Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-10-11

The Board will state it as their firm con. |
vction, that BUT FOR the declaration of mar.
tial law and THE PRESENCE OF THE TROOPS,
FIRE AND BI.ooDsHED WOULD HAVE RACED |
THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT IN ALL. NEGRO |
QUARTERS oFTlIE CITY, AND TIL AT THE LIVES |
AND PROPERTY OF UNIoNISTS AND NORTH |
ERN MEN WOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE leroy |
OF THE Mon. THE CoNSERvATORS OF THE
PEACE BEING FOR THE TIME THE lNsTIGA-
TORS OF VIOLENCE, NOTHING WOULD HAVE
REMAINED BUT IN ARNING FOR SELF DE-
| FENSE, AND A SCENE MIGHT NAVE ENSUED
UNPARALLELED IN NTiE HISTORY oFTHEAGE
As in the Gordon riots in Londen. and the
more recent draft riots in New York, the
affair would have passed beyond the power
| Of the ovisinators, into the hands Of that
class whose only object would have been
plnnder and destruction, irrespective of
marty. In the Boards opinion, the property
NJ the Southern merchant not less than the
life of the negro and the Unionist, was that
night under the protection OF the Federal
bavonet alone.
On the subject Of the action ofthe Grand
jury in the Indictment and arrest OF the
members of this Convention, and their sub
seouent investigation into and report upon
the causes Of riot, the Board do not feel
themselves called upon to express an opinion,
but would merely call attention to the evil
dence. There seems. to say the least, to he
direct Imposition in legal opinion as to the
validity of such action, and the presence
upon the panel Of one who, so far from being
registered voter, was q registered and un-
hardened enemy, only three months return
cd, would seem to cast SEINE suspicion upon
the manner in which that panel was made
up. But this Bonrd do not consider them
selves as authorized or called upon to revise
the action of the Grand Jury. Whether
their manner Of action was according to law,
and the substance of their reports support.
cd nv facts are questions which the legal
profession and the community at large will de
eide for themselves.
, Finally. the Board would state that, in
. their opinion, the whole drift and current
of the evidence tends irresstibly to the con.
clusion that there was among the class OF
violence known to exist in this city and
among the members of the ex Confederate
associations before alluded to, o Treconcerfe'
y,inn and purpose Of attack upon this Con-
r,ption. ,,rorif1ed ann plausible protect there
e for could bc found Threats to members "a
!, "prppnre their cs6ins," warnings to friends
u to keen clear Of the vicinity, anonymous
. 'etters dissuading those whose purpose tc
! be present was known, all these taken to
pether the Board regard as Of siguifcnnct
o which can hardly be misinterpretcd. =
y Though not in evidence, it is within thu
/ personal knowledge of the Board that ,
!. mock obituary notice Of the demise Of thu
e Convention on the goth OF July, was SOM
y weeks previous posted in this city -.
: Whether and to what degree, Mayo
y Monroe can be regarded as an accomplic
,f in. or knowing to this purpose OF attack
u will probably, by direct testimony, neVe
70 appear. Whether any definite instruction
!, were given to the police, the Board regart
y :. as immaterial He knew their feelings to
=, =, ward this party Of negro suffrage to be iden
u tical with those Of the mob. hree: fourth
Of them mere er. Confederate soldiers and a
K least one Of their officers, approximately htn'
SELF notor,ous 7 hu0, ASSASSIN. ami fo'7ae
le leader of tie re,p men Of blood Dho NIGH
10 be erpecfed to he foremost IN the dttdcs. :
fe Had the police been sent to the hall in ad
> vance, with orders to preserve the peace
D. they could have had no excuse for the at
~ tack on the Convention; on the contrary
D they must have acted in its defense; ant
e this was the advice of Gen. Heron. Bu
g. if the police are kept away until an attac
re e is made and fighting ensues, then prcclrita
III ted in mass upon the scene, it ia easy. t
&c foresce what will be their action in quellln
n, the riot. The Convention and its support
10 lutionists and conspirators against law, an
the police would have acted by the order q
r. the Mayor, but for the interference of Ger
IN Baird. As il is a maxim that man mus
b be presumed to intend the legitimate cor
f. sequences of his acts, the Board are re
III luctanty forced to the conclusion that.
es though the instance of Lieut.. Gov. Vool
he HES and others were successful in causn
he tho issninu of the Proclamation, yet tina
s Manor Monroe mrH knep that before the er
g. cite,7 passions of the mob, II ,oouM be as
r. brrrier Of stra,o to fire.; that no troops hd
a. been asked for, and mhhout the pres.,,ce Q
Ia malice uiolence ,ons ineritdbte When, her,
v fore, he wthdre,o and mdssed has drnled pc
ne Ece and nm the breaking out of the riot, pre-
of cipifatm them upon the scene, the board az
as compelled 10 conclude that he kne,o ohdt the
I'd action wouldb be, and that heintendedhe n
BIT epitabLe consequences Of has o,cn acts.
ga The Board would call attention to the e'
no idence which sesms'in many instances to IL
,n dicate clearly the identity of parties guilt
I'd of murder: The impossibility, Of 5r!agin
ry such criminals 10 justice under the CftI 90,
=, ernnrnt as IL no,o srists, ,rsuH in their opin
~ ton, be uniuersaIy acknowledged by tho con-
N muniiy Reliable evidence would seem t
lie fix the identity Of one of the murderers {
H. Captain Loup. the OK United States OF
o, GER The evidence against the notsriou
II Lucien Adams, though direct. is that of M
IL gross In this connection, the Board woul
II respectfully call attention to the small prc
,e portion of negro testimony taken, and to tn
n fact that all important points regarded a
=. established, rest upon ,ohite testimony dton'
ID Attention is called to the manner i
W which, since his advent into Office, Mayo
le Monroe has made his appointments an
r. changes on the police and his disregard {
10 the recommendations and advice of tn
tee chief. His appointment Of Lucien Adam
"a as Sergeant is considered By the Chief q
"a outraginQ the feelings of the community
"a But the Board are compelled to state tha
in their opinion, il is the party to whic
ID such men as Lucisn Adams were leader
ID that Mayor Monroe owed his reelection
80 and that he now fears to disobey their di
is tation.
: In regard 10 the Chief of Police and b
=, % share of the responsibility for the riot,
" will be remarked that he was but subord
nate carrying out tho orders Of his superio
~ The Board are inclined to regard him
10 we'll disposed in the main, and only regr,
~ that he should not have thought II his dut