The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-08-28
BLOOMSBURY, PA" FRIDAY AUG. 2s 1868.

nor Seymour was called to the city oi
New York to quell them, and he did So
All must remember his two proclama.
tions on that occasion.
FIRST PROCLAMATION or GOVERNOR
SEYMOUR.
To tie peOpie Of tie cHy If NcW Ioyk:
a riotous demonstration in your city
originating in opposition TO the con.
scription of soldiers for the military SER
vice of the Uuited States, has swelled
into vast proportions, directing its fury
against the property and lives of peace
iui cltlzens. know that many of those
who have participated i'm these proceed
ings would not have allowed themselves
to be carried to such extremes of vio-
lence and of wrong, except under an ap-
prehension of injustice; but such per-
sons are reminded that the only oppo.
sltlon to the conscription which can be
allowed is an appeal to the courts.
The right of every citizen to make
such an appeal will be maintained, and
the desisi0n of the courts must be re-
spected and Obeyed by rulers and peo-
pie alike. No other course is consistent
| with the maintainance of the laws, the
the peace and order of the city, and the
safety of its inhabitants.
Riotus proceedings must and shall be
put down. The laws of the State must
be enforced, its peace and order main
tanned, and the lives and property of all
citizens protected at any and every haz-
ard. The rights of every citizen will
be properly guarded and defended by
tn Chief Magistrate of the State.
do. therefore, call IInnn oil ,.nrynpe
engaged in these riotous proceedings to
retire to their homes and employments,
declaring that unless they do so at once
shall use all the power necessary to re-
store the peace and order of the city. /
also call upon all well-disposed persons
not enrolled for the preservation of or
der,to pursue their ordinary avocations.
Let all citizens stand firmly by the
constitutional authorities, sustaining
law and order in the city, ready to ans
wer any such demand as circumstances
may render necessary for me to make
upon their services, and they may rely
upon rigid enforcement of the laws Of
this State against all who violate them.
lloRATIo SEYMOUR, Governor,
SECOND PROCLAMATION or GOVERNOR
SEYMOUR.
Whereas, it is manifested that combi-
nations for fOrcible resistance to the
laws of the State of New York, and the
execution of civil aud criminal process,
exist in the city and county of New
York, whereby the peace and safety of
the city and the lives and property of
its inhabitants are endangered; and
lIheredS, The power of the said city
and county has been exerted, and is not
sufficient to enable the officers of the
said city and county to maintain the
laws of the State and execute the legal
process Of its officers and
Whereas, Application has been made
to me by the Sheriff of the city and
county of New York to declare the said
city and county to be in state of in
surrection now, therefore,
|, Horatio Seymour, Governor of tn e
State of New York and Commander-in-
Chief of the forces of the same, do, in
its name and by its authority, issue this
| proclamation in accordance with the
statute in such cases made and provided
and do hereby declare the city and
county of New York to be in state of
Instruction, and give notice to all per-
sons that the means provided by the
laws of t his State for the maintenance
of law and order will be employed. to
whatever degree may be necessary ,and
that all persons who shall, after the
publication of this proclamation, resist
or aid or assist in resisting, any force
ordered out by the Governor to quell
or suppress such insurrection, will rem
der themselves liable to the penalties
prescribed by law.
HORATIO SEN YOUR.
SPEECH OF HON. GEORGE OPDYKE.
During the New York riots of 1868,
Hon. George Opdyke, one Of the most
eminent of the Republican leaders in
New York, was Mayor Of the city. In
the late Constitutional Convention in
that State he was a member, elected at
large by the Republican party. During
the discussion upon the questions per-
tanning to the government of the city of
New York, the matter of the riots was
lugged in. We quote the official pro-
cccdings:
Mr.. Opdyde. Governor seymour ar
rived ON Thursday morning, and came
to my rooms at the st. Nicholas Hotel,
where he remained with me during the
entire riots, except that soon after hisar-
rival he accompanied me to the City
Hall, whore it was not possible for uS to
accomplish any good, as the riots Were"
going on in the upper part of the city,
and most Of all the murders and dcVas-
tatiOns of property were in that part of
the city, But many evil disposed per.
sons had gathered about the City Hall,
and the newspaper offices were threat,
encncd. My friend from Kings Mr..
Schumacher could not have extended
his views very far from the steps of the
City Hall, or he would not have stated
that the mob were pcaceably disposed.
lie might have secL by extending his
vision many scenes like this: peuccablc
cOlorcd men crossing the Park or walk
ing along the streets attacked by crowds
of aSsailantS, and fleeing for their lives
Mr.. Schumacher, only spoke Of the
time when Governor Seymour was
there.
| Mr.. Opdykc. Perhaps at that very
moment there might not have been any
thing of that kind, But Immediately
/ after he was there these scenes did trans
( pirc and on the same day a newspaper
Office fronting the City Hallwa attack
cd. now come to the point of my ad-
| vising the Governor to address the
! crowd, | shook my head when my
/ friend from Kings Mr., Schumacher
made the remark, And, ON reflection,
W my nv WV ~ Nlpllbl llllN
/ | cOncurrcd in recommending il, am
qnite sure that others suggcs ted that he
should address the crowd. My col
league, Mr.. Hutchens, who was pres
ent, now informs me that my rccollcc-
ton was correct. But the terms in
which he should addreS, them, or what
words of cndearmcnt he should use,
! laughter, | certainly had nothing to
do in suggesting; nor had any share
in framing the speech hemade to them,
lie left very soon after, in carriage
with some friends, to 60 where the RI
otS We're taken place,and then returned
to the st. Nicholas Hotel, where he re-
manned during theriots. 1t was not un-
til the military under General Brown,
who was second in command to general
Wool, was united to the police force,
that they succeeded in Withstanding
aud rpnnllinD hn riotars urhn nutnu,,,.