F 198 
 
THE MILITARY EXECUTION 
 
 AMEEICAN CITIZENS 
 
 IIY OEDER or 
 
 /IHE PKESIDENT. 
 
 A.1^ A.3P3E^3ES.A.1L. 
 
 TO THE 
 
 e0pk 0f % Inito states, 
 
 BY CITIZENS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE DISTRICT OP COLUMBIA. 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C. 
 
 1857. 
 
TO THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES. 
 
 That a bloody massacre, or a bloody execution lias been 
 enacted at the seat of the National Government, is noT^' a. 
 well known fact. The only question to be settled by the 
 people of the United States — is — was it done by virtue of 
 law — or was it a lawless, and therefore a nefarious transac- 
 tion. Upon this question, those citizens of the District of 
 Columbia, Avho are opposed to the administration of both 
 the national and city governments, desire to be heard. 
 
 The whole press of Washington city, viz: the Union, the 
 National Intelligencer, the Star, the States, the National 
 Era, all give the same version of the main features of the 
 transactions of the 1st June. Every member of the City 
 Council, in favor of the administration, have applauded and 
 voted for resolutions of thanks to the President, to the 
 Mayor, to the Officers of the Marines, for the parts they 
 severally enacted in that tragedy. Not one of the several 
 performers has repudiated his share in the rewards thus 
 offered by the Councils, and by the presses here and else- 
 where, and they are presumed to defend their views of 
 the Avhole transaction. We, therefore, bring them before the 
 bar of public opinion for trial — and we trust to show by in- 
 controvertible proof, that they are guilty of the crime of shed- 
 ding innocent blood, without provocation, contrary to law. 
 
 We trust that all prejudice against the view we take of 
 this subject, based on the action of the presses and corpo- 
 rate authorities of this city, will be removed by a simple 
 statement of facts. Every democratic press is the recipient 
 and expectant of Executive patronage, which every one 
 knows, depends upon full and unshrinking defence of its 
 measures. The Intelligencer's local editorials are prepared 
 by editors and employees under similar influences. One of 
 them is an English foreigner, bitterly hostile to the Ameri- 
 can party, another is the most violent member of the Board 
 of Aldermen, and another is a member of the same board. 
 and all are democrats and advocates of the administration. 
 The Era, the abolition organ, takes the same course from 
 hatred to the American party, and goes one step ftirther 
 than his associated presses, and with unblushing effrontery 
 
has said that all the points now disputed, are admitted, 
 notwithstanding positive and personal information to the 
 contrary, and then goes on to denounce as criminals all 
 concerned. 
 
 We call the attention of tlie people to another fact. The 
 judicial investigation required by law, and uniforml}' made 
 elsewhere in all cases of death by violence, has been refused 
 and resisted by the authorities in this city. No warrant to 
 arrest the Mayor or officers, or privates of the Marines, could 
 be obtained, although a coroner's inquest, after an examina- 
 tion of thirteen witnesses, had pronounced a verdict Avhicli 
 declared that the death in the case before them was caused 
 by gun-shot wounds made by the Marines. Justices refused 
 to issue warrants, although earnestly appealed to, and 
 nothing could be done tol)ring the guilty, if any such there 
 were, before the Criminal court. 
 
 There is noAv a grand jury in session, its foreman, Mr. 
 (xco. W. Riggs. and one of its members, Mr. Wm. T. Dove, 
 have already taken a warm and open part in favor of the 
 resolutions of thanks by the Board of Aldermen of which 
 they arc members, as will be seen by the proceedings of the 
 Board recorded in the Intelligencer of the 25th of June last, 
 and have therefore prejudged the case. 
 
 Among the most guilty in this whole affair are the 
 ])resses of this city. Their responsible managers have per- 
 verted the truth, have misrepresented the facts, have ap- 
 ■|)lauded the guilty, and slandered the innocent, and have 
 done irreparable mischief to that most powerful engine of 
 liberty and justice, a truthful and talented Press. When 
 tire proofs in this case shall be read and compared with the 
 earnest and repeated asseverations of the presses, and demo- 
 cratic letter writers of this city, sheAving a reckless disre- 
 gard of truth on their part, and a desperate determination 
 to throAv off from their patrons the odium which is sure to 
 jtttach to them for this horrible outrage, — Avho will hereafter 
 })elieve them, even if by accident they should tell the truth. 
 
 We now present a brief st.'itement of the occurrences of 
 the tragic first day of June, 1857, which the future and 
 impartial historian will characterize as a deed of blood, of 
 raid blooded murder and recldess butchery; which Avill be 
 sustained by numerous affidavits. 
 
 It is supposed, that previous to the 1st of June, 1857, the 
 Mayor, the Chief of Police, and the Captain of tlie Auxili- 
 ary Guard had ))een induced to believe, from mere idle 
 n/nrAv. that a party or parties from Baltimore, Avould visit 
 
our city on the day of election. It is a Avell known iact. 
 however, that lor several years past it has been the in-actice 
 of the different political parties to send from tJiis city ti. 
 Baltimore, and from Baltimore to this city on the day of 
 election, scores of persons, paying their passage, and in 
 many cases, paying them for their time. In consequence 
 of tliis rumor, the Chief of Police and several of liis officers 
 were at the depots, to inspect the passengers who should 
 arrive in tlic cars whicli left Baltimore at (piarter after four 
 o'clock in the morning. Their testimony is, and they 
 would not certainly underrate the number, that some 25 or 
 30, old and young, men from l>altimore came on in the 
 train. 
 
 These persons, or Vac mostof tliem, were seen at and near 
 the 1st precinct of the 4th ward early in the mujiiing. 
 about the time the line of voters, amounting to one liundred 
 or more, almost exclusively anti- Americans, had been form- 
 ed on the pavements stretcliing from the polls towards K 
 street, and were quietly casting their ballots. About this 
 time John H. Goddard, a candidate for the Board of Alder- 
 men, a man of strong feelings, and most decided in liis 
 opposition to the American party, got into a controversy wit! i 
 some of the party from Baltimore, and some of our own 
 citizens. He pushed one or more of them off the curb stone 
 into the street, and was struck in the breast by a brick-bat; 
 the combat became general — pistols, clubs, stones, fists, 
 were employed, the fence leading to the poll was perforated 
 with many balls, a large number of stones were tlirown into 
 the room where the judges sat, they and their clerks fled, 
 the polls were closed, and the police cowardly abandoned 
 their posts. The fact is distinctly stated, and there is i)roof 
 of it, that tlie first shot was fired by the Chief of Police. 
 Order was soon restored, and we learned of n*.) other dis- 
 turbance at any of the precincts, except that of the 2d pre- 
 cinct of the 2d ward, Avhich was soon quieted. Tliis dis- 
 turbance is said to have been the work of the party fiom 
 Baltimore, aided by some of our own citizens. After the 
 disturbance in the 2d Avard, the riotous parties scattered, 
 or separated, or went into concealment. 
 
 The Baltimore party were not openly seen together again 
 that day. Most of them, if not all, left in the evening train 
 for Baltimore. 8o far as any reliable evidence has been 
 obtained, it does not appear that any of them returned to 
 the 4th ward polls, or the neighborhood, after the morning 
 riot; nor was the voting there in any manner interrupted 
 
until the tarrival of the military. The morning riot was 
 over before 10 o'clock. The military reached there after 1 
 o'clock. So that for nearly four hours before the arrival of 
 the Marines there Jiad been no disturbance of the peace, and 
 those who had previously been engaged in breaking it, were 
 absent during that time and did not return. The riot in 
 the morning was not so great as that which occurred at the 
 same precinct last year, caused by an attempt of the foreign- 
 ers to take the polls, and which was easily quelled by Mayor 
 Towers and the police force. 
 
 We must now go back to the time when the police re- 
 treated. Mr. John H. Goddard, who was the candidate of 
 the administration for the Board of Aldermen, was seized 
 by a powerful American, his friend, and carried by him in 
 his arms out of the melee to a place of safety and set down. 
 Mr. Goddard then started down the street, and at the dis- 
 tance of four or five squares he met the Mayor and the 
 Captain of the Auxiliary Guard in an open barouche, going 
 towards the polls; he got in the carriage, which drove to the 
 polls of the 1st precinct of the 4th ward. Everything was 
 <iuiet. They left the Captain of the Guard, and the Mayor 
 and Mr. Goddard went to the Navy Department and to the 
 President. Upon their representation, an order was pro- 
 cured requiring the ]\Iarines to hold themselves in readiness, 
 which was despatched to the Navy Yard. After this the 
 Mayor prepared that communication to the President, which 
 has been p>ublished in the j^x^j^ers as the authority to order out 
 the Marines. 
 
 While the riot was going on at the 2d ward polls, two 
 citizens, Ex-Mayor Lenox, and Dr. Thomas Miller, a Demo- 
 cratic member of the Board of Aldermen, went to the Mayor 
 to procure additional police to suppress that disturbance. — 
 They stated the case to the Mayor, and he replied in sub- 
 stance, that it was unnecessary, for he had a requisition for 
 the Marines who would soon be there. 
 
 Tenders were made to the Mayor by other citizens of their 
 readiness to aid in suppressing the riot, if there was any; 
 the aid of the armed volunteei- soldiers was also tendered by 
 one of the commanding officers. He declined all. Finally 
 the Marines arrived at the City Hall with loaded muskets 
 and fixed bayonets. 
 
 They were officered by at least four officers, and marched 
 without music. The Mayor took charge of the detachment, 
 and, accompanied by several citizens, marched them to the 
 corner of Tth and I streets, where they were halted. The 
 
polls were closed by the judges, and they detennmed not to 
 open them again until the military were withdrawn. In 
 the meanwhile an immense, and highly excited crowd 
 thronged 7tli street, and it was swollen at every moment. 
 
 After the Marines left their barracks, a parcel of young 
 men and boys, residents of tliis city, seized a small gnu 
 which was kept in the Anacostia Engine House, (and which 
 had bceen spiked for more than a month) and ran with it 
 after and passed the Marines, on tlieir line of march towards 
 the City Hall. They took the gun up 7th street to the 
 open space near the market house, and by some means pro- 
 cured ammunition and loaded it. Fcenj single jjerson. man 
 and hoy, about that gun was a citizen of Washington. The 
 police have the names of most of them, but they have fled 
 until the storm shall have passed. They therefore know 
 that they were not Plug Uglies. 
 
 The gun was loaded some time before tlie Mai'ines reached 
 1 street, and more than one respectable citizen had gone to 
 the young men who had it, and remonstrated with them, 
 their answer was, they did not intend to use it unless thoy 
 were attacked by the Marines, and then they would fire. 
 
 After halting the Marines for a short time at I street, 
 they Avere marched up to the open space formed by K street 
 and New York and Massachusetts avenues, and halted on 
 the flagging on the East side of 7th street. They came 
 into line, fronting to the West. The gun was on the oppo- 
 site side of the street. A gentleman, well known, and a 
 highly esteemed citizen of tjie 4th ward, and another re- 
 spectable citizen of the 6th ward, separately went to the 
 Mayor, and told him that they had just come from the 
 young men, who were at that gun, and if lie would 
 give them twenty -five citizens, tliey Avould undertake to 
 take it without trouble. They received no answer, and im- 
 mediately after this a company of Marines charged across 
 the street upon tlie gun. When the charge began there 
 were thirteen or fourteen persons at the gun, all fled but 
 one man and a little boy, the boy endeavoring to escape was 
 bayoneted, he Avas afterwards shot — a boy of ten or twelve 
 years of age. He is still living. The man escaped. 
 
 As the Marines reached the gun, firing commenced. — 
 Three young men were sitting upon a market house bench. 
 near the gun. One of them — Wells — was mortally Avound- 
 ed, the other two escaped. They say that this was the first 
 shot they heard or saAv, and it came from the Marines. — 
 The Marines fired a vollev at those who were running; into 
 
the market house in their advance. Immediately thereafter, 
 the other company of Marines wlieeled and fired directly 
 into the dense crowd on 7th street, and down Massaclinsett.s 
 avenue, so tliat they fired tliree difi'erent directions. Man} 
 Avere killed and wounded. It is said that among them, 
 Avere some of the Baltimore Plug Uglies. But after the 
 most diligent enquiry we cannot hear of one of them Avho 
 was either killed or wounded; yet there is clear and distinct 
 proof that a memher of the Empire Club, from Baltimore, 
 was wounded by a musket ball. His name is Avell knoAvn. 
 and he Avas carried to Baltimore that evening by the car.^. 
 It may be proper here to state, that a number of that noto- 
 lious Demo'cratic club Avcre in Washington on the day of 
 election. We have their names, and are prepared to fur- 
 nish them. 
 
 It AA'as a dreadful massacre. It can alone be justified en 
 the plea of an imperative necessity. In that event, there 
 should be no difficulty in ascertaining by Avhose order it Avas 
 done. He Avho gave the command to fire should openly 
 aA'OAv it, and court a judicial investigation. Yet, so far as 
 has been ascertained, no one Avill admit that he gaA^e the 
 order. If the Marines fired Avithout orders, some one should 
 still be held responsible for taking United States troops, 
 witli loaded muskets and fixed bayonets, into such a position 
 Avithout having control over them. 
 
 The local government, and the olficers of the General 
 Government, and every ncAvspaper in this city, alike justify 
 it. Yet no Coroner's inquest has beei} held by their order, 
 or under their counteuance. The most positive testimony 
 lias been adduced to sIioav that the Mayor gaA^e the order. 
 Public justice, inMic peace, puhlic order, public safety, pvMic 
 tiberty, and private wrong and siifering, all cry out for such 
 an investigation — 7iot an investigation in the secret chamber of 
 a Grand Jury, but cm open, public, free, unchallenged investi- 
 gation in the face of day. 
 
