had as
sumed the full personal responsibility OF my asser-
.ions, by placing my evidence in the hands OF the
authorities, Of which fact herewith send You proof
As TO the laws Of the land hsve grea. respect for
them and much confidence in them, when they can
be, and are, well executed. No land has laws 90
good. But within. the pact week several persons
have found means TO defy those laws in q manner
sufficiently summary and astonishing, and my own
eyes had satisfied ns that myself aud my house
might eaaily DO destroyed before Gov. Seymour
could come to my aid aud "imploro" bic : friends .
TO respect persons and property in order that be
might secure them their rights.
Az nv statements conform exactly TO fact, they
are in The language OF The World, Of the hrst i'm.
portance TO historical truth" aud i will say just
how il happened, lbat this knowledge came into my
NV means of knowledge. On Saturday, July ii, u
LADY at whose house passed the evening told me,
in the course of conversation, that her lfish cook
had told her that day that ali the lrirbmen had
agreed 10 resist the draft, aud TO night
against 1t, and that Ferpandy Wind was At the
bottom Nv it, and Governor Saymoor wnd stand
by EN-; and sorra the soldier was there IN
New-YOrk; aud so, min, it's no dbraft there u be
At all, al all" l laughed, and knowing something
Of the political relations OF the late Democratic
Mayor Of the city and the present Democratic Gov
ernor Of the State, regarded the matter as mere
talk, meaning, at mort, that few Irishmen would
kick ny shndy at the mastering in. But Oh Mon
day. the 18Th, friend whom met in the street told
me that his wife house-nads had tod her the same
story: aud therefore, when first heard Of tho out.
break suspected that there was something Of more
importsnc. than u shindy approaching. determined
instantly to look into The matter tor myself and
lsyng side all business that l could temporarily
neglect, 1 did little else between Monday a.
midday and Thursday evening, tLan observe
this no, and The rioters ~ closely % possible