Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-10-11
The Administration Respon-
sible for the Crime!
The Massacre Planned by Sup
pOrtePS Of JOhnS0n'S Policy.
The Alarm Bell Rung as a
Signal for General Attack.
TIIREE-FOURTsIs OF the PO-
LICE EX-REEEL SOLDIERS.
"Is ALI Of gHays's brigade Ua1'
"KO; Ifft had Been, Not One
WOHId Have EsCaped!o
Andrew Johnson's Defense of the
Massacre Refuted by the Facts.
al Dispatch to the New York tribune.

Special Dispatch to the New York tribune
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 1866.
! The following is the report ofthe Miiitery
| Commission appointed to investigate the
causes Of the late riots, as furnished to the
War Department
SIR: The Board having maturely consid
cred the evidence, would respectfully report
as follows:
The immediate causes of this riot, which
! the Board are directed to investigate, are
! in their opinion, to be found in the violent
! feelings Of hostility toward the so-callec
! Convention of 1864, which has for some
time prevailed in the community, and whicf
| was finally, by the course of events, famed
into the flame of an actual outbreak Of riot
bloodshed, and massacre.
The Board do not consider theuselvc.
called upon to decide or discuss in any man
ner the question of the legal existence apd
powers of the Convention ss such. Nhsth
er any attempt at official action on their part
would have been recognized by the Courts
as of any legal validity is a point admitting
of grave doubt. This however, was not the
question under discussion between the civi
and military authorities, the decision oi
which was as it appears. pregnant of The
greatest of consequences to the State and tC
the Nation. That question was, whe hel
the persons claiming to constitute such Con
ventiou should te allowed to asst utle ?
The Board will eudeayor to state briefly
and com prehensively, the action Of tie civil
and military hutbo,iies upon this point, and
will make short comparison OF testimony
thereon. with a view of decidiig the cause.
and fixing the responsibility for tie ncn err
rival OF United States troops in tine to Ire
vent the bloodshed which took place. The
events of the day viii! then be considered in
chronological order. the Board making the
best summary in their power. of the yolu
miuous evidence which they have taken,
and which in their opinion points rith ire
siaib1e .force TO the quarter IN chich the dc'
coahtab1ity for crime piNbe tound to rest.
In the excited state of public feeling be-
fore described, Mayor Monroe applies by
letter to Gen. Baird. to know if he can be
allowed TO disperse this alleged upla,cfal u.s.
sembM by the arrest Of ats members ty his
poHce. Gen Baird replies in effect, that Il
Is not for the Mayor to decide that these ciii-
zeas are criminals, and that he totUnot per
mi the arrest, but that if riotous attack
Oh the assembly be anticipated. which the
police may he unable to quell or prevent,
in that case, the whole of the military pow
er will be furnished, if required, to assist in
keeniag the peace. Bm mtBor Monroe
makcs no nppHcdtaon for military aid Gen.
Baird also states his objections te allowing
the arrest blythe sheriff, but promises to
telegraph to Washington tor instructions.
He does so telegraph, and recetres ne an
sYer. The other party telegraphs, and are
| IL .l Ia I'd
to sustain the Courts. This does not re-
move Gen Bcird's objections TO the arrest
tits agreed that the Sheriff shall not make
dorse his objections on the warrant. and
forward the whole case to Washington. So
far, nothing said of a riot, except General
Baird's offer Of troops should one be an,io-
rated. Gen. Baird is unwilling to assume
the attitude of protecting the assembly un-
less called on by the civil authorities to aid
in nreventing or suppressing riot
Let. us now compare the evidence as to
when and by whom he was so called on.
Lieut.. Gov. VOORHEES, says: 'a.
ST then mentioned to the General wheth
er he would not have troops in the vicinity
of the Mechanics Institute that dav, to pre-
vent any disturbance. This was the day OF
the riot. 1t must have been toward 10
o'clock when made the request. General
Baird seemed pleased with it, because COM
ing from our side. He said he would do SO
with pleasure, aud gave immediate orders
When left. stepped up to the Mayors ct
flee to see il troops had been sent. did
not say what troops only asked for troops,
When | made that statement to the Mayor,
he seemed pleased with the arrangement. -
This was about II O'Clock.
See, also, Lieut.. Gov. Voorhees, letter Of
July 80: .......
after leaving you. 1 called upon the
! Mayor, who was pleased tn bear OF the cO-
oueration he could have from the military
department" ,.r. .f .
Major-Gen Baird says:
soon after / o'clock, the Lieutenant.
I Governor sailed upon me. told the eioy
ernor the dispositions had made of the
troops. L said also that if was not afraid
nv actions would be misinterpreted, and
that it would be said that was guarding
! the Convention, would have heeu glad to
have posted few soldiers ia the street. -
Gov. 'Voorhies expressed pleasure, aud
agreed to this with pleasure. and said that
he would be glad to have them, and that
he would see that my motives were not mis-.
Interpreted. then said / would send 70,
A few companies. This was the first under
standing between me and any one, aud the
FIRST proposition made with regard to hav
ing troons present. Shortly after o clock
Mayor Monroe came in hurriedly to see me
He asked when the tronps spoke IF brisg
ing up would arrive. / said that expect
ed them that they ought to be in Osnal-st
by thar very time. He then asked me
will they he white treops2 will they ac
along with the police l replied, that a psr
of them would be white troors-the FRS
Infantry--snd that ,oould use them to pS
do,on the riot, no matter ,oho pds coacerNe'
1T. At no time did he ask me for the US
sistanee of troops, with the exception Of tn
'p-1 Jlt .t4i11q -. 3.f rNlsF Ini