 Should Ave present to the Freemen of the United States, 
 all the evidence Avhich avc have in our possession relative to 
 this deed of blood, Ave Avould SAvell the publication to that of 
 a volume, instead of a small pamphlet. We shall therefore 
 confine ourselves to a number of affidavits, and a few ex- 
 tracts from tAvo or three papers, Avhich have fortunately 
 fallen into our hands. 
 
[From the Louisville Journal of June loth, 1857.] 
 
 The Bloody Tragedy at Washington City — A Plain Stafonenf 
 of Facts — Americans Vindicated — The President and Mayor 
 guilty of Deliberate Murder — American-born Citizens sub- 
 jected to an Iron-heeled Tyranny. 
 
 To the Editors- of the Louisville Journal: 
 
 Washington, June 9, 1857. 
 
 The American party in this city is truly in a deplorable 
 :<tate. We have no paper here to represent our cause, and 
 the Baltimore press has been so delinquent that lies have 
 been propagated throughout the country in such profusion 
 we feel almost disheartened when Ave think of making an 
 attempt to controvert and deny them. 
 
 The papers of this city have circulated the report that the 
 3Iarines were called out to quell a riot, and that they fired 
 on the rioters to preserve the public peace. Tliere never 
 was a more unqualified lie propagated in any community. 
 The Marines fired upon peaceful citizens; who had collected 
 to observe what the Marines were called out for. There 
 never was a more cold-blooded murder in the history of our 
 country than this was, and your readers will ask why does 
 this not appear to the world so. My friends, come to Wash- 
 ington and see and hear for yourselves. We have no means 
 of publishing the facts. We have endeavored to have a 
 legal investigation of the facts, and we cannot get a justice 
 of the peace either of our own party or any other party, to 
 issue a warrant for the arrest of the Mayor, on the oath of as 
 good and reliable men as ever lived in any community. — 
 They are afraid — they are under the eye of the General 
 Government — they are under the rule of Democracy and 
 Romanism, and they dare not. 
 
 The conduct of the Mayor and the President has been 
 applauded l)y their mercenary hangers-on — yes, sir, the 
 President of this Union, Mr. James Buchanan, of Pa., not 
 only approves of the course of our drunken, bloody Mayor, 
 but exults in the hope that he has crushed the American 
 party of Washington. Sir, the President by his frown has 
 prevented a legal investigation of this murderous outrage, 
 because he knows facts would be elicited on such examina- 
 tion of all parties that would implicate him and his party, 
 that would damn them in the eyes of the country! 
 
 Will the people of Kentucky believe that the man to 
 whom they gave their votes in the late Presidential election 
 has caused the rifles and arms of the American Rifle Com- 
 
10 
 
 pany in thin city to be taken from them l\v the Secretary of 
 War, while a company of Irish and a company of Germans 
 arc alloAved to keep quiet possession of their arms and guns. 
 iSuch is the tiict. The American company were under bonds 
 to the amount of $8,000 lor the security of their arms, and 
 liave never in any instance proved themselves lawless or for- 
 feited their bonds — but arms and guns have been deemed 
 unsafe in the hands of the American people, and can only 
 be trusted in the hands of their foes. 
 
 Would the Kentucky people stand quietly and see theii 
 friends shot down by their sides by hired slaves for party pur- 
 poses, when they were not aggressing, and not be avenged? 
 Would they see the ])lotter and executors of this horrible 
 deed lauded and extolled by hirelings and sycophants — and 
 approve — and not feel the blood of other days burn in theii 
 veins? Sir, I can answer these questions. I have seen the 
 foreign ] tarty attempt to take possession of our ballot-box, 
 and to kill our friends, and I have seen them destroyed — 1 
 liave seen justice outraged and disregarded by laAv, and I 
 liave seen the law enforced by the people, and that promjjt- 
 ly and energetically. I have seen murderers eulogised by 
 their admirers ami abettors, and I have seen them over- 
 whelmed l)y public opinion and the justice of our people. 
 Would, sir, there were something more of that jfpirit here! 
 would we had the force to assert our rights — would that m-c 
 had an organ like the Journal to repel the false and slan- 
 derous charges of foreign slaves, and that would dare to 
 assert the truth and stand by it. 
 
 We want you to help us. State the facts in the case, and 
 we can furnish you as many and four times as many affida- 
 vits as you produced two years ago in the case of the riot 
 in Louisville to prove the statement we have made. We 
 want the facts brought before the country, and Ave w\ant the 
 President and his party of murderers exposed. 0. M. A. 
 
 To the Editors of the Louisville Journal: 
 
 W.-VFiiiNGTON, June 8, 1857. 
 Gentlejiex: The National Intelligencer of to-day contains 
 articles from a great number of papers in different sections 
 of the country, both Democratic and Whig, condemnatory 
 of the transactions which took place here on the day of the 
 municipal election, throwing the entire censure upon the 
 Americans. I am grieved to say I think the Intelligencer 
 has done its full share in misrepresenting the transactions 
 of that da v. in throwing; blame on those who do not deserve 
 
11 
 
 it, and in justifying tlie conduct of tliose who, witliout any 
 justifiable reason for so doing, brought tlie Marines upon the 
 ground and ordered them to fire upon the people. ]Many of 
 the papers whose remarks the Intelligencer cpiotcs undoubt- 
 edly spoke as they did from the confidence they placed in 
 its candor and truthfulness, not being aware that, so far as 
 Americanism is concerned, it seems to be as strongly ]>rcju- 
 diced and uncandid as any journal in the city. 
 
 Unfortunately for the Americans here, they have uo 
 paper through which they can make their own statements. 
 They are dumb, and compelled to let the false representa- 
 tions of their most bitter and vindictive enemies go to the 
 world uncontradicted; of course their friends elsewhere have 
 nothing to say in their defence or justification, and join 
 their enemies in the hue and cry of condemnation . 
 
 That there were some twenty or thirty very young men 
 and boys here from Baltimore on the day of the election, 
 who sympathized with the Americans, is not denied, nor 
 that a disturbance occurred at one of the polls in the Fourtli 
 Ward early in the morning; but that the disturbance was 
 of a very serious character, tliat it continued long, or could 
 not have been quelled by any half-dozen resolute policemen, 
 is denied. It is also denied that there was any rioting at 
 the time the IMayor called upon the President for a military 
 force, or afterwards. It is asserted by Democrats and 
 Whigs, who were at the place of voting during tlie whole 
 time, men who did not vote the American ticket, that, af_ 
 the time the Marines were marched upon the fjround, every- 
 thing ivas as cjuiet and the voting was going ou as orderly as 
 at any poll in the city. 
 
 But they had been ordered uut and must of course d<» 
 something; accordingly, after taking the swivel, wliich 
 about twenty boys had brought froni the Navy Yard, (by 
 the way, the hoys did not start from, the yard with it iintil 
 after the 3Iarines had been marched off.) they were ordered to 
 fire in difierent directions, their muskets being loaded with 
 one haU and three huclshot each. Eight or nine persons 
 were killed, and more wounded; and who were they? — 
 '•Plug Uglies" and Americans of course, because they are 
 charged as having been the rioters; but no: not an American 
 or a "Plug Ugly" was killed — all the victims, I believe, 
 to a man were «J2^/- Americans! 
 
 There was no more necessity for the employment of a 
 military force of United States troops — regidars — on this 
 occasion than there was for the President himself assuming 
 
urn 
 
 12 
 
 the command of them; and of course the ordering them to 
 fire -with lall and hucJcshot cariridges was, as several of the 
 personal and jDolitical friends of the Mayor have declared, a 
 murderous act. Both the Mayor, and Capt. Tyler, who 
 gave the order, are guilty of deliberate murder in the esti- 
 mation of many citizens who sympathize with them in their 
 hatred of Americanism. 
 
 But while it is admitted that there Avere ''Plug Uglies. ' 
 or young men and boys so called, from Baltimore at the 
 polls here on that day, it is also asserted that there ivere a 
 greater' number of rowdies liere from the same city, memhers of 
 the Empire CUib, who came as the avoived enemies of the 
 Americans. Of the presence of these the Intelligencer. 
 Union, States, and Star say not a word. 
 
 I think there is no doubt but the calling out of the Marines 
 was determined upon some days p)'i'C'i'ious to the election. — 
 Mayor Magruder and Gapt. Tyler botli entertain the most 
 malevolent and vindictive feelings towards the Americans, 
 who are hunted down by the Administration and pursued 
 Avith the same spirit as Avere the Covenanters of Scotland by 
 the blood-thirsty Claverhouse and his saA^age horsemen.-^ 
 The blood of the Americans Avas sought, but, instead of 
 their falling by the murderous fire of the U. S. Marines, 
 anti- Americans fell . 
 
 I do not justify the presence of any Baltimoreans here on 
 the day of election; far from it; but I cannot forget the time 
 when roAvdies Avere habitually sent by the Democrats from 
 one city to another to drive the Whigs from the polls and 
 stuff the ballot boxes Avitli illegal votes; nor can I remember 
 that the Union and other Democratic papers CA'er condemned 
 the doings of those rowdies. Their A'irtuous indignation is 
 neAv-born, and of course easily excited. 
 
 The condition of the Americans here is that of a conquered 
 and oppressed people. They are pursued Avith relentless 
 hatred; the thousands of Avorkmen employed upon or in the 
 public buildings, if discovered, they are presented at once 
 Avith their 'Svalldng papers;" of course not a man in Uncle 
 Sam's employ dare OAvn that he thinks "Americans ought to 
 govern America." The avoAval of such a sentiment Avould 
 cost him his place in less than tAveiity-four hours. Such is 
 American freedom at the Capitol of "the model Eepublic!" 
 Among the hundi-eds of men employed upon the public build- 
 ings, there is scarcely a sprinTding of American laborers and 
 mechcmics, and one hears a constant jabbering of Irish. 
 German and Italian . 
 
13 
 
 It IK asserted tliat the Marines at tlie Navy Yard numbered 
 but 59, on tlie morning of the day of the election, and yet 
 110 appeared on the ground under the command of Captain 
 Tyler, not more than onc-ticentieth of whom were American 
 born; they were principally Irish — some few Germans. — 
 How was the number so suddenly increased? I am told 
 that, Avhen the order came, Irishmen were taken out of the 
 workshops of the yard and transformed into Marines, im- 
 promptu, by encasing them in uniform. 
 
 As shoAving the feeling of the Administration towards 
 Americans, I give you the fact that, since the murderous 
 affair in this city, tlie Secretary of War has taJcen from tlw 
 American Bifle Com}3any their arms, upon the flimsy and 
 hypocritical plea that they were not safe in their armory in 
 the City Hall, while he considers the arms of the Mont- 
 gomery Guards, an Irish company, perfectly safe in a build- 
 ing, the lower part of which is a livery stable! 
 
 Talk about "American liberty and equality!" there is 
 not a t!apitol in Europe where there is more^^-ranny and 
 oppression than is exercised here; /and therc'4{5 not a more 
 slavish, truculent, timid, subservient body of men in the 
 world than'^n be found among the employees of the Gov- 
 ernment in AVashinglon city. That it is so, is a most morti- 
 fying and humiliating fact. Ax Eye "SVitness. 
 
 [From the New Orleans Daily Delta, of June, 1857.] 
 
 LETTER FROM WASHINGTON. 
 
 Election Iliot — Decorations for the Capitol — Abolitionist ^ 
 Outwitted. 
 
 Washington, June 11, 1857. 
 
 Editors of the Delta: The rumors and reports and news- 
 paper statements here about our election riot have been so 
 various and conflicting, and deeming truth in such a case to 
 be an important thing to lay before the public, I would not 
 send my letter till the best evidence had been given under 
 oath before the coroner's inquests. 
 
 From that testimony, it turns out to have been prett}- 
 much a family affair. The substance of the testimony is 
 this: — At the upper precinct of the Fourth Ward, while the 
 voters were standing in a line one behind another to take 
 turns at the ballot box, just at the entrance of the narrow 
 plank passage, which admitted one person only to move up 
 to the box, some persons — no one knows who — began to 
 push others. This led to resistance, of course, and in a 
 
14 
 
 minute tlie line was broken and a geiieral row was raging 
 between Know Nothings and Anti-Know Nothings. Brick- 
 bats and stones were thrown, some i)istols were fired, and 
 one man is said to have been wounded; tlie board passage to 
 the ballot box was torn away, and one of the election judges, 
 it is said, was struck in the wrist with a pistol ball. This 
 was about ten o'clock. In about twenty minutes all was 
 quiet and the voting going on as orderly as it was before 
 the disturbance began. 
 
 At the commencement of the disturbance some one ran to 
 the Mayor — about half a mile — avIio wrote a letter to the 
 President asking for a force of United ►States troops. This 
 was dispatched to the President — a mile and a half — who sent 
 for the Secretary of the Navy, and after consultation an 
 order Avas made out for a detachment of Marines from the 
 barracks at the Navy Yard, three miles from the President's 
 House. By this time the disturbance Avas at an end. On 
 receiving this order — carried by the Mayor, or sent to Col. 
 Henderson — a hundred and ten men were sent from the 
 Marine Barracks to the scene of difficulty, under the control 
 of the May or .\ When they reached that place they found 
 the people voting quietly; the disturbance having subsided 
 about two hours before their arrival. They learned, how- 
 ever, that near to that i)lace — at the East end of the North- 
 ern Liberties' Market House — a number of persons were 
 assembled with a little swivel, all in full vicAv. The Ma- 
 rines were ordered to charge them Avitli bayonets and take the 
 piece. (It Avas noAv one o'clock.) They did so; they who 
 had possessed it abandoning it on the approach of the Ma- 
 rines. After they had taken the piece they returned to 
 their former position and formed into a holloAv square. 
 Then it was that they Avere ordered to fire. Four Avitnesses 
 in the first inquest SAA^ore positively that they heard the 
 Mayor give the order, and fourteen that it Avas after 
 the taking of the little gun, and that there had been no 
 firing and no disturbance Avhatevcr for tAvo hours preceding 
 that action; that, betAveen the taking of the little gun and 
 the firing by the Marines, there Avas no provocation hat- 
 ever given. The adA^ocates of the Mayor deny this; not on 
 oath, it is true; but they affirm that the Marines AA-ere 
 assailed, abused, fired upon, and Avounded — one or tAvo — b)^ 
 the ruffians, violaters of laAv and order, and that they only 
 returned the fire of those scoundrels — '*Plug Uglies," &c., 
 and that no good citizen can regret the chastisement they 
 received, aAvful as it was — some seven or eight having been 
 
15 
 
 killed on the spot and more than twenty wounded, some of 
 whom have died since. 
 
