Sunday, January 16, 2011

Speaking philosophically, of course.

HARPER'S WEEKLY.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 1863.
THE RIOTS.

Riot Control
The outbreak was the natural consequence of pernicious teachings widely scattered among the ignorant and excitable populace of a great city; and the only possible mode of dealing with it was stern and bloody repression. Had the mob been assailed with grape and canister on Monday, when the first disturbance took place, it would have been a saving of life and property. Had the resistance been more general, and the bloodshed more profuse than it was, on Thursday, the city would have enjoyed a longer term of peace and tranquillity than we can now count upon.

 ...  if we are to put down our own riots, citizens interested in the preservation of peace and order must be willing to tender their services. It is due to truth to say that the citizens of New York showed very little alacrity in responding to the call of the Mayor and Governor for volunteers to suppress the late riot. Of 400 muskets which lay idle at the armory of the 37th regiment, only 80 found men to carry them, though urgent appeals for men were made by the authorities and the officers of the regiment. We can never expect to keep the peace unless we are prepared—one and all of us—to turn out in cases of emergency, and fight. -THE RIOTS.
Riot Control

About five years ago I had this Harpers Weekly draft riot citation as part on my masthead.  It speaks for itself, but wow.  Never back then did it cross my mind that I could find myself living under a government that would see me (I'm using the royal "me" here) as the bad guy.  And encourage the likes of Code Pink to take  up arms against me!  Shows how quick things can turn when the people don't take care of business and water the tree.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

why we hate commies aka mfcs liberals

sorry for the Portuguese subtitles

http://www.archive.org/details/TheSovietStory

Chuck Martel said...

We're safe. Code Pinkers don't know how to load or fire rifles. And remember, our side owns all of the deer rifles. All of them.

Anonymous said...

I don't remember which author it was that wrote of this riot, but his point was "regardless of how much we have been told of the Norths resolve to end slavery, this event made one thing clear, the Northern citizen hated the black man as much as he hated slavery". Oh sure, they should be free, but don't let them move here. 150 years later, still a good plan. Happy MLK day.

Anonymous said...

Rog, the 1863 Negro Emancipation article on Harpers is pure gold. It details the precincts where the slave in southern states (those under Northern control) were not to be freed. Meanwhile as stated here, all slaves encountered by the Federal Army were considered captured contraband and were pressed into service for the Fed army, NOT turned into soldiers as current history wants you to believe.

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