The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-02-21

kEoKUK, Feb 10th, 1868.
EDITOR or GATE CRY During the
time the attack was made yesterday on
the Office Of the Constitution. the room in
this city, used by the State for an Arse
nal. Was broken open by the Sheriff and
posse for ths purpose of procuring arms,
DC. they we're inst BY an armed guard
Of soldiers and warned to deaist IN their
efforts. sa 16 asnagssaY $
At that time, I was oi, The railroad tvsiu
between ottumwa and Ksokuk, and knew
nothing Of the outbreak, or that such was
in contemplation. The fact, however, Of
such armed guard being in the Arsenal,
was the Immediate cause Of charges that
the "whole thing was preconcertsd
plan," and that the gufrd was placed
there for the purpose Of preventing the
civil authorities from obt.ining the means
OF defence against the lawlessness or SOL
diess," DC.
The guard vas placed there by my d.
rsction some ten days since, as could have
easily been learned on eaauiry at the Of
zoe Of Provost Marrhal Hiatt, or Of j. w.
Cleghorn. or Of J.. C. Todd, Esq, State
Agent, in this city. The placing of said
guard at the Arssnal had nothing to do
with the outbreak on yesterday, or any
knowledge or fear Of it. II was for other
reasons. | wished to protect the proper
ty of the State and faithfully to discharge
my dpties As Adjutant General and Act
ing Quartermaster General Of Iowa.
Armed guards have frequently been
placed there, and viii be whenever
deem the same proper.
/ an informed that soon after the Sh er-
id and his pose left, large number Of
soldiers attempted to procure arms at the
Arsenal, but were met by the same guard
and rspeilsd.
For one. think lit fortunate that the
guard was placed there. With the feel
Ing that / have heard expressed here al
ready. am saais6ed II the Arsenal had
been lett unprotected--if it had been the
means of srming the Sheriff and his posse
and soldiers and others--that We. in Ill
probability, would have had to-day Ia
mourn, in addition to the destruction Of
property. the loss Of lives. and an excite
nasnt here the sconsequeuees Of which none
could have foretold.
The guard will be maintained and the
property Of the State viii be protected
from al and every assailant. and / eau
lion oil persons from attempts to possess
themselves of any of said property with
out written orders from the State author
tiles. The directions to the guards are
most direct and explicit on this point.
| have taken possession Of the arms
aud Aeeoutie~ents Of the "City Rifles
aod stored item in the State Arsenal. -
This i done with no feeling Of disrespsct
to that corps. but under the circumstances
surrounding US, / have taken the course
which prudence demands.
There are various other statements
which excited public feeling and malici-
Gus motives have sst in circulation which
sre gruundiess and without shadow Of
trnth, but as they have been corrected
in conversation With different citizens, /
isem it needless to correct them here. /
make thisStasement only at the suggestion
of sevssal oitisens Of this city in whose
Judgment and discretion ! have great
and il it will tend in the least
to allay the excited and bitter feelings Of
any citizen, ] shall be grsh6ed.
l wish to add that in speaking Of the
attack of the Hon. n. g. Hedges, the
Sheriff and his posss on the Arsenal, I
have not the least intention of imputing
any improper motives to that gentleman
for to the contrary, be assures me that
he was actuated solsly with the purpose
Of preserving the public peace and pro-
tecting individual property.
Truly yours, n. B. BAKER.
Adj't Gen. andA@ @. NJ. Gen. OF Isvs
AnosAsr Ganboas PAsssA vicksAars.
A special dispatch froH Memphis to
ths Chicago Tribune. daxsd JAe 18th, an