The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-22
How the Republicans Produced the 'Drafi
RiOtS.''
From Ue ". Y. World.


From. The ~ Y. World,
Mayor OpdyIe, in the proclamation which
he issued on the third day of the great riot,
used this language: would not have in
terrupted your peace for day, but for the
temporary absence of all our organized local
militia.'
low came the militia to be absent? 1t was
in consequence of a call by the Federal Gov
eminent for immediate aid in repelling the
Rebel invasion of Pennsylvania and of the
promptitude, zeal, and energy with which
Governor Seymour responded to the CALL send
ing not only all our organized local troops, but
others which were organized on the spur of
the occasion. The Tribune, of Monday, was
constrained to acknowledge that Governor
Seymour did his whole duty in that alarming
emergency. We quote its language:-
'ln June 1868 General Lee evading, bya lank
malch, lne army OF the Potomac, Whlcn con-
Rsppahapnock-invade Maryland and Penn
sylvania. The movement-as Lees official re-
port virtually cOnfeSSes-was not deienslble on
military, nor on other than political grounds.
The Rebels hoped to win victory on Northern
SOIL and thereby to stimulate their Northern
friends TO declare openly in their favor and
thus, by paralyZlDg the Union Government,
end the contest in triumph. The President,
justly alarmed and apprehensive, called ur-
gently on the Governors of the Northern states
sponded, by sending all the uniformed and dis.
cipIlned militia of our city, with at least one
regiment organized for the occasion. The Pre-
sident and his War Secretary thanked him for
so doing And, If the forces thus sent were SO
managed that they old not get within gunshot
OF an enemy, ana nOwiSe contributed TO the
glorious result OF the Gettysburg struggle, the
iault was not Governor Seymour's nor their
NOW, then, having given Governor Seymour
litia, let us see what was done Ia It's absence by
himself and his 'friends.'"
Yes; let us see what was done, not only by
Governor Seymour, but by the Republican
Administration at Washington, when New
York had generously stripped herself of all
her means of preserving local order Pru-
dence and gratitude alike dictated that the
Federal authorities should do nothing during
the absence Of our militia calculated to kiAdle
the intiammable passions of the lower orders
of a vast city. IL was well known TO the Ad-
ministration that the cODscription was odious,
and no attempt should have been made to en-
force it until alter the return of our local
troops. few weeks delay would have made
no real difference to the Governments and the
fact that our militia regiments were then serv-
! ing at the seat OF war might in equity have
! been accepted as temporary substitute for
| drafted men. But mol 1t was in that
! critical cOnjuncture, il was when the
city was thus stripped .and defenseless, that
! the Secretary of War thought fit to fling in
| irebrands, by enforcing, just i'll that dangerous
! crisis, the odiOu5 censcripton by which poor
men were to be dragged away from their
weeping families, while the rich were to be
excused and let off on the payment of $500.
1t was reckless tyranny, 1t was fendsh mad
ness, TO select such a moment for enforcing the
draft. Justice, prudence, fairness, gratitude,
common sense, all forbade this rash expert
ment on the intlammable temper of the multi
! tude, when their passions We're 80 cOmbustible
and the means of repression had been gene
rously given away at the urgent call of the
Government. The riots were thus the direct
consequence of thankless insolenoe and blum
dering tyranny at Washington.
The riots being thus wantOnly brought on by
the Republican administration what part did
Governor Seymour act in their suppression
to the city. On his arrival he found raging,
surgng mob throngiug the City Hall Park,
ana the first thing he did was to make them a
speech, dissuading them from violence. He
got Their attention in the same way that Arch.
bishop Aushes Cwo VI three days afterwards