 But, there is one circumstance which they do not tell, and 
 which none of our city papers has disclosed. It is this: — 
 with one single exception, every one of those I'iUed and 
 woiinded hy the firing of tlie Marines, was of the Anti-Know 
 Nothing party, and all but one citizens of Washington! — 
 One Know Nothing was hadly wounded in the arm. It was 
 his place of voting, and he was standing near the Marines, 
 not dreaming of danger — unarmed, quiet, — near his place 
 of business, and not having taken any part whatever in the 
 di.sturbancc. He is a man of good cliaracter and respecta- 
 bility. 
 
 It' is, indeed, remarkable that the Marines should have 
 poured their volleys into the ranks of 'Tlug Uglies" and 
 "ruffian Know Nothings," and hit none of them; but, on 
 the contrary, should have killed and wounded only the 
 enemies of those they supposed they were shooting. 
 
 Our city papers alleged that a band of "ruffians" from 
 Baltimore, calling themselves "Plug Uglies," came here 
 and were the authors of the disturbance — and that it was 
 they who assailed the Marines and received so severe a 
 chastisement for their villainy. 
 
 If this statement were true, it would make these "Plug 
 Uglies," the most extraordinary people that ever existed; 
 for our whole city police was unable to catch, or even to sec 
 distinctly, a single one of them; and they seem to have had 
 the power, on being shot, of tran.sforming themselves into 
 well known citizens of Washington, and "Anti-Know 
 Nothings." For, I state emphatically and positively, that, 
 according to the best evidence, one Baltimorean only (Mr. 
 Dalrymple) was shot by the Marines, and he is admitted, on 
 all hands, to have been a Democrat. All the others were 
 well known citizens of Washington. 
 
 This statement is made from the best evidence that has 
 been given. And, as some may think such a statement 
 should be on the responsibility of a proper name, I have to 
 requv'it that you will give my proper name to any one who 
 shall ask it of you. 
 
 I would say, in addition to the foregoing, that the reason 
 why an impartial statement has not appeared in any paper 
 published in this city is, that every one of them is devoted 
 to the "Anti-Know Nothing" party, and will not publish 
 anything that reflects upon that party; and, an impartial 
 statement of those occurrences must necessarily do so. — 
 
16 
 
 Neither would a reporter of any of those papers Avrite down 
 the testimony which w^as given under oath before the coro- 
 ners, either of Know Nothings or of Anti-Know Nothings. 
 The little swivel was brought to the market house by a 
 gang of young men and boys at the Navy Yard, who, seeing 
 the Marines turn out, ran to the fire-engine house and 
 dragged it out and came along the most of the Avay in com- 
 pany Avith tiie Marines — whether KnoAv Nothings or Anti- 
 KnoAv Nothings I am unable to say, as no definite testimony 
 has been given on that point; but, from the fact that they 
 were passed on the road by the Marines, and came along 
 afterAvards in their rear Avithout molestation, and that those 
 killed and Avounded by the Marines in connection Avith the 
 circumstance of the capture of tliat little gun proA-ing to be 
 Anti-KnoAV Nothings, it Avould seem that they must have 
 belonged to that party. I Avill only add that there is no 
 stronger proof in support of the story that a gang of ''Plug 
 Uglies" Avere here from Baltimore, than there is in support 
 of the other report that a band of "'ruffians," calling them- 
 seh'e the "Empire Club," came here from the Eighth Ward, 
 in Baltimore, for the purpose of interrupting the election in 
 our Fourth Ward, Avhich had before given a small majority 
 for the American party, in the hope, thereby, of preventing 
 the election of an American Alderman for that Avard, and 
 consequently securing for the "Anti-KnoAv Nothings" a 
 majority in that branch of the City Legislature. But, real- 
 ly, there is no reliable evidence in support of cither. 
 
 [From the Louisville Journal of the 22d June, 1857.] 
 
 We have already spoken of the outrageous policy pursued 
 by the Sag-Nicht organs throughout the country in lauding 
 to the skies the foreign population, and trying to disparage 
 and degrade the native-born to a level Avith the illiterate 
 hordes of Irish papists and German infidels Avhich infest our 
 country. It is not enough for these Sag-Nicht organs to 
 praise the patriotism, courage, and surpassing virtues of the 
 foreigners at the expense of our OAvn countrymen, but the 
 Democratic President of the United States has, in a practi- 
 cal manner, demonstrated his belief that the true-hearted 
 sons of the soil are not fit to be trusted Avith the public arms, 
 whilst the vilest dregs of other countries, men who blindly 
 obey the behests of their priests or demagoguing leaders, 
 are considered entirely trustAvorthy. The blush of shame 
 should mantle the cheek of every honest American at the 
 
degracUng- spcctcacle of a great nation, wliicli lias, in the 
 opinion of its President, so far retrograded as to render it 
 unsafe to allow the native population at the National Capi- 
 tal to have possession of the pnhlic arms. If this policy is 
 followed, foreign mercenaries, b}- which the republics and 
 empires of old were brought to ruin, will soon coiitrol our 
 government, and the insolence of tbreigners towards native- 
 born citizens will be unbearable. It is but reasonable that 
 the foreigners should think themselves vastly sujierior to 
 native-born- citizens when they are told continually that 
 their devotion to the countrj' far exceeds that of the sons of 
 the soil, that their courage is undoubted, whilst native Ame- 
 ricans ai'c a poor coAvardly set of ruffians, and that every 
 characteristic of manly virtue adorns the foreigners, while 
 the baser and more In-utal ])assions govern tlie American- 
 born citizens. 
 
 There are IVicts i,>f dee}) significance in tlic conduct of the 
 Mayor and other officials of Washington in legard to the 
 recent election disturbances there. The time has come when 
 every American who truly loves his country and her institu- 
 tions sliould ]»onder well upon this subject and look into the 
 fearful abyss upon whose very verge we are now tottering. 
 The letter to the Boston Traveller which we published 
 yesterday was written by one who avows himself op])osed 
 alike to Americans and Democrats. It states that the writer's 
 testimony is derived from ''the principal actors," and it de- 
 nounces the atrocious affair as a ' 'massacre utterly unpro- 
 voked and useless." It is a candid and impartial statement. 
 Thefacts show for themselves, in addition to the affidavits, 
 that Ave have published. No partisan feeling prompts the 
 correspondent of the Boston paper to suppress the facts in 
 the case as the authorities have endeavored to do, and we 
 see clearly the dawning of a day when this inhuman and 
 uni)rovoked destruction of innocent life will receive the re- 
 probation it well deserves from the voice of the nation. — 
 Why have the Democratic organs-so suddenly become silent? 
 Why have they so grossly misstated the whole affair, and. 
 after trying to cast the Avhole infamy of the bloody deed 
 upon the American party, A\liy have they seduously conceal- 
 ed the fact that only one American was shot where scores of 
 Democrats, women and children, and negioes Avere killed 
 or wounded? Why is this, but in continuance of their scan- 
 dalous policy to villify the American party by misrepresen- 
 tation and calumny? The minions of the administration 
 may hojie to escape from ])unishment whilst they have the 
 
18 
 
 protection of the federal government, and doubtless the Pre- 
 sident, by his power, can avert all punishment from them, 
 but a cry of execration will ascend from the eartli which has 
 drunk up the heart's blood of these slaughtered victims, 
 and the ears of civilized humanity will ring again with de- 
 nunciations of this horrible and atrocious murder. 
 
 That it was premeditated is shown by the sworn statement 
 of a Baptist clergyman of high standing and thirty years' 
 residence in Washington, who heard the mayor and other 
 leading Democrats in conversation, and distinctly swears 
 that the mayor threatened "that they (the Americans) should 
 have no children's play on that day, that he would give them 
 powder and hall." And well he kept his word. The Marines 
 could be relied upon to shoot down American citizens. In 
 the words of the Boston correspondent, they ^^ could he trust- 
 ed because they ivere nearly all Irish, and their officers were 
 in government pay, and wholly independent of civic ties and 
 feeling." The officer in command of this force is one of the 
 most bitter Democratic partizans in the country, and he 
 could be relied upon in his vindictive hatred of Americans 
 to execute any command to promote Democratic party in- 
 terests and shoot down Americans. 
 
 We make another extract from the Boston letter, and call 
 attention especially to the latter portion of it: 
 
 This riot, and many others south of a certain sectional line, within five years 
 past, bring us to reflect upon the present and probable future condition of the 
 South m two respects. It is claimed thai slavery is conservative; that the 
 principles of and habits of subordination inculcated among the population by the 
 institution are a sure security against popular excitements, against sudden out- 
 breaks, against tumult and disorder of every kind. Now, not only is the claim 
 unfounded, but the exact reverse of it is true. The South is the land of bloody 
 riots, of fierce and insatiable eruptions of passion, not only between individuals, 
 but among masses of the people. 
 
 The number of foreigners at the South is less than one-tenth of that at tlie 
 North. There are not enough of them there to excite jealousy or awaken 
 apprehension, and yet the rage of the native party is so inflamable that election 
 day is a day of battle and conflagration How, then, will it be when the Irish, 
 French, English, and Germans crowd around the polls there, and absolutely 
 elbow Americans from the ballot box, as in New York, Massachusetts, and 
 Illinois? The question presents a picture more vivid than I can describe. — 
 Already American troops cannot be depended upon in the South. The 
 Democracy even here rely upon Irisli Marines! And don't they shoot the 
 natives.' 
 
 The number of the Marines at the Washington Navy 
 Yard was doubled on the day of election, as the muster roll 
 shows, and they have as suddenly disappeared. Where did 
 they come from? Were they the Irish employees in the 
 Government -uorkshops, who were called away from their 
 
19 
 
 work to imbrue their hands too willingly in American blood, ^ 
 or were they members of the Democratic Empire Club, of 
 Baltimore, pressed into service for the occasion? The pro- 
 ceedings of the two meetings in Washington differ vastly — 
 one (the Mayor's) dealt in invectives and sweeping denun- 
 ciations of Baltimoreans, who were supposed to have been 
 engaged in the riot, and the other (an immensely larger 
 meeting than the Mayor's) passed resolutions and appointed 
 a committee, without distinction of party, "to elicit the 
 whole truth as to the origin and progress of the events which 
 resulted in that dread tragedy." Which of these meetings 
 was actuated by the most proper motives — the one which 
 courted an investigation, or the one which shunned it and 
 avoided all allusion to it. 
 
 Only one Baltimorean is knoAvn to be hurt, and he is a 
 member of the Democratic Empire Club. We would not 
 uphold the Plug Uglies or Rip Raps or any other band of 
 fighting men of Baltimore in going to Washington to inter- 
 fere in the election, any more than we would commend the 
 conduct of the Democratic leaders here, who tried to produce 
 a riot in the late judicial election, but as yet there has been 
 no proof that the Plug Uglies actually did interfere. None 
 of them were hurt, whilst one of the JEmpire Club, numbers 
 of whom were in Washington, is now lying dangerously 
 wounded. The facts speak for themselves, and, upon the 
 evidences already adduced, we do not hesitate to pronounce 
 this Washington affair one of the most horrible outrages 
 ever perpetrated in this country. An effort has been made 
 by the Democratic authorities at Washington to suppress 
 all investigation into the affair, but when the facts are made 
 known a terrible responsibility will be found to rest upon 
 the Mayor of Washington and the President of the Unit-ed 
 States for using and permitting the use of the military forces 
 of the United States to promote Democratic partisan pur- 
 poses in a municipal election. 
 
 We publish below a number of affidavits, from respect- 
 able citizens of Washington city, in reference to the late 
 election difficulties at the National Capital. Our corresi)on- 
 dent sends us these, which were taken at random from the 
 numbers which have been procured from spectators. An 
 effort has been made to suppress all investigation, and with 
 the power of the Federal Government and the press of the 
 city to back the Mayor and his confederates we were fearful 
 that no inquiry would ever be made of w^hat is now repre- 
 sented to us as a foul and wanton murder of innocent citi- 
 
20 
 
 zens. The statement in all of the Washington papers wn.s 
 evidently prepared by the same partisan hand, and those 
 papers endeavor to ftisten the stigma upon tlie American 
 party in order to relieve their own guilty partisans from the 
 indignation of a nation. We ask an attentive perusal froin 
 our readers of the letter from our con-espondent. The treat- 
 ment of the poor suiferers in the hospital was infamous. — 
 The blood of innocent victims calls aloud for a just retri- 
 bution, and we are glad that Judge Crawford, in an able 
 charge to the grand jury, lias directed them t(~» investigate 
 this atrocious deed. 
 
 In connection with tliis we make the following extracts 
 from a letter in the T3ostoii Traveller of June IT: 
 
 ^'Washington, June 13. 
 "A careful in(_[uiry. ;ind certainly an impartial one, for J 
 equally oppose both parties engaged in the disturbance, has 
 satisfied me that the late terrible slaughter in the streets 
 and houses of this city by United States Marines Avas wholly 
 Avanton and unnecessary. I cannot repeat private conver- 
 sations with some of the ]»rincipal actors in the tragedy, bur 
 from such testimony I derive the conviction that the autho- 
 rities and United States military officers were sAvift to shed 
 blood, and Avere glad of an opportunity to do it Avithout 
 legal accountability. 
 
