The Leavenworth weekly times., 1876-08-31
A NEN0RABLE DAY.
A Rs;niniscenes Of the Democratic Party Of
1868.

IFrom the San Francisco Chronicle, July 1871
Thirteso years ago, to-day, broke out in
the city Of New York the most cruel,
bloody and destructive riot that ever oc-
CURED in America. For FIVE days the
great commercial metropolis of the United
States was virtually in the possession OF
plunderers and murderers, who aimed at
the subversion of the laws and the destruc-
tion of the Republic. Before the riot was
quelled, millions of property were destroyed
and from twelve to fifteen hundred lives
we're sacrificed. The "draft riots" as they
were called, were believed BY many to be
the result Of deeplaid conspiracy on the
part OF those who were opposed to the war,
for the preservation Of the Union. Ac-
cording to this theory, the succeaful ieeue
Of Lees invasion of Pennsylvania had been
agreed upon a. the signal for the develop
ment Of the insurrectiou against the Gov
erAment, by the outbreak in New, York.
The city was at the time almost denuded of
military, and was left in nearly defense
less condition. All the regiments had been
called away into Penmylvania to repel
Lees invasion, and the only military force
left was the Invalid Corps, ss it was called,
composed Of the manned and crippled SOL
diers, who could no longer keep the field.
The brilliant fAnk movement Of the Con-
federate Geoersl around Hooker and WASH
iDgt0D, terminated in the invasion Of Penn
sylvania, with contingent eye 70 the cap.
ture Of Washington and New York, had
filed the country with CONSERVATION. 1t
wss at this critical and alarming juncture
that the 'draft riots" broke out. --
On the morning Of the l3th, the reports
coming into police headquarters showed
that the uprising was too large in its pro-
portions, and too we'll concerted 10 be put
down by few squads Of police or q hand
full Of soldiers. The authorities saw at
once that it was the beginning Of . general
outbreak in every part OF the .reat metr"P-
oils, from the Battery to Harlem Bridge
Accordingly the Mayor, after consulting
with The Police Commissioners, called on
General Wool for aid, and also applied to
Rear Admiral Paulding. commanding the
Navy Yard, for q force of marines. Fur
ther applicA tiOns for help were made as
the gigantic proportions OF the insurrection
were developed, TO Col. Bowman, Supt Of
West Point, and to the Governors of New
York, New jersey, Massachusetts,,
and Connecticut. During the first day Of
the riot some twenty policemen were more
or less seriously wounded. The number OF
the killed and wounded Of the mob could
only be guessed At, as the dead and MANNED
were carried away by their friends and
sympathizers. The destruction of property
on this day consisted of four buildings on
Third avenue burned to the ground also
block on Broadway, between Twenty eighth
and Twenty ninth streets two brown stone
buildings in Lexington avenue; Allerton's
Hotel, near Bulls Head; the Colored Or
phan Asylum; the armory, corner of Twen-
ty-6rst street and Second avenue, and
building At the corner of Twenty fifth street
and Fifth avenue. The rioters had also cot
down from sixty to q hundred telegraph
poles and rendered upwards Of twelve miles
of wire useless.
The next day all business In the city was
suspended. Stores were closed, factories
emptied of their hands, and the street cars
stopped running. Peaceable citizens began
to flee to the country, and great hegira of
the colored population commenced. On
this day, Colonel OBrien, of the Eleventh
New York Volunteers, whose crime consis-
ted of the fact that he was raising q regi-
ment for the war. fell into the hands of the
rioters and was beaten to death, and five
negroes were hanged at lamp-posts. Mayor
Opdyke's house was sacked, and q number
Of private dwellings pillaged and fred At
Harlem eight buildings were burned, and
the alarm extended north into Westchester
county. Mr.. Gibbons house, ON Twenty
ninth street, was sacked because he was -
cousin of Greeley'e," and an attempt to de-
stroy the Tribune Office was defeated with
difficulty.
Governor Seymour, who had been sum-
moned TO the city, issued a proclamation
calling upon the rioters to disperse, He
also spoke to q crowd from the steps of the
ST. Nj holas Hotel, addressing them, ac-
cordiDg TO one accout as, "My Friends"
and according to another as "Fellow Cit.
zens" In this speech he told the mob that
measures would be taken to test the consti-
of the draft" and that If the
Courts decided it to be unconstitutional,
he would oppose it. This was while
houses we're being pillaged and burned and
inofensive negroes being hanged to lamp
posts. The Governor remembered, how
ever, that be was Addressing his 'constitu-
ents" At the same time Archbishop
Hughes Issued IN address telling the rioters
thaG they had been abused and oppressed,
and that it uas high time that the war
should be ended.