The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-06-17
The Washington Blot.

election was held in Washington City for
Collector, Register, Surveyor and members
Of the City Council What then and there
transpired is fully detailed in the following
dispatches telegraphed from that city, on the
day of the election, to the New York World
1t was disgraceful affair, and is one Of the
natural fruits Of the negro suffrage expert
ment. From all the accounts we have read
of what took place on that day, as we'll as
the events that preceded it, it seems that the
conduct of John ". Forney and few of his
choice associates was the melting cause that
provoked the wild seems Of riot and blood
shed. It is not the first time that Forney's
the negroes of that city have been calculated,
if not intended, to produce turmoil and dis
turbance at the polls. He is peculiarly fit
ted for such dirty and disreputeble work,
and is perfect master of all the low arts of
the most groveling demagogue. There could
be no better field for his operations in this
respect than amongst the negroes who have
congregated in Washington since the close
of the war.
This was pmely negro riot. There is no
pretence whatever that any insult was offer
ed by any white man to any negro voter, or
that any white man attempted in any way
to interfere with the election. The negroes
in their clubs had determined, under the
teachings of their white leaders, that no ne
gro should vote what was called the citizens
ticket, unless at the risk of personal injury
being inflicted upon him. When it was dis
covered that one of their class. named Steu-
tackled by the excited and Infatuated black
rabble, and then the rotous and diSSraceful
scene commenced. We look for a repetition
of these election riots in the Southern States.
All that has prevented them heretofor is
that the elections in those States have been
held under the overawing power and iuhu-
ence of the bayonet. When that potent in
strument for the preservation Of order is re-
moved, the ignorant negroes, under the
mischieyous teachings of the white carpet
baggers, will re-enact the bloody scenes that
disgraced the national capital on Monday
week. We hope for better things, but all
experience teaches that like causes will pro-
duce like results.
WASHINGTON, June 7, 1869.
The local government of the capital Of the
country passed to-day, amid scenes Of arson
and riot and bloodshed and death, into the
hands Of the negroes. The infammatory
appeals of John w. Forney aud his ChToRi-
Gle and Mayer Bowen to the prejudices of
the ignorant Africans who swarm in this
District, did their work to day, snd nothing
bat 2 well-managed and efficient Hetropol-
tan Police force has saved the city rom en-
extensive and fearful riot. Fortunately for
the white population the days bloodshed
was the result Of contest between the riot
ers, on the one hand, and the police on the
other, both belonging to the Radical party.
Last night the negroes commenced to con-
gregate at the polling precincts, SO as to hold
them this morning in long lines, which they
did to the exclusion of the white voters.
During the night. the store of a candi-
date on the Citizens ticket, in the First
Ward, YVES set on fire and burned up, invol-
wing a loss of eight thousand dollars. The
riot of to day shows the motive and class
which prom pied this incendiarism.
The election proceeded in the several wards
up to two O'Clock with an unusual amount
of rioting, but nothing serious occurred until
about three p. m, when the negroes in the
Second Ward. in pursuance Of the dictation
of the white Radical leaders a3d by consul
tation during tho night, determined not to
allow any colored man TO vote the Citizens
or Democratic ticket, though a man heads
that ticket who is not, and never has been,
Democrat. 1t having been ascertained that
q coloTed man named Stuart, employed as a
porter IN q store, intended to vote the Citi-
zeus' ticket, q mob of negroes armed with
bricks and stones proceeded to the premises
and attempted TO seize Stuart, amid cries Of
hang and lynch him. Stuart fed to dwell
ing over the store This was assaulted, and
the family occupying it were driven out, By
this time the Superintendent of Police and
a mounted force arrived on the ground
formed lines in front of the house, and kept
the crowd back. The Superintendent of
Police. having sent to Stuart to know if he
wished to come out, received from him an
answer in the affirmative. The police force
were then ordered to clear the crowd from
the front OF the building, which they did
with considerable difficulty, the crowd shout
ing Here he comes, the s--n of a D.;
hang him." Major Richards, the Superin-
tendent of Police, having taken his position
at the front door of the store, Stuart in
few minutes appeared, which was the signal
for the crowd to make dash at him, but
they were beaten off by the mounted men,
and the dismouDt6d men formed hollow
square around Stuart, who was in company
with the Superintendent. and the police and
Stuart commenced to march off in that order.
The crowd Vhooped. swore. and threatened
to mob Stuart, and it required all the exer-
tions of the mounted men to keep him from
being lynched on the spot. he was finally
taken to another precinct and allowed to
vote.
This seemed to enrage the mob, who sud-
denly grew in proportions and rushed out of