 "In the disturbances Avhich took place around the polls 
 the loAver class of Washington KnoAV-Nothings Avere un- 
 doubtedly conspicuous; but the riot Avas not so alarming as 
 to call for any other means of repression than the civil au- 
 thorities, aided by the regular police and the special con- 
 stables Avho could liaA'e been speedily summoned into service. 
 The call for federal troops Avas Avholly unnecessary. 
 
 "It is said that some scattering pistol shots Avere fired as 
 they dispersed; but it is admitted that their armsAvere com- 
 paratively worthless, and it does not appear that in this 
 opening of the melee any one on the Government side Avas 
 hurt. The piece was taken, the real roAvdies Avere running 
 for their lives, and no^ one of them was injured. But here 
 commenced a massacre vMerhj unprovoJced and ^^seless. One 
 company, under the command of Capt, Tyler, the same that 
 had taken the cannon, fired toAvard the west at random, and 
 charged around the market -house in that direction. It is 
 claimed that at this time a shot Avas fired from a croAvd of 
 
21 
 
 persons about fifty yards from the second company, wliicli 
 had remained stationary, by which one of the marines was 
 wounded in the face. This croAvd consisted of men, women, 
 and school children, boys and girls, who, not dreaming of 
 any fatal result, had. come to this point as a favorable one 
 from which to view the scene of excitement. The men were 
 respectable citizens, mostly Democrats; the women were the 
 wives and daughters of residents in that neighborhood. — 
 They lined the sidewalk and filled the windows and doors 
 of the buildings. 
 
 ••'Instantly, Avithont a v,ord of warning, the marines fired 
 into this crowd, killing three or four and wounding three 
 times as many more. This same company then faced about 
 and shot in the opposite direction where there were very few 
 persons, but managed to kill two, one of them a colored 
 Avood-sawyer with the tools of his humble craft in his hands. 
 They brought him down at two hundred yards distance. — 
 Another platoon changed front and fired down a street not 
 yet enfiladed by their guns, and pinked a conductor of the 
 railroad at one hundred and seventy-five yards. Ho was 
 taken in the back and died promptly. 
 
 ••'That there was no, necessity for the firing is shown by 
 the fact that all the persom Imrt, hut one 'American' and two 
 negroes, iceve Democrats. It will hardly be charged or be- 
 lieved that they were there to abet a riot and prevent their 
 own friends from voting, or that they would have disobeyed 
 any proper order from their own Mayor and his military 
 allies to disperse and leave the ground free for a fight be- 
 tween the troops and the insurgents. Why was the United 
 States army and navy called upon at all' Why were not the 
 Militia, companies called out to preserve order^ There is Ck, 
 deepjly significant reason. The 3Iayor loas afraid to siunmon 
 the American companies lest they should refuse to fire upon the 
 people, and he ivas equally afraid to ccdl out our Irish and 
 German companies from the danger of a conflict between them 
 and the people. The marines could he trusted., because they 
 >vere nearly all Irish, and their officers were in government 
 pay and wholly independent of civic ties and feelings.. ' ' 
 
 Want of space prevents us now from commenting fully 
 u[>on either these extracts or the subjoined aftidavits. We 
 shall hereafter notice both at greater length. The disarm- 
 ing of the native-born militia whilst the foreigners were 
 permitted to retain their arms, and the premeditated calling 
 (Uit of the marines, as shown l)y the affidavit of a clergvman 
 
22 
 
 of good standing, cannot be too strongly condemned. It 
 was utterly atrocious. The heavens will yet ring with de- 
 nunciations of this barborous outrage when the truth is 
 completely, as we feel confident it will shortly be made 
 known. Mark the fact that only one American luas hurt; all 
 the rest, except two negroes, icere Democrats. The following 
 is the letter of our Washington correspondent accompanying 
 the affidavits referred to: 
 
 To the Editors of the Louisville Journal: 
 
 Washington, June 14, 1857. 
 
 ItENTLEMEn: The American party of this city have been 
 endeavoring since the 1st inst., to obtain a legal investiga- 
 tion of the occurrences of that day, but, as the Administra- 
 tion has been so strenuously opposed to the step, they have 
 been thus far unsuccessful. A great many affidavits have 
 been taken of persons who were on the ground at the time 
 of the murder, and some of whom are now at the point of 
 death. These affidavits have been taken without respect to 
 party, so far as members of the other party were willing to 
 give them in — the tendency of all being to the same point, 
 and affirming the^fact, that the murder was most uncalled 
 for, most brutal and atrocious, and the more so, because it 
 was premeditated and piredetermiaed for days before it oc- 
 curred. 
 
 The affidavit of tlie Kev. Tliomas Plumsill shows clearl}' 
 that the determination of the Mayor, on the day previous, 
 was '^that he would give them powder and ball." The 
 muster roll at the barracks a week previous and a week sub- 
 sequent shows that during tliat time there was an increase 
 of some 60 Marines on service. There were two Marines on 
 that day who received pistol-shots, one of whom I saw fall 
 to the ground but a few rods from me, shot in the mouth. — 
 Since that time, nothing has been heard of this Marine at 
 the barracks. A member of the Empire Irish Club, of Bal- 
 timore, lies dangerously ill of a shot received in his mouth, 
 in Washington on that fatal day. The bayoneting of Bid- 
 dleman when he was down, and the shockingly cruel man- 
 ner in which he was dragged by his wounded arm, show 
 that there were others than the United States Marines in the 
 troops, and that they were gratifying a brutal and blood- 
 thirsty spirit of revenge. But what has been the course 
 pursued by the murderers since that day? Of all the dead, 
 but one single inquest was held, and the facts elicited at 
 this inquest have been supjiressed from the columns of the 
 
23 
 
 newspapers. It was too evident to the party in power what 
 would be the result of these inquests, and the dead have 
 been hurried away to their graves without any form of 
 inquiry as to how they came to their death. The inquest 
 held was on the body of a native, and the rest wlio have 
 died were all of the foreign party. 
 
 What has been the treatment of the wounded poor, who 
 had no friends, or homes, and were compelled tp take refuge 
 in the city infirmary? 
 
 I visited the infirmary on Friday, the 12th inst., with a 
 friend, to find out the condition of these poor sufferers. 1 
 found only three persons there who had been shot by the 
 Mayor; one was an Irishman, one a German, and one a 
 native, though all extremely poor and laboring men. The 
 two foreigners, from the time "they entered the infirmary, 
 had renounced Democracy, and had not ceased to heap 
 curses and abuses on the head of the Mayor. The conse- 
 quence has been that the German, although shot in the 
 calf of the leg below the knee, has been allowed to lie and 
 mortify for want of aid and care, and is perhaps dead now 
 wliile I pen these lines. 
 
 The Irishman received only a sliglit wound in the should- 
 er, and, being able to take care of himself, is recovering. 
 
 The native is a carpenter by trade, without family, and 
 has no friend within tAvo hundred miles of him. He was 
 shot while running. The ball entered the hip and displaced 
 the bone, glanced, and came out at the lower portion of the 
 abdomen. The bone has not yet been reset nor his wound 
 probed. After seeing him, I immediately sent for a physi- 
 cian at liis request, but the gentleman, feeling some delicacy 
 in going to the hospital, at first refused, but consented on 
 last evening to take charge of the poor man if it Avas still 
 liis desire to have him. It is exceedingly doubtful whether 
 he will now recover, as his wounds are very highly inflamed. 
 His screams on Friday night were exceedingly distressing; 
 and although for thirteen days he has been Avrithing in 
 agony, without friends and without proper care, that guilty, 
 miserable, vile murderer, our Mayor, though a practising 
 physician, has not been near him to help him or see him, 
 when his office is within the sound of the poor sufterer'.s 
 cries. Is this humanity? Is this duty? Is this Democracy? 
 God save us from such, and our country from the rule of 
 monsters who planned this deed, who assisted by their 
 orders in carrying it out, who uphold, sustain, and glory in 
 it as a triumph, wlio propagate the villainous reports of it 
 
to tlio AA-orld Avliicli have appeared in our papers, and atIio 
 shield in any manner those connected Avith it from the 
 puniiihmcnt tliei]- crimes deserve. 
 
 Tlie accuni]);niyii)g affidavits, taken miscellaneously from 
 numbers we have, will show you clearly the spirit of the 
 deed and the unvarnished facts in the case. C. M. A. 
 
 P. S. — Since writing the above, the German who Avas 
 shot in the Iviieo has died. C. M. A. 
 
 The folloAving are the Apfidayits: 
 
 District of Columbia, ) q,,.f 
 Washington County, /^ 
 
 This day came before me a Justice of the Peace in anl for said county, Eev'd 
 Thomas Plumsill, an ordained minister of the church of God, or free commun- 
 ion Baptists, for thirty years a resident of said district, who being duly s^70^n 
 according to law, doth on his oath declare that, on Monday, preceding the elec- 
 tion on the 1st instant, in the city of Washington, he Avas 'called to the Mayor's 
 office in said city to attend to some business for a friend, where he found the 
 Mayor, F. McNerhany, naval storekeeper, S. Gates, and perhaps another, who 
 were conversing with the J^Iayor. Mr. McNerhany was recommending Mr. Gates 
 to the Mayor as a suitable person to fill the appointment of commissioner of the 
 fifth ward. When he had concluded that business, he (McXerhany) told the 
 Mayor he had heard that the Know-Nothings had boldly asserted that no 
 damned Irishman should vote on the day of the election, and he advised and 
 requested the Mayor to have the marines called out. The reply that the Mayor 
 made was "that they should have no children's play on that day, that he would 
 give them powder and ball." THOMAS PLUMSILL. 
 
 Subscribed and sworn to before me this 11th day of June, ISoT. 
 
 THOMAS C. DOWN, J. P. 
 
 WASHINGTON, June 12, 185T. 
 I hereby certify thai on the first day of June, between 12 and 1 o'clock, I 
 went to the third ward polls to vote. There was no crowd and but two persons 
 in the pen orpassway. I voted and walked down to the fourth ward polls. — 
 There was no crowd or any disturbance there of any kind. I was leaning on 
 the pen or fence that the voters pass through as a spectator, and in a short time 
 some one sung out from the street or pavement that the Marines were coming up. 
 I kept my stand and saw them form on I street. A justice of the peace came to 
 me and advised me to go home, that I might get hurt. I stated everything was 
 quiet and no one would hurt me. The squire still insisted on my going home, 
 stating "you are as liable to get hurt as any one." They very soon came up 
 before the fourth ward polls, and the window of the polls was closed as they ar- 
 rived. They were marched from there in front of the market-house, when they 
 halted. I was not aware when the Mayor and his soldiers went to the market 
 house that a swivel was there. I went across the street from the Mayor and sol- 
 diers and saw a swivel surrounded by persons whom I took to be boys, and a 
 short time afterwards there was a charge made by the Marines, and, seeing them 
 coming across, I got over a bench inside the market sheds. I saw them take 
 the swivel from the boys and pull it across the street, without any resistance or 
 force on the part of the' boys. They then took their positions in the same place 
 they had left, when I saw them bring their guns up. I then ran for the opposite 
 side of the sheds between the markets, and when I got to the door on the oppo- 
 site side the soldiers had discharged their guns. I turned around and saw a 
 man down near midway of the space behind me who appeared to be shot in or 
 ihrouo-h the thighs. I then went down Eighth street to I street, up I to Isinth 
 street, and came through the market and crossed over to the place Avhere the 
 Mayor, Gen. Henderson, and Mr. Carlisle were standing. The Avounded and 
 dead were taken away before I returned. 
 
There had been no disturbance or pistols fired from hali-past 9 in the niorningy 
 and I never saw a more quiet election in Washington for the eleven jears I have 
 resided in this district. 
 
 I did not see any one shoot or throw a stone at the Mayor, Gen. Henderson, 
 or oflficers or soldiers. I went with them from the market house to the Citv 
 Hall, after the soldiers had stacked their muskets. The Mayor came down a few- 
 steps of the City Hall and ordered the people to go home or they would be fired 
 on again. In a short time after that I leli for my home. There was no dis- 
 turbance at the City Hall at the time the Mayor gave this order and made the- 
 threat in the presence of peaceable citizens of Washington. 
 
 NIMROD GARRETTSON. 
 
 The foregoing aflBdavit of Nimrod Garrettson, who states that he is fifty-six 
 years of age, was made and sworn to before me, this 12th day of June 1S57 
 
 A. ROTH WELL, J. P.' 
 
 WASHINGTON, June 12, 1857. 
 Thomas J. Dav.son, being duly sworn, doth depose and siiy that, on election 
 day, the 1st instant, he was present at the time the marines came to the first 
 precinct of the Fourth Ward, and heard W. B. Magruder, the Mayor, distinctly 
 give the word to the marines to fire, at a time when there was no disorder, and 
 to his certain knowledge there had not been any disturbance at said polls for at 
 least two hours, and that the firing all took place after the cnpture of the swivel 
 by the marines. He further says that the polls were open and the voting going 
 on quietly when the marines came up. They were then closed until after the 
 marines had left the ground, when they were again opened, 
 
 THOMAS J. DAWSON. 
 Sworn to before me this 12th day of June, 1857, 
 
 A. ROTH WELL, J. P. 
 
 WASHINGTON, June 12, 1857. 
 John L. Freidrich, a resident of the city of Washington, by birth a German 
 being duly sworn, doth depose and say that, on election day, the 1st instant, he 
 was on Seventh street, near the place of voting, at the time the marines went 
 up; that he stood on the west side of the street, near Hyatt's dry goods store, 
 and that there were no rioters or firing of pistols from that place; that, after the 
 swivel had been taken from above the market house, and when there wa? no 
 further disturbance, ho heard W, B. Magruder, Mayor, give to the marines the 
 order to fire, when the discharges were made toward the point where he waa 
 standing. He further states that there had been no disturbance at or near the 
 pla£e for two hours before the arrival of the marines. 
 
