Year: 1862




Dur Harbor Deiences-lmmetliate Steps
Necessary % he Taken-A Plan for Milf |
tary Organizations Throughout the
City, Ske.


The Committee on National ASairs conver - ;n ,he
Joamon Council chamber at three o'cloc. ,a.,araav-
aernan Far!ey .se cnair-fof NJ surpcse Of consider.
Ing tne following resolrnon tf Alderman Fronent, and
70 take counsel with .he OF New York, many =
v hom had been n>vnsd 70 attend the meeting


Resolved IT ~ ~ Committee on National Affairs be
= Ssyes rn r s inc uTomosn %ay
and tAs ley be nstruoseA 10 inquire the pro-
ricrvf making appropriation II Ave hundred thou
san dollars for the purchasee arms, that may be


r.rsd = protect ne lives and property q eur citisens
In any emergency


Bessdes the committee, there were present General
Hall Colonies ronpkins and La,Asrs. and few citizens


Alderman FAEY opened 40 proceedings by calling
Alderman Frosent explain the object Of and read his
resolution.


Alderman FRonn said in reply that the object Of his
resolution was this-He had noticed the year.
since the outbreak Of this outrageous rebellion
that excitement had been created IN The public mind
IN regard the dsfeaces Of the city a New York. both


inquiry he had learned that little preparation had
been made for the defopce Of this city. Since the raid
eHeed aesu ana ,hey materially desired % ascertain
what they bad 10 protect When they reflected
moment on their wealth and tho number Of lives and
properties OF their citizens that at stake II seemed
TO him that the Common Council and authorities OF this
city would be deelct in their duty il they did not take
fence Another consideration in Offering his resolution
this-Ihe Common Connc were getting and expend
ing a very large amount OF money in various ways
having this and the people thought that
this placing very heavy tax upon the community
His object and purpose therefore, endeavor TO
our citizens there order have interchange Of
opinion but he sorry TO say that with all the efforts
that had been made and published all the newspapers,
w n
men with ealth and property there were but 1--WE or
six gentlemen present Therefore the responsibility dd
not rest the Committee for they had done their duty


col ToMpKrNs, who was present on invitation was here
called by the CHAIRMAN for some advice IN the pre-
misses. The Colonel made q long speech. in which he
dwelt neplessncss to properly defend New York
barbor city in Of attack from domestic or
foreign foes He said that the time would when the
whole combination Of Europe would be against US; but if
and the wish Of the people we might defy the world
Hon F.. A. CoSMING said he would respectfully request
WE'RE necessary IL order 70 provide for the military


instruction of citizens. He had been endeavoring to
make arrangements in his own ward the Efficiently to in
sruct several Of his neighbors in the military art and
be found that whole body Of young men in his ward had
expressed earnest desire to acquire this instruction
But they had no arms He had been unable TO find in the
whole Fifteenth ward single that could be used at
night in bad weather. when they could not drill out Of
doors.


Mr. HoAe1ASp, Of the Ninth ward. said they had in his
ward guard organized since the commencement OF our
never had musket in their hands who were forty
FIVE years Of abnndany able TO handle musket and
make it effective i necessary Now in his ward they
could through all the facngs whesngs and exercises
excepting those which required the of arms. II the
Common Council would facilitate that matter Of arms, it
would be comforting great blessing on large mass Of
| persons


Colonel ToxpKNs remarked that whatever to be
done in that should be accomplished without any


interference with the prerogatve OF the State authorities


Alderman FRoxKNr disclaimed any idea Of interfering
thought that neither the State general government
had put them in that state OF defence they should be in
and In the absence OF that he thought it their duty
try and protect themselves Let him call their
tion 10 the raid that made into Maryland and Penn
syivana What was il that called on Pennsylvania to
furnish nifty thousand men TO protect herscfp They
had furnished already one hundred thousand. The


tate Of New York had furnished nearly hundred
nt thousand and that where was the
/ evidence that we were to have one thousand of
those to protect uss They had evidence Of this,
and the probability that tncy would not have.
That why he submitted his resolution II they had
not armsf the State did not furnish and they did
expect the general government TO do the believed


to be the duty Of the city to furnish to citi-
order to prepare themselves in Of necessity
They had been waiting good many years for proper
defence Of the harbor and he presumed they would


TO wait good many years more before it was done It
was their duty TO protect themselves, If the government
| did not.


Col Toxrss spoke Of the necessity of looking the de-
fence Of the harbor first in preference to raising military
organizations in each ward Muskets would not resist
seventy fours lying in Our harbor.


Mr. wrLAMiI AMBER, Jr. OF the Eighteenth ward, sug
gested that besides armng the citizens Of each ward
they should also be uniformed.


General HALL said the state bound by law to fur
hish unlioms amounting 10 ABOUT 4lo OF $le per uni
form The government now short Of over two hun.
dred thousand arms and he did not believe that
possible for them to procure fifty Thousand tweiiy
five thousand arms from now until next sprung.
Alderman FAJaxy said all the Common Council wanted
10 know was whether not there necessity for
defending the harbor at the present time?
Mr. LANIfR asked General Hall how many stand Of
arms were now in New York.


General HALL replied there about four or FIVE
thousand stand Of belonging to the State here.


Col r. c. LATHERs then addressed the committee in
forcibe manner urging the great necessity Of placing the
York IN ~ nos n
He said that it would be almost impossible to
make an effective resistance in the harbor to
twenty thousand men The great harbor Of New York
might now be taken by raid OF any one OF the
rebel boats II any OF those rebel boats here now
and levied contributions on us it would do
stoying the morale of the people than agned
lie believed that they without arms was the
best in the world that the guardians of the city
should not leave them in any danger He very sorry
that the general government had not been quite so
fu of our interests they ought to be- The speaker
having alluded 10 the danger OF foreign war, to the
destruction that would Inevitably befa the country
should the great commercial city OF New York be
powered concluded his remarks and the Committee adj
Journed 10 Tuesday next at two O'Clock.
| Dried Apples for the Wounded.
CExrHAL osFIcE, SANITARY COMMISSION,
WASHINGTON, UCt. 2. 1852