The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-08-28

sentation ofmy official conduct in q mes.
sage to the Legislature, of which asked
a public retraction. He very frankly
and promptly gave verbal retraction,
with promise of giving one for publi-
cation. After patiently waiting week
after week, and month after month .du-
ring which time that promise was more
than once renewed but never performed,
! abandoned the effort. 1t has never
been performed. But have this to say
of Governor Seymour: He was sur
rounded during the riot by many bad
adviserS-scores of them--on some occa-
sions | think there were one hundred in
my room-most of them urging him to
exert his influence TO withdraw the mill
itary resistance to the rioters, and to en-
deavor to quiet them by moral suasion.
In opposition to them, nearly erery
city 0Hcidi, al Of whom, except myseT,
'cere Democrats, earnestly cOunSeIed
oherwise, and Indignantly condemned
the advice that he was receiving from
his more numerous friends. And whiIe
IMouqht, sometimes, he UGS Facilitating,
and disposed to interfere IN manner
,0htch, IN my judgment, Wouid be disas-
trous TO The best interests of tie city, 10
turned om that n'y dpprehensionS Were
,Mtounded. He neUer yielded to these
o.u cONhStto Out ~ IlE E4N DSlOOD
FIRM. EVERYTHING THAT IT
WAS POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO DO
WAS DONE, TO AID IN THE SUP
PRESTON OF THE RIOTS. At my
instance he gave acquisitions for arms to
scores, and even to hundreds Of private
citizens, whose warehouses or dwellings
were threatened. He did d hesitate in
q single instance, whenever vouched
for the respectability .H ..3. mt for
arms. On one occasSiOi IaI.. ii was
Wednesday afternoon, "a conference was
to be held among the officials at police
headquarters to determine on the line of
action and defence during the afternoon
and evening. My friend, Mr.. Hutchins,
was there at the time, and will confirm
the truth of what say.
Governor seymour came in with at
least twenty ofhis political and personal
friends,and among them several gentle
men who We're very much excited, be-
cause,as they declared, the troops under
the command of General Brown, in the
twentieth ward, were shooting down
innocent and peaceable citizens, who
haI congregated from mere curiosity,
under the excitement that was existing,
and that they were not rioters at all.
General Brown asked if they had not
been firing buildings and barricading
the streets. They answered i'm the af-
tirmative, but said it was in self-defense.
The General replied that if this was not
rioting, he did not know what was.
These gentleman urged that Governor
seymour should recall the troops, and
they pledged themselvest that they would
disperse the crowd by peaceable means
and by moral suasion. The friends of
Governor Seymour were urgent that he
should exercise his military authority
as Governor of thisState and command
er in chief, to make General Brown with
draw his troops. The Governor very
properly felt, / have no doubt, that he
had no authority to interfere--at all
events, he did not interfere.
The Police Commissioners also Joined
in urging General Brown to withdraw
his troops. l was the only one to coun-
! sci General Brown to turn a deaf ear to
any such advice because all history
proves that the only way to put down
riot as formidable in its proportions as
this, was to shoot it down. He replied
with several eXpletives. which | will
not repeat, that neeed not give myself
any uneasiness; that whatever the Gov
ernor, or any friend of his, or any one
else might say,no troops under his com.
maud should ever retire before mob
unless driven back. That spirit and de-
termination of General Brown had
much to do in inspiring all in authority
to aid in resisting the force of the rioters
and putting them down. Though on
many occasions Governor Seymour was
advised to interfere, he never did inter-
lere, AND HIS CODUCT DURING
THOSE RIOTS MET MY ENTIRE
APPROVAL.