New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-15
GENERAL ORDWAY REBUKED
PROMPT ACTION OF PRESIDENT HARRISON.
THE COLORED MILITIA WILL NOT BE DIS
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. SUBMITTED
TO TIE PRESIDENT.

Icy TELEGRAPH 10 IHE IkIBINt'l
Washington, March 1.-THE Brirader-General COM
nardincr the National Guard OF the District Of Co
unhia Is a wiser man, it Is TO be Hoped than he was
even twenty -four hours Two or three thlhss NO
certainly must have learned aud he will be wise II
no profits by them. lie must have learned nom
his second conference with President Harrison touy
hat It f. better for even a pussaut militia brlgader
10 be candid than otherwise In his personal cOmmuncA
tons to the Commandcr-inChicf Of tho Army and Navy
Of the United states. Mr. Ordway who Is tho efficient
ndcxcr II the journal; Of Cougs-a clerical occupa-
toI which h. ornaments well as honors-seens 10
hayo forgotten that the District Of Columbia Is not
pala'natc nor he q palaunc-so far a the militia is
concerned and that it not within his province
either 10 interpret miiGterpret the motive or acuon
Of Congress. to administer rcproof TO that oody
In order to carry out neat and slick DeinOcranc
scheme 10 gct rid Of the cOlored militia.
common sense IL not military training. would have
taught almost anybody that tho Success OF
SUCH scheme IN tho District of Columbia
must depend upon tho approval or consent
al least Of the President of the United States. But
General Orlvay Lad learned no such lesson until after
he was sent f)r by President Harrison today. lie
even took advantage II the Presidents absence 70
ls,ue his Illegal and understandable mandate and
when be- was called % Gccouut today, he failod 10
niorm the President that the order had been actually
,.uel aud Wis IN process OF execution; leaving me
after 10 believe, until lis mind was subsequently d.
abused by one Of The officers Of the colorcd militia
hat tho order was only in contemplation. Aier
President Harrison hal learned the truth no again
,cnt for General Ordway. and the conference was a
hort one. What took place then General Ofd"N
decline. a. soywlch 10 TO his credit. and shows tha-
hc has learned something today.
or course the President took prompt action, as
everybody who knows him expected him to DO against
the proposed outragc-for outrage it was The bump
tous brlgadier was specify made 70 realize mat the
color lne" cannot be drawn, 80 far as the National
Grard Of tho District Of Columbia IS concerned, whlo
this Administration remains In pwcr; ana the respect
able delegation Of coored men who waited upon the
President soon after General Ord~ay had received his
Ar.t lesson discovered that h. lad made himself ac-
quaint,G with all the facts, cNcep; the one WINCH
General Orlwav had failed to dyulso, and had already
vetoed the scheme 10 dlsband and muster out uAe
colorrd militia. The President Informed the members
- the delegation that there would be no elninaton
" the colorcd element of the National Guard 80 long as
he could prevent it. and that If necessary. he was
willing 70 contribute toward fund TO pay the rent Of
the arnory used by the coopd battallOn-for the TWO
battalion. are TO be consolidated, making strong
battalion Of four companies. l, must have been Win
feeling Of internal indignation that the President
heard that Major Fleetwood the commander OF one oil
no coord battalions which General Ordway had aroi-
tIarily ordered 60 DO disbanded, wears 4 medal OF
honor" which he won by hi, salantry In saving tho
flag Of his regiment before Petersburg after three color
bearers In succession had been shot down
Before the DELEGATION went 10 the White House they
called on General Grant the acting secretary OF war
who became deeply Interested In the case. ana assured
The members Of the delegation that Tie war department
would take any action which might h. necessary 10
protect The interests If the colord militia WIN tNi'
assurance they proceeded the Executive Mansion
headed by ex-senator Bruce and cX[ oUgrc,sman
Lynch. and wcro promptly received by tN 'sNsIdent.
IN order that there might be proper record oil ucr
call and the reasons therefor, they submitted copy OF
the preamble and resolutions adopted at meeting held
last night The preamble and resolutions read - Ioi
lows:
Whereas. the 9TH and sth Battallon, Of The d. c;
~ C., are composed Of citizens Of TINS District ana
reprsc in their ranks many Of those VINO were ule
first be mustered into the service oil the Eo'erhe'
Whereas said batalIons are commanded by coiored
officers who wear tho button OF the g. y IL, ana one
of them wears medal OF honor sent t. NM ~ noc
OF Congress for calamity saving the colos " MS HSl
ment the an Vnite1 sac CUo'TH ioTp tbIc men
had been shot 10 death 10y trying to Keep them Iloh
trailing bclusc the enemy ana .,- , -
Whereas said battUuOns, under the operations oi Il
communication signed by ALERT oidway a. bFigldei
general of the District Militia O. copy oi MI Nm -
hereto attached, are to be dsbanded ana mustered out
Of the st,virc of the Government; ana
Wheras said hat,alions form Ne ent''S rePicseH'i,
ton Of the colorcd citizens IN the District Militia ana
mustered ont In pursuance OF sad communication u"
said bpttalons cannot by reason Oh snclT toi9,, 90 ~,
consolidated with or mtt-cd lht' any ol1r Da'doh Va
the National Guard; ana =, ,, ,4
Whereas, Hy the record of their efficiency, deport,
mont and military proficiency the said battal,one have
never len behind the average OF the other bdttlOls
II tho d. G. y. Ca and have always been within me
r,duiCcmpnts OF section Il OF an act pfoVdlng IOi
The or.nzaton of he militia Of the District of Colum-
bia and =, A..
Whereas, The only authority given the commanding
officer TO disband consolidate, or muster out the militia
OF the District OF Columbia IS provided IN SAID section
rs Aforesaid and that there Is no suggestion, direct
.. indrec from the said BIigadierGener Orlvay. IN
his laid communication OF March 81 1891, OF any failure
On the part of either of said battalions to conform T.
any Of the rules of the said organic acts Therefore be IL
Resolved That We. citizens OF the United states
and citizens of the District OF Columbia, appeal 10 tho
president Of the United states, who, by virtue or MS
orco is Commander ln-Chicf Of the 1NIny and Navy
~ thc United States and Of the d. {. n g. to set aside
and nnllir the ahOvenamed communication, dated
March O. 1901 and signed by Albert Orway' Bngadler-
General ID. c. the enforcement of which would WORK
IN rrparable injury upon the colored citizens OF TINS
VI Eesolyed, That the operation and enforcement Of