Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-07-21
GOVERNOR SEYMOUR.


1t is known to our readers that when, in the
summer of 1862, the military authorities in this
city werc thrown into panic by the irruption of
Gen. jackson into the Valley of the Shenandoah,
Mr.. Secretary STANTON urgently called on Co.
vernon ANDREW, of Massachusetts, for contin-
gent OF four regiments to aid in the defence of the
city, believed by the Secretary to be in imminent
peril from the threatened movement. Governor
ANDREW replied that, after what Massachusetts
had done, this "sudden calP' was heavy
draught' upon her patriotism, but he would see
what could be done, but it would take time to or
ganize and muster the required regiments. In the
same reply he stated, after these "buts," that
"if" the Administration would only change it's
policy on the slavery question, and permit the
+" Massachusetts, boys" to " fire on the enemy's
magazine"-that is, attack slavery directly-why
then the streets aud lanes of Massachusetts, would
swarm with willing recruits"
We did not hesitate at the time to hold up this
conduct of the Governor Of Massachusetts, to the
condemnation it deserved 1t mattered not that
the peril against which the Secretary of War called
him to guard the National Capital was then, re-
gently, more chimerical than real. Governor An
drew could not know this, and, least of all, could he
venture to act on the presumption. And yet, in
the face of the nation, he practically ignored the
Secretarys call, and engaged in parley for the
purpose of debating term, on which the Govern
ment might expect to receive the prompt and
hearty support Of Massachusetts, in the defence Of
the National Capital. For this conduct we blamed
him.
A few days ago, when, with the lights
before us, it seemed that Governor Seymour,
of New York, had not manifested becoming
alacrity in responding to the call recently made on
him for u 900 men, we did not hesitate to express
the censure which we thought appropriate. We
are not pledged to find Governors or men of one
party always in the right, and Governors or men
of another party always in the wrong. Though,
even on the facts then before us, Governor sey-
mour had not shown delinquency at all COM
parable in kind or degree with that Of the
Governor of MASSACHUSETTS two years ago, we
thought he had, in measure, subjected him
self to the same kind of condemnation, and we
1t now appears to US, however, that the conduct
of Gov. Seymour in the late supposed emergency
was not Justly open to the full weight Of tho Gen.
sure we brought against it. 1t appears that the
internal police of New York city requires for the
protection of order the constant presence Of large
proportion of the organized and uniformed militia.
Such is the common opinion Of Mayor Gupther,
and Of Maj. Gen. Sanford, the commander OF the
city militia The latter concurs with the former
in the opinion that prudence requires the retention
of the greater part Of this organized militia in the
city, and it may be that under such circumstan-
mour to draw on the city for the whole Of the
twelve thousand men asked for by the Presi-
dent, to say nothing Of the inequality to which
such an exaction must have subjected the city as
compared with other portions of the State. 1t ap-
pears from the statement of Gen. Sandford, to
which VIC refer the reader in another column,
where this subject is presented in the light Of off,
cal papers,) that after furnishing thirty-vc hun.
dred men as the quota of the city under the call
for twelve thousand men, he could command the
services of only twelve disciplined regiments to re-
store order in case of riot--a number deemed by
him sufficient for this purpose, but which would
have been reduced to mere handful if New York
city had filled from this force the entire requisl
ton of the President The New York Evening
Post remarks on this subject as follows:
at may be true as the World says, that Mayor Gun
ther alarmed without for the peace Of the city
but it is The less true that with large idle Ia
extent dssoute population whose fears and passions
perpetuay addressed by the interested agents Of the
rebellion, he cannot be too prudent We do not suppose
that the terrible Of last year. Of which hs
the snnversary likely TO be removed such
apt to occur twice in age; and If they should
agan the police, the national authorities and the citizens
generally much better prepared to meet them than
they then that those cannot be reproduced
with the same nagnity and desructiveness But we do
wish to see them attempted and by retaining
militia regiments at homc-thst is not all Of them,
but the older regiments, which believe s the design
the attempt be prevented Mayor Gunher's sueges
tions are both well grounded, timely and judicous"
In proportion to the real grounds for such ap-
prehensions, the conduct Of Governor Seymour in
the premises may have been prudent and proper.