The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-04-18
THE RIOTS OF MONDAY.


We have for some time past entertained
strong hopes that the negro population of
the Southern States would be inspired with
wisdom and intelligence enough to realize
the true position which they should occupy
in these States hereafter; now that the war
has freed them from their bondage, and made
them "citizens of the United States" And
we believe, if left to themselves, there would
be no trouble in their assuming status
among us which might eventually be bene-
fetal to both white and black. But the
events of last Monday have cast a shadow
over these hopes, which the future conduct
Of these blacks alone can remove.
The war is now over and it is the duty of
every good citizen to turn to the paths Of
peace. The question here arises though,
how are we to do so, if we are to be met con-
tinually with such doings as we were treated
to on Monday last p?
The white people have no objection to the
negroes having their celebrations, jubilees,
&C., provided these things are done decently
and in order, and no disposition is manifested
to insult the feelings of the white people
These things can be done easy enough, unless
it is in their determination to create dis
turbance on all such occasions. Civil law
and order have got to be restored some day
or other, and the sooner the better, for both
white and black. 1t may possibly be among
the teachings to the eolored people, by their
bad counsellors, that the whites of the South
have no rights worth respecting by the
blacks; if SO, more's the pity for the blacks,
For, acting on those teachings, they must
eventually provoke contest which will as
surely result aEaa aaM sr psaed d22ags
Iar TO stop these outrages on the part of the
negro. Let every white person hereafter
positively refuse to give employment or shell
ter to every man, woman and child of the
colored race, who are known to be engaged
in these outrages against society Then, in
addition to this let the city have an armed
day police sufficient to quell all outbreaks on
the part of whites and blacks We need a
day police much moro than we need a city
judge just now, and the sooner we have it,
the better for law and order.
We learn that Mayor Tabb was seen some
where near the scene of disturbance on Mon
day, having with him one Constable. 1t is
true, that to respectors of the law, his Honor's
presence alone should have been enough to
preserve order, but then, to mass of ignorant,
DRINK and info Iol II
been any where else on the face of the earth,
unless accompanied by a force sufficient to
command the peace.
Since writing the above, we have been in
formed that Major Stanhope, on Monday last
had his forces under,arms ready for action,
awaiting the orders or request of Mayor Tabb,
and that his Honor refused to call on the mill
tary commander for forces to quell the riot at
the very time the riot was at its height--while
he might, by so doing, have saved this blood
shed and disgracato our city. We can scarcely
credit this. Buff it is really true, although
we count ourselves friend and well wisher
of his Honor, Mayor Tabb, who we consider
very much of a gsntleman,--we think the
public interest would be far better sub,erved.
were be to resign his position at once and let
us have person to fill his place who is more
suited to the emergencies likely to arise in re-
gard to the present breaking down of law and
order in our CON munity.
r. S.-Since the above was in type, we
are panied to announce that Martial Law has
been re-established in the city. This wretcbed
hnale would seem to imply that civil rights
to the negro means martial rule to the white
man, brought about solely by the ignorance
and intemperance of the negro, when urged
on by depraved white men, who use HIM as
tool for their evil designs
RICHMOND ENQUIRER:-This venerable ma
per has been suspended. The following card
issued yesterday, gives the reason:
RICHMOND ENoUIRER.-A misunderstood
ing, which has proved irreconcilable, among
the members of the lafa 6r,,, Of 1'x,lo, T.