 J. LOmS FREIDRICH. 
 Sworn to before me this 12th June, 1857. 
 
 A. ROTHWELL, J, P. 
 
 WASHINGTON, June 4, 1857. 
 Daniel Biddleman states that be is nearly fifty-two years of age, has resided 
 in this city for twenty-five years, has a family of three children dependent on 
 him for support, and his trade is that of a tinner. He resides in the Fourth 
 Ward and was attending at the polls on the 1st instant. AVhen the Marines ar- 
 rived on the ground, he was under one of the sheds at the Northern Liberty 
 market house to avoid the rain which was falling. He had nothing to do with 
 the cannon. There was no disturbance existing at the time the Marines arrived 
 Almost immediately after they came, and without reading or proclaiming the 
 riot act, the Marines charged upon the swivel, and began firing in several direc- 
 tions. He endeavored to escape from the range of the firing and hastened from 
 where he was standing to go into the market house, when three Marines fired 
 upon him, and one rushed upon him and bayoneted him in the side. One ball 
 shattered his left arm so badly that it has since been amputated just below the 
 shoulder. While thus wounded B«me person, unknown to him, came up, and 
 seizing his wounded arm, commencsd dragging hiia towards Sevfifith strwt' 
 where the Marines were stationed, notwithstanding bis rcmoMtrances on ac- 
 o 
 
26 
 
 count of the pain he suffered. When they reached Seventh street, this man de- 
 livered the affiant to Mayor Magruder, who also seized him by his wounded arm, 
 although he begged him to let him go, that he did not intend escaping, but he 
 was forcibly dragged across Seventh street, and down toward the wood-yard of 
 Burr, when meeting Dr. Waring, the Mayor allowed him to take charge of 
 affiant, who conducted him to the drug store of Mr. Mclntire, where the first aid 
 was afforded him. He suffered excruciating pain from the rough handling of 
 his shivered arm, the bones of which he could hear grating against each other. 
 
 DANIEL BIDDLEMAN. 
 
 District of Columbia, \o . 
 Washington County, j^^^' 
 
 The above deposition of Daniel Biddleman was this day sworn to before me, 
 a justice of the peace in and for said county, this 4th day of June, 1857, having 
 been read to him by me before being signed. 
 
 A. ROTHWELL. J. P. 
 
 WASHINGTON, D. C, June 22, 1857. 
 I reside on L street, between 9th and 10th. On Monday, the 1st of June, I 
 went to dinner from my place of business at 12 o'clock; after I had eaten my 
 dinner I Avent round to the polling place of the first precinct of the third ward, 
 on 7th street, between K and L streets, east side, about half-past 12 o'clock; the 
 polling place of the first precinct of the 4th ward was on the next square below, 
 on the same side of 7th street; at the time I arrived I was struck with the re- 
 markable quiet of the street at both polls, but very few persons being in the 
 street; I had been on the ground but a few minutes when a report was "brought 
 that the Marines were coming up, we laughed at what we supposed was a joke, 
 but our informant assured us he had seen them at the City Hall, and that they 
 Avere on their way up; I paid my tax at the window, got my certificate, and 
 while I was up at the other window to vote, the marines made their appearance 
 on the street, and halted at about I street. At this time there was no disturbance 
 on the street, and all was as quiet as a Sabbath day; I deposited my vote, and 
 walked down towards I street; I saw about a dozen persons, mostly boys, pul- 
 ling a small brass cannon up the street; the marines were beyond this party, ad- 
 vancing up 7th street; the cannon party halted in the middle of the street, in 
 front of the market shed; the marines halted in front of the 4th ward polls; I 
 had walked along slowly observing what was going on, and when I arrived 
 near the cannon party, I crossed the street obliquely quite near them, and ob- 
 served Mr. R. Wallach, alone, remonstrating with them, and telling them they 
 must not fire or attempt to fire the cannon; 1 did not think they would do it as 
 quite a large crowd had followed the marines up, and were still around them; 1 
 passed on to the corner of K and 7th streets, and observing that some ladies had 
 taken refuge from the rain under the back shed, I went over and warned them 
 how matters stood, they went away, and I passed around on the north side of 
 the market house to 7th street again; the cannon was now moved to the fiaging 
 in front of the shed, there was some commotion around it, and a flourishing of 
 what appeared to be spoke-sticks; I crossed over again to the corner of 7th and 
 K streets, west side, the marines advanced in line on to the sidewalk in front ot 
 the polls, and moved by files up 7th street, until the right was about opposite 
 the market house, the left about half-way across the open space between the shed 
 and the corner of K street, outflanking the cannon party on both flanks; they 
 halted on the flaging, east side of 7th street, and faced to the street; I passed 
 down 7 th street about 80 feet and took a posiiion at the curbstone; the 1st com- 
 pany wheeled by their left across 7th street, coming down nearly to a right angle 
 with the 2d company, who stood their ground a few files on the right of the Ist 
 company, charged bayonet in wheeling, I heard a rattling of sticks as they 
 charged down and two or three muskets were fired, followed by a few pistol 
 shots, when the 1st company fired a volley, the left platoon bringing then- pieces 
 down to a point blank range, and firing obliquely down 7th street. The 2nd 
 company now fired a stragling fire, most of them firing at a great elevation, and 
 not seeming to fire with that relish which had marked the 1st company. As the 
 crowd rushed by me from the corner I saw several persons laying around either 
 
 4 
 
27 
 
 killed or badly wounded; in front of me was Mr. Deems, who was the only per- 
 son between me and the marines in the street, he lay about six feet from the 
 curbstone near the flaging crossing Tth street in the street, behind me was a 
 colored man shot through the stomach; in coming down I had passed a friend 
 of mine on the corner, I went up to see if he was hurt; the marines were reload- 
 ing; not seeing my friend on the corner, I went out into the street again, and a 
 gentleman coming up recognized Mr. Deems, I handed him his cane with a 
 large gold head to it, which I picked up and requested him to take charge of it; 
 I asked several persons to assist me to pick him up out of the mud and lay him 
 on the pavement, which we did; no riot existed, no "riot act" had been read, 
 no proclamation made, and no call upon the citizens for assistance, and when I 
 looked around upon the innocent who lay weltering in their blood my heart 
 ached, and I regretted I was not armed for defence, and left the place in disgust. 
 
 CHARLES LEMON. 
 Sworn to before me this 24th day of June, 1857. 
 
 F. S. EVANS, 
 Alderman from the 3d ward, Washington City, and ex-officio a Justice 
 
 of the Peace. 
 
 District op Columbia, 1 «, . 
 Washington County, / '^^''• 
 
 Statemeat of David C. Bohlayer, before me a Justice of the Peace in and for 
 said county, after being duly sworn according to law. He was at the first pre- 
 cinct of the fourth ward in said city at the late election on the 1st June instant, 
 when the marines arrived opposite the polls and halted. After remaining there 
 a short time, Mayor Magruder and General Henderson walked up to the market 
 house, where the boys had a swivel. The affiant accompanied them. In about 
 two minutes the marines arrived opposite the swivel, and were ordered to charge 
 and take it, which was executed by a small number of them; the swivel was 
 taken across the street and placed in the care of the marines, who were drawn 
 up in line there. After this was done, a piece of brick was thrown at the ma- 
 rines, when a musket was fired from the ranks; whereupon Mayor Magruder 
 said to Gen'l Henderson, "fire upon them. General — shoot the ruffians down," 
 or words to that effect; the order was accordingly given, but by whom this af- 
 fiant cannot positively state; and a number of muskets were fired by the ma- 
 rines at persons standing at the market house and sheds adjoining; one of the 
 marines charged bayonet on a man, who catching the bayonet in his hand, drew 
 a pistol and shot him in the face, after which the rest of the marines fired up 
 and down Tth street at the crowds on the sidewalks, who had made no attack 
 on them, and made no resistance, but ran for their lives. At the time the Mayor 
 gave this order, witness was standing within a foot or two of him. He is clear 
 in belief that no pistol was fired from the crowd before the muskets were fired, 
 as he was so situated he must have heard them if they had been fired; there was 
 no disturbance at the polls before the marines came, and he is confident there 
 would have been none but for their arrival. The Mayor was evidently intoxi- 
 cated, and staggered in walking up the street. 
 
 DAVID C. BOHLAYER, 
 His txj mark. 
 
 Subscribed and sworn to before me a Justice of the Peace in and for said 
 county, p. S. EVANS, 
 
 Alderman from the 3d ward, Washington City, and ex-officio a Justice 
 
 of the Peace. 
 
 District of Columbia, \q, , 
 Washington County, f'^^^- 
 
 Personally appeared before the subscriber, a Justice of the Peace in and for 
 the District and County aforesaid, Joseph Downing, aged 68 years, a resident 
 of the City of Washington for the last forty-two years, ahd a master carpenter, 
 who being duly sworn according to law, deposeth and saith, that on Monday, 
 the first day of June, 1857, he was near the first precinct of the 4th ward, and a 
 rain coming on, he retired under one of the sheds of the Northern Liberties 
 
28 
 
 market for shelter. He saw the marines when they marched to the precinct 
 atbresaid; all was quiet; there was no disturbance, nor any indication of riot, 
 and the people were quietly casting their votes; I heard uo discharge of fire arms 
 until after the marines had fired, and I was in a position to have heard firing if 
 any had taken place; at the time the marines iired the sidewaiks and streets 
 were crowded with peaceful and nuiet men, women and children. 
 
 JOS. DOWNING. 
 Sworn to and subscribed before me this 20th day of June, 1857, 
 
 FvS. EVANS, Alderman from the 3d ward, 
 
 and ex-officio a Justice of the Peace. 
 We, the undersigned, were present and heard the aforesaid aflidavit read to 
 Joseph Downing, herein named, saw him affix his signature thereto, and make 
 oath to the same. LEONARD STORM, 
 
 J. McNEW. 
 
 WASHINGTON, June 23, 1857. 
 
 In a conversation I had with S. H. Carlisle, a voter in the Gth ward at the 
 last election in this city, I informed him I had heard that his brother had been 
 wounded on the 1st instant, and asked him if it were so, and when it occurred^ 
 he informed me it was true, and that it happened at the 4th ward polls; and in 
 the course of the conversation said his brother was a member of the Democratic 
 party and of the Empire Club in Baltimore. WM. DIXON. 
 
 Subscribed and sworn to before II. NAYLOR, J. P. 
 
 June 23d, 1857. 
 
 Personally appeared before me a Notary Public in and for the County of 
 VVashington, Thos. E. Lloyd, a resident of said County, who upon oath declares 
 that on the 1st June, 1857, he thinks between the hours of 12 and 1 o'clock, P. 
 M., being in the neighborhood of Pennsylvania Avenue, was informed that the 
 United States Marines were ordered up from the Navy Yard, and that they 
 were then at tlic City Hall; he went to tiie City Hall and found said marines 
 drawn up in froHt of the building; he noticed that they carried their muskets at 
 a half-cock and capped; he knew not then what their intentions were; soon af- 
 terwards they were ordered to march, and he followed them; the rain falling 
 heavily, he sought shelter in a store opposite the Patent Office, remained proba- 
 bly ten minutes, then passed up 7th street, and found the marines in line, halt- 
 ed, their right resting on I street; saw no indications of riot; business appeared 
 to be proceeding; the street was thronged with citizens; windows of the neigh- 
 boring houses open, their occupants, male and female, viewing the military; 
 children were playing along the street; soon after his arrival at the last named 
 point, the marines were ordered to advance; they advanced up 7th street until 
 directly opposite the Northern market; a portion of them charged towards the 
 market at a run; heard one or two shots fired; saw they, the marines, had pos- 
 session of a swivel; did not know until that moment where the swivel was; 
 after obtaining possession of which, they commenced firing right and left; their 
 principal fire being directed at the corner of Massachusetts avenue and 7th st., 
 at which point a number of citizens were congregated. The time intervening 
 between their march from the corner of 7th and I streets, and the firing upon 
 the people could not have been, in the opinion of your deponent, more than 
 three minutes; he saw no necessity for the firing, no excitement existing at the 
 time more than is usual at our annual elections. THOS. E. LLOYD. 
 
 Sworn to and subscribed before me this 12th day of June, A. D. 1857. 
 
 EDW. F. BROWN, Notary Public. 
 
 Before me the subscriber, a Notary Public of the County of "Washington, 
 personally appeared Ebenezor Hughes, a resident of the City of Washington, 
 by trade a carpenter, who upon oath declares that on the morning of 1st June, 
 1857, ho voted at the first precinct, 2d ward; about 1 or 2 o'clock I walked tip 
 to the first precinct, 4th ward polls; the marines wore then upon the ground, 
 their right resting on I street; saw them march from the corner of I street and 
 stopped opposite the polls; Dr. Magruder ordered the polls to be opened; they 
 remained closed; the marines were then ordered to march; they halted opposite 
 
29 
 
 ihe market; I was then standing about six feet from the swivel, en the west side 
 of 7ih street, on the pavement; then some one gave tlie order to a portion of 
 the marines to advance and take the cannon; tliey did auvance, and about the 
 time of taking possession of the swivel commenced firing around and about and 
 in every direction ; I jumped over one ol the market stands to escape; saw a 
 marine struggling w th a man to obtain possession of a pistol; went to assist 
 him and was'shot through the hip; at the time the marines ciossed over to fake 
 the swivel some hall dozen men were in possession of it; they were endeavoring 
 to retreat; and the crjf was raised "don't fire" by those in possession of the 
 swivel; I saw no riot or disposition to riot, on the contrary, they seemed dis- 
 posed to remain quiet; I saw no firing of pistols until after the marine fired. 
 
 E. HUGHES. 
 Sworn to and subscribed before me this J 2th June, 1857, 
 
 EDW. F BROWN, Notajy Public, 
 Washington Coun'y, D. C. 
 
