Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-09-19

Iect order might not nave DeeH reStoIeu,
by command to the police from Its chiefs
to put up their pistols, and turn round to
request its friends and coadjutors in the
work of riot to desist, to clear the streets
and return to their homes. That the po-
lice force itself, the chosen guardian of the
law, the conservator of public peace, should
become the terrible rioter, which 1t did, was
not to be calculated upon, We knew that
there were bad men in that organization,
and that its feelings were hostile to the con-
vention; but we believed them to be sub
ject to the control of their officers, and, with
all our knowledge of the depravity of the
human heart, we could not have imagined
them capable of such atrocities as were com
mitted by them and their friends against
helpless negroes and Union white people.
Those who contend that the violent deeds
of the 30th ult. were planned, contrlved.
and determined upon beforehand In the Of
flee of the Mayor, and the orders given out
from that quarter, were careful to give me
no such information in advance, and to con-
vey no caution to me as to the want of fidel-
ity of the police. To those persons connec-
ted with the civil government who assert
that they called for military assistance
(which is incorrect, and complain that it
was not given them, it is a sufficient an
swer to ask: Against whom could the
troops have operated? Against no one but
their own organized forces, whom, by word
of command, they could have removed from
the scene, and thus restored order.
General BaiId comments upon the follow
ing dispatch from the President to Lieuten-
ant Governor Voorhees,
The military viii be expected to sustain,
and not obstruct or interfere with the pro-
,,f+ ln dISTafph
subject of the Convention was sent to Gov
ernor Wells this morning.
He says this was ambiguous. The diff
Guilty lay in determining who were the legal
authorities whom the military were expect
ed to support and sustain. Judge Abel, of
one of the State Courts, had recently, in a
charge to the Grand Jury of his district, de-
=nounced the Convention Of 1864 as unlaw-
ful, and for this, as well as for the senti-
ments expressed by him, he had been ar
rested by the United States Commissioner
and bound over for trial at the next session
of the United States Courts. The question
then arose as between Judge Abel and
Judge Shannon, which was the military
authority to recognize as the Court Intended
by the President.
The General had no fear that the negroes
would commence disturbance, but he fear
ed their appearance would excite one. He
dwells at considerable length upon his in
terviews with the Mayor and others, and
again returns to the terrible scenes of the
day, of which he thus speaks:
At length, by some strategy, those in the
hall were induced to open the door, when
the police rushed in and emptied their re-
volvers into the assemblage. Those within
being feebly armed, could make but little
resistance, and the policemen, retiring to re-
load, returned to repeat the same operation.
When any of the Conventionists succeeded
in being passed out to the front of the build
ing, they were there met by Gordon of po-
lice, surrounded by another Gordon Of citi-
zens, and attempting to surrender to the
first, they were frequently shot down by the
men whom they begged to take them into
custody This course was continued until
the work was completed.
Bodies of police are said to have summon
ed to the spot by the ringing OF the city bells
Everything shows preconcerted action. The
police, armed with pistols and clubs, follow
ed and supported by citizens, charged upon
the negroes, having given no notice to dis
perse and having made no attempt to peace
ably arrest them. There was pile of bricks
at hand, and the colored people defended
themselves with these and their stricks as
well as with such pistols as they had, less
than one to every ten men. They were
soon overpowered, and those who could do
so found a refuge within the Convention
Hall. The building was afterwards assault
ed, the police firing their pistols into the
windows, and when an entrance was effect
ed they forced their way up to the landing
on the second story, and there found the
door of the hall barricaded.
He sums UP his sketch by saying that the
''riots of the 30th ult., present picture OF
''atrocity having no parallel in American
''history.
In regard to the state of feeling, he says
that the police led the riot, and he adds:
All negroes, all Union citizens OF Louisi,
ana. and all N orthern men, so far as | could
learn. were in state of terror The ap-
proach of a policeman they regarded as that
of an executioner. Prominent citizens sought
refuge or concealment in the houses of
friends. and even the Governor OF the State,
during the night, sent for guard to protect
his life. For days subsequent to the riot,
the meeting of two or three of the police
near the house of Union man was regard
ed as sufficient to justify removal at night
or demand for military guard, and with
this state of feeling, whetherit had any
just foundation or not, renewal OF riot and
disorder might at any moment. have been
anticipated.
For this reason he deemed necessary
proclamation of martial law"
The cival authorities arrested only mem
bers of the Convention and their friends.
They arrested none who were hostile to the
Canvantion