New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-10-03


would come allowed no policeman to go there etc
Maor-Gen. Baird says:
The first communication had letter from Mayor
Monroe ION le) The next communication Saturday
the 2sth when Mayor Monroe called upon and introduced
Lieut. Gov VOORHEES, No request whatever was made to me
for troops at that interview"
This interview is INFINITELY described by the General
aud Lieutenant Governor. Its object was TO induce
the General to allow the arrest Of the Convention.
The subject of troops or apprehended riot was not
alluded to- II will be observed that the only essen
tia difference between Lieut.. Gov. VOORHEES, and Gen.
Baird on this point is as to which first proposed on
Monday the sending OF troops. The agreement is
made. VOORHEES, goes to the Mayor and tells him of
il, and the Mayor is pleased to hear of it.
Mayor Monroe swears that Gen. Baird promised and
agreed to and 10Th him, Friday and on Saturday. to
send troops.
Gen. Baird swears thathe so promised or agreed
the morning Of the riot.
Compare also the testimony Of Mayor Monroe, and
Gen. Heron, in regard to the meeting in the Mayors
parlor, and the employment Of police and military
See also the testimony of Chief of Police Adams,
who details the instructions he received from the
Mayor, and his orders TO keep the police away and
reasons therefor, but in which appears no word Of
allusion to expected military aid This testimony
was given before that of Mayor Monroe.
Sapposing Gen. Baird and Mayor Monroe to be Of
squal crediJilty under OATH the Evidence Of Lieutenant
GorernOr VoOrhies, Gen Heron and CHIEF Of Police
adams IS sufficient indicate iohieh side The false
s1eariHg lies
Let us now consider little the further evidence
bearing upon Gen. Bairds action in regard to the
troops.
The civil authorities propose to disperse and arrest
the Convention FIRST by the city police, next by the
Sherif7s posse and request the military not to inter
fere Gen. Baird telegraphS at once for instructions.
He receives no answer. The civil authorities receive
a dispatch, which they interpret to mean that Gen.
Baird is not TO prevent the arrests Gen. Bards OBJ
ections are not removed and it is agreed that the
Convention shall meet unmOlested, and that on the
Sherifs warrant, Gen. Baird shall indorsc his objec-
TONS and forward the papers to Washington so
far no application for troops, or desire for military
assistance is made or limited at by the civil author-
ties. But Gen. Baird thinks it prudent to have on
that day water transportation in instant readiness to
bring up the troops if required Had he, without the
slightest request from the civil authorities intima-
ton that they not amply competent to keep the
peacehad he brought mp the troops and stationed them
around the budding the riot could hare been prerented,
but this course would have been complained of as IN
caed-for usurpaton, would have been construed into
taking sides with the Convention, and in Gen. Bairds
opinion nOHd not hare reeeired the approval Of has SUI
PsriOTs. -
impression, shared by members of this Commission,
and known by them to have been prevalent, that the
hour Of meeting was TO lbe 6p. m. Mayor Monroe
states that in his applications for troops he stated tho
hour Of meeting to be IL, but the Commi'sion have
already given their for discreditng this wit
ness and for believing that such alleged applications
were never made.
At last at some time between 10 and l2 on Mon
day morning, Gov. VOORHEES, assents TO- or Gen. Baird
proposes the sending Of troops IS dssented 10, and
noe, for the first time, Cen Baird has The request or
sanction Of the Girl pODer for the presence Of has troops
He does not toait for formal reqHistOH, nor does he
ask whp the Lieutenant GOrerHOr acts in e place Of The
Governor He sends messenger atOHee for troops, and
tells the Lieutenant GOrernOr he piH hare them in the
street an hour b.tore the COnrentiOH met. He thinks
that If the Gouernor noticed this remark he must hare
seen that there NGs about the time, as It nGS
then nearlv ~ o'elOek From that time it cannot be de-
MED that Gen. Baird used erey effort TO hasten the arr
cal of the troops hO did not. unfortunately, come up
until the slaughter 0rtr, and the riot had ceased at
that pOiat
On review of this evidence the Board cannot but
decide that no blame should be attached to Gen.
Baird for his action in the premises. Under the I'M
preston that the hour of meeting was SIX the troops
had not Quilted the barracks and shortly before H.
the General receives for the first time the request or
sanction of the civil authorities for their appearance.
1t was then too late.
Before proceeding further in the discussion o! the
events on the day Of the riots the Board would con-
slider some of the exciting causes by which, in their
opinion, the passions Of large portion Of the commu-
nifty had become innamed to the highest point against
this so-called Convention, and the negro suffrage
partly by which il was supported. They were in the
opinion of the Board The tone Of the press for some time
past .ose hardly concealed threats pointed clearly to RIO
lence The published charge The GraHdJy
Mavor Monroes declared intention to employ has police
against the Convention unless PTereHted BY the military
The speeches made at The universal suffrage meeting o. FRI
das night, and the ezGggeratcd and incorrect reports
thereof published in The papersa these combined in the
opinion Of the Board, to produce conviction among
the large class always ready for violence, that this
meeting might be considered as IN the condition or
status Of complete OuaUry Nth no right to protection
and fair game for the pistol and The knife With regard
to the meeting on Friday night there can be no doubt
that it exercised highly exasperatng influence on
the minds of the opponents the Convention. Negro
suffrage was openly advocated, violent speeches were
made in which "Rebels" were denounced, and there
can be no doubt that most il-adviscd appeal was
made BY one speaker TO the negroes, to "come in
their might on the next Monday to the meeting OF the
Corvanton In one respect this meeting was certainly