 I, T. G, Clayton, of the city and county of Washington, being at the scene 
 of the sad tragedy which occurred on the let instant, at the municipal election' 
 m this city, do state on oath tliat I was in the Patent Olfice about one o'clock, 
 •'. M., when I was informed that the marines had just mar-hed up 7th street; I 
 ihen immediately left the office and went up 7th street; I saw the marines before 
 I came up to them in tlie vicinity of I street, where they had halted, but by the 
 time 1 reached I street on my v/ay up, tho marines had formed into line and 
 were on their way to the IV orthern Liberty market house; when they arrived 
 with the head of the line opposite the market house,. I had arrived on the comer 
 Df 7th and K streets, wf'ich is the A . E. corner of the square. The marines 
 ]ialted and formed on the flag stones crossing Massachusetts avenue and facing- 
 on 7th street; I do not think that over three minutes elapsed after halting until 
 tho order was given to charge on the party on the other side of the street hav- 
 ing the swivel; vvlien the crowd fled and the swivel was taken; directly on 
 taking possession of tho swivel by the marines, some three or Jour shots were 
 fired by the marines into the crowd in the neighborhood of where the swivel had 
 been! and then pistols were firtd from the same crowd at the marines; tho ma- 
 rines then commenced at the head of the line to fire in the same direction; I 
 saw one man about tliis time standing at the southern end of the market sheds 
 on 7th street fire a pistol at the marines, at vvinch time the lov/er or southern 
 part of the lines of marines facing en 7t!i street, turned their muskets toward 
 the corner vi'here I stood aijd fired into tlie crowd; I v/as within thirty yards of 
 them when they fired, and at the time supposed they were firing blaiik cart- 
 ridges, until I saw a gentleman in front of me fall, and then turning around, 1 
 saw two others lying on tlie pavement close to where I stood; those three per- 
 sons were all I saw at the time who fell around me; 1 afterwards saw two others 
 lying in the store of Dr. Mclutire, who were shot by the marines as 1 believe. 
 I further state that at the time the marines came up to the market I saw no riot, 
 nor had there been any disturbance at tlie polls for near three hours; and that 
 on the corner where I stood all was quiet, and no pistols or guns to my know- 
 ledge were fired at the marines from this point; and in my opinion, th ; firing of 
 the United States Marines was entirely uv.calUd for. All of which I solemnly 
 swear to be the facts in the case as I saw them, to the best of my knowledge 
 aiid belief. T. G. Cr;AYTON. 
 
 District of Columbia, \ ^ 
 County of Washiigton, \ ^^• 
 
 Sworn to and subscribed belbre me this 12th day of June A. D. 1857. 
 
 EDW. F. BROWN, Notary Public. 
 
 WASHINGTON, D C, June 20, 1857. 
 On Monday, tho 1st day of June, whilst coming up from the 2nd precinct of 
 the 6th ward polls, I saw some marines passing from the Navy Yard up to the 
 headquarters of the United States Marine Corps, opposite to which I reside. I 
 was informed that they were to proceed to tho City Hall to quell a riet. After 
 some few minutes I saw a body of marines of about one hundred march out of 
 their barracks and proceed towards the city; a.s they came out of the gate a 
 
30 
 
 crowd had collected, and were talking loudly, appearing to be quite excited and 
 indignant at the use then apparently about to be made of the marines; immedi- 
 ately after the marines had passed up street a part of the crowd collected at the 
 barrack gate passed down street, and having been gone some few minutes, I saw 
 some persons coming up the street, apparently drawing something behind; they 
 were stopped a short distance below my place of business and residence by one 
 of the police officers; but they soon came on, and then I saw they had a small 
 brass cannon, which was on wheels; about half a dozen persons had hold of the 
 drag rope of the cannon ; the marines had gotten out of sight before the cannon 
 appeared, and I should think the marines had time to have gotten half way to 
 the Capitol, which is abou^ one mile from my place of residence. 
 
 J. S. BALL. 
 
 District of Columbia, ? t^ „,:.. 
 County of Washington, 5 'o^"- 
 
 On this 20th day of June, 1857, personally appeared J. S. Ball, and makes 
 oath on the Holy Evangely of Almighty God that the within statement is true 
 to theliest of his knowledge. JAS. CULL, J. P. 
 
 On the first day of June, I left the office of T. G. Clayton, Patent Agent, on 
 7th street, at not far from half-past one o'clock, and proceeded up said street to 
 Massachusetts avenue, on the side opposite the polls; while there, I saw for the 
 first, anyth-ng to attract my attention; there were several boys with a small 
 brass cannon mounted on an axis with one wheel, and a plank, or piece of 
 timber instituted on the other end of the axis in room of a wheel, some drawing 
 and some pushing, having a stick placed in the mouth of the piece to assist in 
 pushing: their appearance was so novel, that it caused my attention to be at- 
 tracted towards them, what could be the matter I knew not, everything was in 
 a state of peace, with the exception of an individual on the stand above the 
 polls swearing that he cared for nobody; I saw there was nothing doing there as 
 was reported in the forenoon; I then changed my course to return to the office 
 where I had spent the morning in writing; as I turned I saw the appearance of 
 the military making their way towards the polls, I waited until they came near- 
 ly opposite the polls, where they halted; by this time the cannon was placed in 
 front of the market nearly in range with IVIassachusetts avenue; I then proceed- 
 ed on my way down towards the office, when I met Mr. Clayton going towards 
 the polls, I turned around and went back; when we arrived at the corner nearly 
 opposite the polls, the military was placed opposite or nearly so to the cannon; 
 on my coming up to the corner mentioned, I met several new acquaintances, 
 mechanics; I had some business with a model maker in the Patent Office; after 
 a few words, I mentioned to the bystanders, that from what I had heard in the 
 morning I expected to see a tumult; at that moment a number of the marines 
 charged on the cannon company, who left and ran, and at that moment a part 
 of the marines fired towards them, which was in direction of the market; at the 
 time of that explosion I saw a man fall, and make an effort to get up but failed 
 in the attempt; I at that moment cast my eyes to the marines nearest me, which 
 I think was not far from thirty yards, and saw them level their guns in that di- 
 rection where I stood; I supposed that they had blank cartridges to intimidate, 
 not sof, that moment they fired into the company where I stood, the most of 
 whom were on business, and no talk that could give rise to the least suspicion 
 that there was an evil designing man, as far as I saw; the instant they fired, the 
 man standing at my left hand, a little in advance of me, fell, and partially hit 
 me as he fell; I instantly stooped to help him up, supposing that he had stumbled, 
 seeing the blood gush from his head, and that he was shot, I immediately cast 
 my eyes to the right, and saw anotlier man fall near tlie curbstone; another one 
 fell brushing against my right side; a young man with whom I had become ac- 
 quainted, a tinner by trade, fell in front of me, a ball passed through his lungs, 
 yet he sprang to his feet, caught me by the right arm, and cried "Oh, my God!^' 
 and passed by me, running nearly the whole length of the square before he fell, 
 the blood gushing out upon the pavement at every breath, by which I traced 
 him a few minutes after the slaughter was over; the next man that fell was be- 
 hind me, he was shot in the neck, while he was being examined I learned that 
 he was a breaksman from Baltimore; I also saw some of them level their pieces 
 
31 
 
 down Massachusetts avenue and K street; a negro man running down K street 
 having his saw and buck upon his shoulder, about one hundred yards from the 
 marines was shot from be ind through the heart; these are about all that I saw 
 slaughtered, I saw many more wounded in a shocking manner; I further state 
 that there was no firing until after the marines first fired; I then heard several 
 pistols fired. ASA BLOOD, Senr. 
 
 District of Columbia, ) g 
 County of Washington, i 
 
 On this 12th day of June, A. D. 1857, before me a Notary Public in and for 
 the County and District aforesaid, personally appeared Asa Blood, senior, ard 
 signed the foregoing paper in my presence, and made solemn oath that the 
 statements therein contained are true to the best of his knowledge and belief. 
 
 In testimony whereof I hereunto subscribe my name and affix my notarial 
 seal, the day and year aforesaid EDW. F BROWN, Notary Public. 
 
 By special request, I hereby declare myself a Democrat, and certify thht I 
 voted the "Union Ticket" this year and last year, being the only years in which 
 I have voted at corporation elections since 1848. 
 
 EDW. F. BROWN, Notary Public. 
 
 Substance of statement made by Jno. B. Kaibel, a German by birth, now 
 lying in a most critical state at the Washington Infirmary, in the presence of T. 
 E. Lloyd, Joshua Henshaw, and Dr. Stewart, June 4th, 1857: 
 
 I was standing on the corn r of JWassachusetts avenue and 7th street, south- 
 west side, saw the marines charge across the street and take possession of the 
 cannon; another party of marines commenced firing on the people; they turned 
 their guns on eveiy side; fired at the corner at which I was standing; saw them 
 take steady aim; they looked around among the people and when they saw a 
 chance fired; I was wounded; two or three men fell around me; no disorder or 
 riot about me; am positive that the marines had possession of the swivel before 
 the firing commenced; the party with the gun only offered opposition. The 
 above occurrence tooK place on Monday, June 1st, 1857, between the hours of 
 1 and 2 o'clock, P. M. 
 
 WASHINGTON. June 11th, 1857. 
 T. E. Lloyd, Esa. — Sir: In answer to the inquiries cintained in your note 
 of this date — 1st, whether any voting was proceeding at the time of the arrival 
 of the United States Marines; 2d, whether any riot existed from 11 o'clock, A. 
 M., to the period when the citizens were fired upon; 3d, whether the riot of the 
 morning was or was not quelled; 4th, whether you closed the polls on the ar- 
 rival of the military, &,c , we have to state as far as our kmw'edge of the facts 
 extends, that there was no rioting at the first precinct of the Fourth Ward polls 
 at the time of the arrival of the U. S. Marines; that no riot existed at said polls 
 from 11 o'clock, A. M , to the period when the citizens were fired upon; that 
 the riot of the morning had been quelled, and the voting was proceeding quietly 
 when the U. S. Marines arrived; that, having received no assurance of protec- 
 tion from the Mayor or those acting under his authority, and not the slightest 
 official intimation of his intention?, the polls were closed, and we sought that 
 security for our persons and the suffrages of the people which the proper au- 
 thorities had not afforded us. Very respectfully, 
 
 JAMES H. BOSS, 
 FRED. IDDINS, 
 ROBT. ISRAEL, 
 Commissioners 1st precinct 4th ward 
 
 Comment. — It is proper to state, notwith-standing the ex- 
 citement which grew out of the firing of the Marines upon 
 the citizens, and thereby killing and wounding a number of 
 persons, that th% polls were re-opened, and the voting re- 
 sumed about 3 o'clock, P. M., and that they were not again 
 closed, or in any way interrupted until the hour of 1 o'clock, 
 
32 
 
 P. M., which is the time fixed by law for closing the same; 
 thereby giving ample time for all persons who were legally 
 entitled to vote, to deposit their ballots. 
 
 Personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace in and for the Couniy 
 of Washington, in the District of Columbia, Francis A. Tucker, a resident of 
 the County aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to law, declares and says 
 that ha was present at the first precinct of the Fourth Ward in iho city of 
 Washington, in the aforementioned County and District, on the first day of 
 June. 1857, that he arrived there about hall-past eight o'clock in the morning; 
 found the election going on peaceably acd quietly ; stood within ten feet of th-8 
 polls for half an hour; then viaited the polls of the first precinct of the Third 
 Ward, remained there a few minutes, and returned to the position he had occu- 
 pied at the fourth ward polls; noticed a number of young men, about twenty 
 ia all, who appeared to be lively and frolicsome, standing nearby; saw Mr. 
 John H. Goddard, a magistrate and candidate for Alderman, advance towards 
 the young men and speak to them, but did not hear what was said, not being 
 sufficiently near, but judging from what he saw a difficulty was about to take 
 place, crossed to the opposite side of the street; in a few moments thereafter 
 there was a general fight with fists, stones, &c., lasting probably three nfmutee; 
 heard the reports of fire arms; on hearing the first report, turned and walked 
 away to the corner of Seventh street and Massachusetts avenue; in a few mi- 
 nutes thereafter returned to the place I had last left; this was about 10 o'clock; 
 about fifteen minutes after the difficulty, the Mayor of W^ashington, accompa- 
 nied by John H. Goddard and Capt. Mills, oi the Auxiliary Guard, lode up in 
 a barouche to tho polls; saw Mills alight from the barouche and stand on the 
 p&vemi-nt close to the polls; the Mayor and Goddard after stopping about two 
 minutes rode off in the diroeiion of the President's Hodsb, and was informed at 
 tho titno that tho Mayor said ho was then going to have the Marines ordered 
 out; when the barouche containing the Mayor and others reached the polls 
 there was no rioting, nor was there any during its stay there. Deponent left 
 that vicinity about eleven o'clock, vchcn tho election was being conducted 
 without disorder of any Eort. F. A.TUCKER. 
 
 Sworn to and subscribed before me this 26lh day of Juno, 1857, 
 
 F. S. EVANS, Alderman from the 3d ward, 
 Washington City, and exofficio a Justice of the Peace. 
 
 WASHINGTON, Juno 20th, 1857. 
 
 A rumor was currently afloat that the arms in possession of the American 
 Riflemen were removed from their Armory, at the City Hall, on the afternoon 
 of the 3d instant. 
 
 Not giving credence to the rumor, I started off (tho next day) in company 
 with Lieut. P. H. Simms to examine the prea)i;e3 and ascertf in the truth of the 
 above reparf, when, to our surprise, we found tiial they had been removed to 
 the U. S. Arsenal; but by whom, arid whose order, we Jtnew not. 
 
