Year: 1871

to the Senate concurring in the resolution.


TIE IntcrnausnaIs and tho Rights Of tho


People.


The members of the International societies
who were arrested on Sunday last by the
police, In consequence of the stupid and ILL
timed order Of the Board of Commissioners,
were arraigned at the Jefferson Market Police
Court yesterday, and were at once discharged
by Justice Shandley. The charge made
against them was of dsorderly conduct, and
the officers who made the arrest testified that
the prisoners were shouting and disturbing the
peace. Many persons who were present at
the time assure US that this evidence Is
entirely incorrect, and that the conduct of the
men arrested was as peaceable and orderly as
it was possible to be, but, accepting the
story of the officers as true, Justice Shandley
detention of the prisoners, and so set them
at liberty at once. 1t is therefore, evil
dent that these Eve citizens, all respect
able workingmen, were taken in custody
through the streets on Sunday afternoon, locked
up in station house all night, and placed at
the bar of Police Court in the morning,
among crowd of drunkards and felons, with
out having been guilty of any offence against
the law. Whether this will be the end of the
affair remains to be seen but 1t Is certain that
some person must be responsible for the unjust
arrest and the violation Of the rights of these
men, and as the International is q powerful
and influential body 1t is probable that the
case may be brought up In another shape and
before other authorities. Indeed, at the i'm
posing meeting of the societies held last
night, full report of which is published In
the HERALD to-day, 1t was indicated that the
question of the personal rights Of the men,
bers would be taken to the Courts, and it is
stated that Judge Edwards Pierrepont and
others have already rendered their profes
sional services to the International gratui-
tousy 10 any legal proceedings they may
think it advisable to institute.


There are varying rumors afoat as to the
influences brought to bear upon the Police
Commissioners to induce them to commit the
folly of interfering with the proposed Sunday
parade of the societies. According to some
accounts their object was to curry favor with
the high-morality branch Of the republican
party, who are supposed to have matters
all their own way In Albany, and to be pre-
pared to run the police machinery of the city
Of New York for the next few years in the
interests Of cant, conscience and cold water
Others affirm that Archbishop McCloskey was
at the bottom Of the prohibition, the Arch
bishop being deslrous Of suppressing the Inter-
national, in the apprehension that large
number Of Catholics may be drawn into Its
ranks in violation Of the order Of the Church
against secret societies. But we are assured
that there Is no foundation for this accusation.
Archbishop McCloskey has too much of the
true American sentiment in him to be con-
cerned In any such folly. Another story, and
one that reaches US well authenticated, Is that
the French Consul in New York drew up
formal protest against the proposed demon
his government, and that he induced the
consuls from other European governments,
except those of Russia and Germany, to
add their signatures to the document.
II Is said that this paper was
laid before the Police Board, and that
the Commissioners decided to forbid the pa
rade at the request Of these intermeddling
outsiders. Probably there may be some
grain Of truth In this last report, for we can
not suppose that the action of the Police Com
missioners would have been taken but for the
application of some strong outside pressure.
The broad liberality of their official conduct
for the past two years is guarantee that they
would not of their own free will have adopted
any such arbitrary course. Have they not re-
cognized the right Of the people SO disposed
to get as intoxicated on a Sunday as on any
other day Of the week Have they not gen.
erously closed their eyes against the picayune
matter Of licenses and suffered on the Sabbath
as free trade In rum as In religionp Has
there been any let or hindrance to the en-
joyment of free fights between mid
night on Saturday and midnight on
Sunday, with the exciting Accomplishments
Of biting, gouging, stabbing and shooting
Have not the police looked complaoently on
at target excursions, Jones Wood picnics
and society parades, Sabbath after Sabbath,
without thought Of the desecratlon of the
day2 II is absurd to suppose that men 80
thoroughly imbued with liberal principles
would of their own free will have forbidden
the proposed memorial funeral procession Of
the Internatonals as moral and religious
enormlty on the first day Of the week.


At the meeting Of the societies last night It
was resolved to appoint deputation to wait
upon Governor Hoffman and request his au-
thority to hold the demonstration as originally
proposed, on the Sabbath. On the well re-
membered occasion of the 18th Of July pro-
cession Governor Hoffman evinced his appre-