 We at onceiepnircd to the Capitol and called upon Wm. Hickey, (Colcnei 
 of the Reaiment of Volunteers) when we a.-ksd him if he was aware that the 
 arms ard accoutrements belonging to tho American Riflemen had been sur- 
 reptitiously taken from the fire prcoi vault, while liiu key was in ray possession. 
 His reply was, that he knew no'hitig about it, for he had 7Wl been eonsu.!(ed 
 upon the Rubject, end expressed much earprise and astonishment when I 
 imparled tho facts to him. Ho advised me to go and see Maj. Hell, at the 
 U. S. Arsenal; we at once went down there, but the commandant being absent 
 In the city upon business, wo retraced our .'Jtep?, and gave up the investigation 
 for the day. On the 8th ultimo, 1 addressed the foliowii% letter to the Secre- 
 tary of War: 
 
 Washington, June 8lh, 1657. 
 
 Gov. Fhyd, Dear Sir: Having understood that the arms belonging to ta© 
 •'Aroerican Riflemen" wpre removed frem their Armory, at the City Hall, en 
 
33 
 
 ins: Thursday, 4th inst., I respectfully inquire if it was done by your order, 
 and if not, can you give me any information in roUtion to their removal. 
 Very respectfully your obfidiont servant, 
 ROBERT T. KNIGHT, 
 Lieut. Commanding American Rifles. 
 F. S. — Is there any cause assigned for their removal? If there is, you will 
 confer a favdr by an explanation! R. T. K. 
 
 After waiting several days I received the following reply: — 
 
 War Department, Washington, June 13(h, 1857. 
 Sir: In reply to yoiir inquiry of the 8th inst., I have to inform you that on 
 the representation of the Mayor of this city, that the arms in the possession of 
 the "American Riflemen" were in an exposed and insecure condition in a 
 basement room of the City Hall, orders were given on the 3d inst. by this de- 
 partment to the Commanding officer of the Washington Arsenal to take charge 
 of them for safe keeping at the Arsenal. 
 
 Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
 
 W. H. DRINKARD, Acting Secretary of War. 
 Lieut. Rob't T. Knight, 
 
 Commanding American Riflemen, Washington. 
 The above is a true statement of the facts in relation to the removal of the 
 arms belonging to the American Riflemen. 
 
 ROBT. T. KNIGHT, Comd'g American Riflemen. 
 
 The American Riflemen is a volunteer compauy, composed 
 wholly of native-born Americans. Their armory was a fire- 
 proof vault in the basement of the City Hall, having an iron 
 door, which was securely locked and the key in the posses- 
 sion of Lieut. Knight.* How then was an entrance obtained 
 into said vault? The Mayor of this city can furnish an an- 
 swer to the interrogatory. It should also be known, that 
 there are are two volunteer companies in this city composed 
 almost entirely of Foreigners, viz: the German Yeagers and 
 Montgomery Guards, who have the possession of their arms; 
 and two others, a large majority of whom are Foreigners, 
 viz: the Highlanders and the Union Guards, whose arms 
 are deemed safe in their charge, when the armory of one of 
 these companies is over a Livery Stable! !! 
 
 There is also another important fact, which should be 
 known. The company of Cadets at the Georgetown Col- 
 lege, a Catholic Institution, are armed with muskets fur- 
 nished by the United States. 
 
 During the afternoon of the 1st of June, 1857, there was 
 sent from the United States Arsenal at Greenleaf Point, 80 
 stand of muskets, and 7,000 rounds of fixed ammunition, to 
 
 *That part of the City Hall in which the arms vere placed, was under the immediate 
 control of the Mayor— and he was and is responsible lor its safe keeping. In order to 
 show how false was the pretext for their removal, it is only necessary to add that the 
 headquarters of the city police is in an adjacent room, not ten feet from the door of the 
 arsenal of the Rifle Company. We make the declaration, that the only arms held by the 
 volunteer companies of this city which were really fully and completely guarded and 
 safe, were those arms. But we retract and qualify that declaration— they were safe from 
 every danger except from arbitrary, executive despotism. 
 
34 
 
 Winder's Building, for the purpose of arming a company of 
 U. S. Artillery, ordered from Fort McHenry, and which 
 company arrived about nine o'clock at night, when it is 
 notorious that for more than six hours before their arrival, 
 and during the entire night, the city was as quiet as a 
 country village. 
 
 There is another incident which we must not pass un- 
 noticed. Dr. , a respectable physician, residing in 
 
 the Eastern portion of the city, stated to a friend that he 
 visited the Marine who was wounded at the 1st precinct of 
 the 4th ward, on the 1st of June, inst. , and that the Marine 
 informed the physician that he was not wounded until he 
 had discharged his musket at the crowd of people, who were 
 near said precinct. This disproves the truth of the decla- 
 ration of an officer of the Marines, who justified the order 
 to fire upon the ground that one of them had been first 
 wounded by a pistol ball from the sidewalk, whereas it 
 appears he had already fired at the crowd, some one of 
 whom returned the fire with efiect on him. 
 
 The theory of our government is "the law is to govern." 
 The general temper of the people, until lately, has been to 
 defend and to submit to the law. What will be the emo- 
 tions of indignation and alarm, with which the law-abiding 
 people of this country will learn, that the chief magistrate 
 of the nation, the commander-in-chief of the army and navy 
 of the United States, has delegated to an intemperate and 
 reckless substitute that fearful power, upon which hangs so 
 often the lives and security of the citizens. The personal 
 habits of the Mayor were well known, and his condition on 
 the first of June was apparent. 
 
 Another incident, which occurred after the return of the 
 Mayor and the Marines to the City Hall, after the affair at 
 the 4th ward polls, displays his situation very significantly. 
 In consequence of a shower of rain coming on, the Marines 
 were conducted for shelter to the centre portico of the City 
 Hall, and a crowd of men and boys also collected there. — 
 There was not the slightest disorder, not even loud talking 
 among them, when the Mayor in an imperious manner or- 
 dered "all good and orderly citizens to retire to your houses, 
 or I will order the Marines to fire on you." This order, so 
 insulting and humiliating to the persons present, was im- 
 mediately obeyed, and a general dispersion took place. 
 
 It was in the power of the President and his Secretary to 
 have ascertained the true condition of things in the city in 
 less than half an hour, and could then have learned that 
 
35 
 
 complete tranquility and ortler reigned at those polls to 
 Avliich the Mayor invoked an armed intervention. 
 
 What then must be the sentence passed upon the Execu- 
 tive, if it shall appear that not only was there no just cause 
 for interference on his part, because no riot was in existence 
 — that the person who invoked it was an unfit agent for its 
 exercise — hut that he-himself had no legal poiver to grant it, 
 binder any circumstances ivithin the range of supposition. If 
 we do not misconceive the plain import of the law, it will 
 appear that the President's power over the regular troops is 
 limited as precisely as is any of his powers, and that no 
 power is granted him to introduce the regulars into the 
 street of Washington, to act upon its citizens, until various 
 preliminary circumstances have been developed, and various 
 preliminary actions been performed, all of which Avere ab- 
 sent on this occasion. 
 
 The following are the only acts of Congress which bear 
 on the subject: — March 3d, 1803, section 24. 
 
 "And be it further enacted, That the President of the 
 United States be authorized and empowered, on an invasion 
 or insurrrection, or probable prospect thereof, to call forth 
 such a number of militia, &c., &c. If a sudden invasion 
 shall be made in either county in this District, or in case of 
 an insurrection in either county in this District, or in case 
 of an insurrection in either county, the commanding officer 
 of the militia of the District, or of such county, is hereby 
 authorized and required to order out the whole, or such 
 part of the militia, as he may think necessary, and in such 
 manner as he may think best, for repelling or suppressing 
 such invasion or insurrection, &c., &c." 
 
 The Act of Congress approved February 28th, 1795, sec- 
 tion 3d, provides that whenever the President of the United 
 States shall order out the militia to suppress any obstruction 
 to the due execution of the laws, he shall by proclamation 
 command such insurgents "to disperse, and to retire to their 
 respective abodes within a limited time." 
 
 The Act approved March 3d, 1807, section 1st:— "That 
 in all cases of insurrection, or obstruction of the laws, either 
 of the United States, or of any individual State or Territory, 
 where it is lawful for the President of the United States to 
 call forth the militia for the purpose of suppressing such 
 insurrection, or of causing the laws to be duly executed, it 
 shall be lawful for him to employ, for the same purposes, 
 such part of the land or naval force of the United States as 
 
36 
 
 shall be judged necessary — having first observed all the pre- 
 requisites of the law in that respect." 
 
 We herewith append a list of the killed and wounded, as 
 furnished by the Washington "Evening Star" — a rabid 
 Loco Foco sheet — and the proof is clear and indisputable, 
 that not a solitary member of the American party was killed, 
 and but two wounded: 
 
 THE WASHINGTON RIOT. 
 
 Reckless Charge — Democrats and Citizens the Victims — 
 The Riot Act Not Read — The Cartridges of the Ma- 
 rines, &c. &c. 
 
 By further details, received last night, of the riot and 
 bloodshed incident to the Washington election, it will be 
 seen that the charge of the mischief upon the "Plug Uglies" 
 of this city is reckless and unjust. We should be the last 
 to exculpate them from blame if they deserved it, but by the 
 showing of the democratic presses, published on the spot, 
 they fail to parade among the lists of killed and wounded a 
 single individual known to be a Rip Rap or Plug Ugly. — 
 The Star (a bitter locofoco sheet,) publishes the following 
 as authentic: 
 
 killed. 
 
 Archibald Dalrymple, brakesman on the Washington 
 Branch Railroad, and who reached this city by the eleven 
 o'clock train of yesterday. 
 
 Francis M. Deems, a clerk in the General Land Office, 
 and late of Cumberland, Md. 
 
 D. H. Alston, constable, formerly of the firm of Rawlings 
 & Co. 
 
 Ramy Neal, colored, formerly waiter at Walker & Schadd's 
 restaurant. 
 
 Redding, colored, of Georgetown. 
 
 George McElfresh, a young man. 
 
 A German lad, from the Seventh ward, about 16 years of 
 age, named Christian Lindig, died during the night from a 
 wound received in the neck. 
 
 WOUNDED. 
 
 Col. Wm. F. Wilson, of^ the Land Office — misprinted 
 Williams yesterday — shot in the left arm while standing at 
 a second story window. 
 
 Thomas Wills, Anne Arundel county, Md., shot in the 
 spine. 
 
 James Wright, from same county, shot in the thigh. 
 
37 
 
 P. F. Bell, seventh ward, shot in the knee so as to require 
 amputation. 
 
 Daniel V. Fenton, residing on South F street, Island, 
 shot in the arm while standing upon the street conversing 
 with some ladies. His neck was also grazed by a ball 
 coming from the opposite direction. 
 
 Richard G. Hyatt, wounded severely in the shoulder, 
 while standing in his store on Seventh street. 
 
 Heath received a buckshot wound in the cheek. ■ 
 
 Capt. J. McGuire, shot in the nose. 
 
 James Lawrenson had his head grazed by a ball. 
 
 A young man, a tinner, named Biddleman, Ijad his arm 
 shattered so terribly as to require amputation. 
 . A youth, named Chas. Spencer, shot in the leg and breast. 
 
 Morgan Farrel, residing at D. Johnson's, on Greenleaf s 
 Point, shot in the head; the ball and pieces of the skull were 
 removed by Dr. Morgan from the brain; recovery doubtful. 
 
 A youth named Adams, from the First Ward, wounded 
 in the foot, 
 
 Kibbey, arm fractured. 
 
 Summers, saddler, badly wounded. 
 
 Richard Owen, shot in the arm. 
 
 John Owen, shot through the hand. 
 
 John Fouke, severely w^ounded. 
 
 Ebenezer Hughes, carpenter; fatally wounded it is thought. 
 
 James Slatford, plasterer, shot in the leg and through 
 the body. [It is stated that this Slatford early in the day 
 shot a little girl on English Hill, killing her.] 
 
 A young man named McGlue was injured. 
 
 We have already given a list of those injured at the riot 
 in the morning, and we learn that Justice Donn received 
 some severe blows while manfully standing up for law and 
 order. 
 
 In the Seventh Ward there were some demonstrations of 
 the rowdy element. 
 
 Two young men named Palmer were badly beaten with 
 slung shot, and one was shot in the arm and the other in 
 the head; both will probably recover. 
 
 A young man named Sullivan was attacked in his mother'* 
 house and very badly beaten. 
 
 A boy standing between the two precincts of this Ward 
 'had his face terribly mashed with a brickbat. 
 
 Mr. A. K. Shephard received a slight flesh wound, v 
 
 Charles Bestell, a young German of the best character, 
 .and employed by Mr. George Junemann, was one of those 
 
38 
 
 unfortunates wlio were injured in the riot yesterday. He 
 received a large bullet in the right shoulder (entering be- 
 low the shoulder bone and coming out about seven inches 
 higher,) while passing through Seventh street. Dr. May is 
 the attending physician, and the young man is doing pretty 
 well. 
 
 A friend has enclosed us the following statement of the 
 whole aifair, which agrees perfectly with Avhat we gave yes- 
 terday: 
 
 "That there Avas a disturbance at the polls in the Fourth 
 Ward is not denied. But it was not of so formidable a 
 character that it could not have been suppressed in ten 
 minutes by a force of resolute and courageous policemen. 
 Unfortunately, the present police are notorious for their 
 cowardice and inefficiency — and on the occasion referred to, 
 manifested more than usual imbecility and weakness. They 
 fled ingloriously from the field at an early stage of the dis- 
 turbance, and abandoned the ground to the disturbers of the 
 peace. 
 
 The Mayor himself, we regret to state, was not in a con- 
 dition either to inspire respect or to command obedience to 
 the laws. And w^liat is more, it is the belief of many who 
 have the best opportunities of arriving at correct conclusions, 
 that the ordering out of the Marines was deliberately plan- 
 ned beforehand by the Mayor and Capt. Tyler, who is him- 
 self a resident of the Fourth ward, and a most bitter and 
 malignant partizan of the Locofoco school. In corroboration 
 of this assertion, we will assert that Edward F. Queen, a 
 regenade Whig and Roman Catholic, declared on Friday or 
 Saturday that ' 'the Democrats intended to vote early, and 
 that if the Americans got their votes in at all it would be 
 through a file of Marines." 
 
 When the Marines had reached the City Hall, before pro- 
 ceeding to the Fourth Ward polls, Mr. Josejjh H. Bradley, 
 Jr., one of our most estimable citizens — a gentleman uni- 
 versally beloved for the purity of his life — went to the 
 Mayor's office and remonstrated with him against the em- 
 ployment of the troops. There were several gentlemen 
 present, among them Walter Lenox, ex-Mayor, and Doctor 
 Thomas Miller, an Alderman of the Second Ward — all 
 Democrats. Mr. Lenox remarked that it was a private con- 
 ference, and requested Mr. Bradley to withdraw. Mr. 
 Bradley declined, and again urged the Mayor to withdraw 
 the troops, pledging himself in that case to raise a special 
 
39 
 
 police force to preserve the peace. The Mayor refused, and 
 ordered Mr. Bradley to leave the office. 
 
 And here let it be remarked, that the disturbance of yes- 
 terday in the Fourth Ward, was not to be compared in 
 extent or fierceness Avith that which occurred last year iu 
 the same precinct of the same ward, and which was sup- 
 pressed by Mayor Towers and his police in fifteen minutes 
 without the loss of a single life. 
 
 And further, at the time of the arrival of the Marines, 
 everything was quiet about the polls, and the election was 
 proceeding in an orderly manner, while groups of citizens 
 were conversing peaceal)ly about the election, as is usual on 
 that day. 
 
 With regard to the cannon, about which so much has 
 been said, we will state that it belonged to the engine com- 
 pany at the Navy Yard, and when the Marines took up their 
 march for the City Hall, some members of the engine com- 
 pany seized the gun and followed the Marines with the 
 intent of defending their fellow-citizens in the Fourth Ward 
 if attacked by the troops. The citizens of the Fourth Ward 
 had no action or connivance in the matter — nor had the 
 Baltimoreans, if any were present. The gun was brought 
 from a section of the citv at least two miles from the Fourth 
 Ward. 
 
 This gun was captured by the Marines, and then com- 
 menced the work of death. The Marines fired in platoons, 
 in five different directions, killing and wounding inoffensive 
 citizens standing peaceably in the streets, in the doors and 
 windows of their houses, and in their stores. One man was 
 killed on the corner of 6th and Massachusetts avenue, 500 
 feet in an opposite direction from the scene of the disturb- 
 ance. Eight human beings were thus massacred in cold 
 blood, not one of whom had the least participation in the 
 disturbance. The whole affair was a deliberate and unjus- 
 tifiable murder, which requires the most rigid investigation 
 by the civil authorities. 
 
 In the first place, thei'e was no necessity for calling out 
 the Marines at all. In the second place, there was no ne- 
 cessity for their firing on the citizens. Captain Tyler him- 
 self admitted this after the bloody deed was done. In the 
 third place, the Riot Act was not read at all, while the law 
 requires it to be read three times. Thus the whole proceed- 
 ings were grossly in violation of law. 
 
 There is no authority in the laws of the United States for 
 the President, or any other officer, to order out U. S. troops 
 
40 
 
 to suppress ordinary disturbances of the peace. In case of 
 insurrection, and in the event of the civil authorities be- 
 coming overpowered, the militia may be called out. But 
 there is no authority for calling U. S. troops into service 
 until all other means of suppressing an insurrection shall be 
 exhausted. 
 
 In the opinion of many residents of the Fourtli Ward, 
 this whole difficulty, which has resulted so disastrously, 
 arose chiefly from the imprudent and disorderly conduct of 
 Capt. John H. Goddard, who distinguished himself at an 
 early part of the day by his aggressive behaviour towards 
 members of tlie American party. Goddard w^as the Demo- 
 cratic candidate for Alderman, and Avas defeated, as he 
 deserved to be. 
 
 Above all, the conduct of tlie Mayor was utterly inexcu- 
 sable. His reckless disregard of law, and his violent intem- 
 perate deportment throughout tire day, can only be accounted 
 for on the presumption that he was bereft of liis senses by 
 some artifice best known to himself. 
 
 As another instance of the insane conduct of the Mayoi'. 
 we will state that after the murderous outrage in Seventh 
 street, and when a large crowd of peaceable citizens were 
 assembled in front of the City Hall, where was held the 
 election of the second precinct of the Fourth Ward, and 
 when the Marines were occupying the portico of the hall, 
 the Mayor came out on the steps and commanded the people 
 to disperse, or he would order the 3Iarines to/ire upon them! 
 At this threat, the crowd, fearing another murderous on- 
 slaught, gave way like frightened sheep. 
 
 After the disturbance was over, and the dead removed to 
 the residences of their sorrowing families, the U. S. Flying 
 Artillery from Fort McHenry were summoned to Washing- 
 ton, and arrived at nine P. M. They were entrusted with 
 the im])ortant duty of guarding the household of Mayor 
 Magruder and Capt. Tyler. Yet the streets were perfectly 
 quiet throughout the evening, as much so as those of a 
 country village. 
 
 The strangest part of this strange aifair remains to be 
 told. Up to this hour, no inquest has been ordered upon 
 the murdered men. We have been informed that no inquest 
 will be held. Is this possible? 
 
 Finally, if as is asserted by the government party, Ame- 
 ricans were disturbers of the peace in the Fourth Ward, 
 how does it appear that in the fusillade of the Marines, 
 Democrats alone or chiefly were slain?" 
 
 il 
 
41 
 
 BY TELEGEAPH. 
 
 The Washington Riot — Puhlic Bleeting of Citizens, 
 
 Washington, June 2. — A large meeting was held to-night 
 in front of the City Hall, in regard to the riot. The speak- 
 ers were General M'Calla, Doctor Clayton, Councilman 
 Lloyd, all of the American ^mrty, who spoke of the killing 
 of persons, by the Marines, on the day of election, as a 
 cruel, cowardly and bloody massacre of the innocent; and of 
 the conduct of the Executive authorities as a trampling 
 under foot of the sacred rights of citizens and of law and 
 order. 
 
 Mr. Lloyd's advice to he prepared for the next attack 
 elicited spontaneous cheers of approbation. At the same 
 time he invoked them to preserve the peace. A committee 
 of two from each ward was appointed to j)repare suitable 
 resolutions, and call an adjourned meeting after the inquests 
 on all the victims has'been concluded. 
 
 Inquests have been held to-day in two cases. Three wit- 
 nesses swear that the order given to the Marines to fire was 
 by Mayor Magruder, after the swivel was taken from the 
 rioters. Preliminary measures have been taken to bring the 
 matter to a judicial investigation. 
 
 The Mayor's conduct was severely condemned by the 
 meeting to-night, which finally separated witli mingled 
 cheers and groans. 
 
 The community is still in a feverish state on the subject 
 of the riot. 
 
 [From the Baltimore Clipper.] 
 THE RECENT RIOT AT WASHINGTON. 
 
 ! Washington, June o, 1857. 
 
 I We are here in the midst of troublous times, and we may 
 well say God help us! The reign of James Buchanan will 
 form a bloody page in the city of Washington city and, of 
 our country. If this is a sample of the conservatism which 
 was to mark his administration before the close of his Presi- 
 dential term, our country will be drenched in blood. We 
 have no newspapers here to which we can have access to 
 publish to the country the truth concerning the bloody do- 
 ings ot Monday last. The National Intelligencer, which 
 has heretofore been distinguished for its moderation and its 
 propriety, its local columns, now, in misrepresentation, 
 
42 
 
 unfairness and malignant partizan feelings, outstrii^s the 
 ''Star," the "States'^' and the "Union." This need not be 
 wondered at, when we state that the local reporter is an 
 Englishman by the name of "Hardy," whose hatred of the 
 American party is bitter and malignant. 
 
 I propose to furnish you with a fcAv facts. Mr. Biddle- 
 man, I presume, about forty years, in delicate health, a 
 turner by trade, was shot in the arm, and then bayoneted 
 when lying in this situation. A distinguished locofoco took 
 him by his wounded arm and dragged him about eighty 
 feet, although Mr. Biddleman informed him that his arm 
 was crushed. Although eight persons were killed by the 
 Rre of the foreign soldiery , inquests have been held in but 
 two cases so far as we can learn after diligent inquiry. 
 
 The corps of reporters for our four city dailies, who are 
 ever on the alert for an- "item," not one was in attendance 
 at the two inquests to take down testimony, and even to 
 furnish the public with the verdict of the jury. 
 
 A friend of mine who was one of the jury of inquest, in 
 the case of Christopher H. Alston, a quiet, peaceable, and 
 unoffending citizen, who was shot down on the pavement on 
 7th street, has given me the following statement of the 
 evidence before the jury. There were fourteen witnesses, 
 exclusive of the physician. The purport of the testimony 
 was to -this effect: — That at tlie time the Marines reached 
 the 1st precinct of the 4th ward, which was about 1 o'clock, 
 P. M., all was peaceful and quiet, and had been so since 11 
 o'clock in the morning. 
 
 Every one of them testified that there was not a shot fired 
 until after the murderous fire of the Marines, when there 
 were two or three pistol shots fired by the opposing party 
 as they fled from the scene of murder and death. A little 
 boy, perhaps about fourteen years of age, who was standing 
 by one of the witnesses, excited by the murderous doings of 
 these foreign soldiers, took up a stone about the size of an 
 egg, to throw at them; this witness remonstrated with him, 
 but he persisted, and a Marine took deliberate aim and fired, 
 but fortunately missed him. 
 
 Two of the witnesses testified positively, that they heard 
 Mayor Magruder request the Marine officer to fire, and four 
 others testified that, although they did not hear Mayor 
 Magruder request the officer to give the order to fire, yet 
 they saw him speak to the officer, and upon his doing so, 
 the oflicer stepped forward and gave the order to fire. 
 
 The witnesses further testified that not a solitary officer 
 
43 
 
 or soldier or policeman profferrecl the least assistance to the 
 wounded and dying, but marched off to the City Hall. — 
 And in conclusion all the witnesses testified that the firing- 
 was unprovoked, uncalled for and unjustifiable. 
 
 You now have, in brief, the evidence in one case, and we 
 aver, that could we have had a full, free and fair investiga- 
 tion, in every case of the slain, with the evidence taken 
 down by a stenographer, a thrill of horror would pervade 
 the entire country. But we are in a doomed city. The 
 Judges, the Marshal, and every branch of the Government 
 — general and municipal — are arrayed against us, and woe 
 be the unfortunate member of the American party who shall 
 fall into their hands. 
 
 [From the Baltimore Chpper.] 
 
 Washington, June 4, 1857. 
 
 The Washington Newspapers — Inquest on the hody of C. H. 
 Alston, dtc. 
 
 It is not a very remarkable thing that the foreign journals 
 here should suppress facts. The Intelligencer is placed in 
 precisely the same position of the Evening Star and States, 
 the local columns being under the exclusive control of the 
 local editor, who is a rabid English partizan. So you see 
 we have no organ here to see us righted, consequently we 
 turn to you in our need to place the truth fairly before the 
 American people. 
 
 On Tuesday afternoon, the 2d instant, there was an in- 
 quest held on the body of Cornelius H. Alston, composed of 
 thirteen jurors. Fourteen witnesses were examined, two of 
 whom swore positively to the fact of Dr. Magruder having 
 given the order to fire. One swore that he saw the Mayor 
 go to Captain Tyler and say something to him; immediately 
 after the Captain gave the word to fire. 
 
 All of the witnesses swore that there was perfect order at 
 the polls when the marines arrived on the ground, and had 
 been for at least three hours previously. They all likeAvise 
 testified to the fact that all the parties were shot after the 
 capture of the swivel. One of the witnesses swore that he 
 was in the immediate vicinity of the swivel when the Mayor 
 came up and exclaimed, ''Men, don't shoot, for God sake; 
 for God sake don't shoot, men! If you do you will be sorry 
 for it; I only intended to march the marines up here, and 
 then they will go home." 
 
X 
 
 44 
 
 The gun was no sooner turned by the party having it in 
 charge, when the Mayor gave the order to charge and take 
 the gun, and on the capture of the gun the order was then 
 given to fire, w^hen the work of death commenced. 
 
 It is well to remark here that to the certain knowledge of 
 the writer of this article, that at least five of the witnesses 
 had voted the Union Ticket. The jury was composed of our 
 most respectable citizens, selected by the coroner, Mr. Thos. 
 Woodward, from their places of business, without any regard 
 to their politics. In fact they were almost to a man personal 
 strangers to him. Thirteen jurors, of whom six were De- 
 mocrats, to only four of whom exceptions have been taken, 
 and that by the '^■States, ■" not as citizens but as partizans. — 
 They retired for an hour, and then Itrought in the follow- 
 ing verdict: 
 
 ^'ThAT the said .CORNELILI.S 11. ALSTON CAME TO HIS DEATH 
 BY A GUN SHOT WOUND RECEIVED ^YIIILE STANDING PEACEABLY AND 
 QUIETLY AT THE CORNER OF 7tH STREET, OPPOSITE THE NORTHERN 
 
 Liberties market (recently his place of business,) from a 
 detach jient of united states marines, acting under the 
 
 CONTROL OF THE MaYOR OF WASHINGTON; AND THE JURY FUR- 
 THER FIND FROM THE CONCURRENT TESTIMONY OF ALL THE WIT- 
 NESSES, THAT THE FIRING BY THE MARINES WAS ALL SUBSEQUENT 
 TO THE OBTAINING POSSESSION OF THE SWIVEL."