it was the intention of the attorney-general to suggest in these despatches that immediate and authoritative information should be given to the washington authorities if a time should arrive when, under the sanction of general executive authority, or the constitutional and statutory provisions above quoted, a military force would be necessary at the scene of disturbance.
on the 2d of july, the day after these despatches were sent, information was received from the district attorney and special counsel that a sweeping injunction had been granted against eugene v. debs, president of the american railway union, and other officials of that organization, together with parties whose names were unknown, and that the writs would be served that afternoon. the special counsel also expressed the opinion that it would require government troops to enforce the orders of the court and protect the transportation of mails.
major-general schofield was then in command of the army; and, after a consultation 97 with him, in which the attorney-general and the secretary of war took part, i directed the issuance of the following order by telegraph to general nelson a. miles, in command of the military department of missouri, with headquarters at chicago:
headquarters of the army.
washington, july 2, 1894.
to the commanding-general,
department of missouri,
chicago, ill.
you will please make all necessary arrangements confidentially for the transportation of the entire garrison at fort sheridan—infantry, cavalry, and artillery—to the lake front in the city of chicago. to avoid possible interruption of the movement by rail and by marching through a part of the city, it may be advisable to bring them by steam-boat. please consider this matter and have the arrangements perfected without delay. you may expect orders at any time for the movement. acknowledge receipt and report in what manner movement is to be made.
j. m. schofield,
major-general commanding.
it should by no means be inferred from this despatch that it had been definitely determined that the use of a military force was inevitable. it was still hoped that the effect of the injunction would be such that this alternative might be avoided. a painful emergency is created 98 when public duty forces the necessity of placing trained soldiers face to face with riotous opposition to the general government, and an acute and determined defiance to law and order. this course, once entered upon, admits of no backward step; and an appreciation of the consequences that may ensue cannot fail to oppress those responsible for its adoption with sadly disturbing reflections. nevertheless, it was perfectly plain that, whatever the outcome might be, the situation positively demanded such precaution and preparation as would insure readiness and promptness in case the presence of a military force should finally be found necessary.
on the morning of the next day, july 3, the attorney-general received a letter from mr. walker, the special counsel, in which, after referring to the issuance of the injunctions and setting forth that the marshal was engaged in serving them, he wrote:
i do not believe that the marshal and his deputies can protect the railroad companies in moving their trains, either freight or passenger, including, of course, the trains carrying united states mails. possibly, however, the service of the writ of injunction will have a restraining influence upon debs and other officers of the association. if it does not, from 99 present appearances, i think it is the opinion of all that the orders of the court cannot be enforced except by the aid of the regular army.
thereupon the attorney-general immediately sent this despatch to the district attorney:
i trust use of united states troops will not be necessary. if it becomes necessary, they will be used promptly and decisively upon the justifying facts being certified to me. in such case, if practicable, let walker and the marshal and united states judge join in statement as to the exigency.
a few hours afterward the following urgent and decisive despatch from the marshal, endorsed by a judge of the united states court and the district attorney and special counsel, was received by the attorney-general.
chicago, ill., july 3, 1894.
hon. richard olney, attorney-general,
washington, d. c.:
when the injunction was granted yesterday, a mob of from two to three thousand held possession of a point in the city near the crossing of the rock island by other roads, where they had already ditched a mail-train, and prevented the passing of any trains, whether mail or otherwise. i read the injunction writ to this mob and commanded them to disperse. the reading of the writ met with no response except jeers and hoots. shortly after, the mob threw a number of baggage-cars across the track, since when no mail-train has been able to move. 100 i am unable to disperse the mob, clear the tracks, or arrest the men who were engaged in the acts named, and believe that no force less than the regular troops of the united states can procure the passage of the mail-trains, or enforce the orders of the courts. i believe people engaged in trades are quitting employment to-day, and in my opinion will be joining the mob to-night and especially to-morrow; and it is my judgment that the troops should be here at the earliest moment. an emergency has arisen for their presence in this city.
j. w. arnold,
united states marshal.
we have read the foregoing, and from that information, and other information that has come to us, believe that an emergency exists for the immediate presence of united states troops.
p. s. grosscup, judge.
edwin walker, attys.
thomas e. milchist,
in the afternoon of the same day the following order was telegraphed from army headquarters in the city of washington:
war department,
headquarters of the army.
washington, d. c., july 3, 1894,
4 o’clock p.m.
to martin, adjutant-general,
headquarters department of missouri,
chicago, ill.
it having become impracticable in the judgment of the president to enforce by the ordinary course of 101 judicial proceedings the laws of the united states, you will direct colonel crofton to move his entire command at once to the city of chicago (leaving the necessary guard at fort sheridan), there to execute the orders and processes of the united states court, to prevent the obstruction of the united states mails, and generally to enforce the faithful execution of the laws of the united states. he will confer with the united states marshal, the united states district attorney, and edwin walker, special counsel. acknowledge receipt and report action promptly. by order of the president.
j. m. schofield, major-general.
immediately after this order was issued, the following despatch was sent to the district attorney by the attorney-general:
colonel crofton’s command ordered to chicago by the president. as to disposition and movement of troops, yourself, walker, and the marshal should confer with colonel crofton and with colonel martin, adjutant-general at chicago. while action should be prompt and decisive, it should of course be kept within the limits provided by the constitution and laws. rely upon yourself and walker to see that this is done.
colonel martin, adjutant-general at chicago, reported, the same night at half-past nine o’clock, that the order for the movement of troops was, immediately on its receipt by him, transmitted to fort sheridan, and that colonel 102 crofton’s command started for chicago at nine o’clock.
during the forenoon of the next day, july 4, colonel martin advised the war department that colonel crofton reported his command in the city of chicago at 10:15 that morning. after referring to the manner in which the troops had been distributed, this officer added: “people seem to feel easier since arrival of troops.”
general miles, commanding the department, arrived in chicago the same morning, and at once assumed direction of military movements. in the afternoon of that day he sent a report to the war department at washington, giving an account of the disposition of troops, recounting an unfavorable condition of affairs, and recommending an increase of the garrison at fort sheridan sufficient to meet any emergency.
in response to this despatch general miles was immediately authorized to order six companies of infantry from fort leavenworth, in kansas, and two companies from fort brady, in michigan, to fort sheridan.
on the fifth day of july he reported that a mob of over two thousand had gathered that morning at the stock-yards, crowded among the troops, obstructed the movement of trains, 103 knocked down a railroad official, and overturned about twenty freight-cars, which obstructed all freight and passenger traffic in the vicinity of the stock-yards, and that the mob had also derailed a passenger-train on the pittsburg, fort wayne and chicago railroad, and burned switches. to this recital of violent demonstrations he added the following statement:
the injunction of the united states court is openly defied, and unless the mobs are dispersed by the action of the police or they are fired upon by united states troops, more serious trouble may be expected, as the mob is increasing and becoming more defiant.
in view of the situation as reported by general miles, a despatch was sent to him by general schofield directing him to concentrate his troops in order that they might act more effectively in the execution of orders theretofore given, and in the protection of united states property. this despatch concluded as follows:
the mere preservation of peace and good order in the city is, of course, the province of the city and state authorities.
the situation on the sixth day of july was thus described in a despatch sent in the afternoon 104 of that day by general miles to the secretary of war:
in answer to your telegram, i report the following: mayor hopkins last night issued a proclamation prohibiting riotous assemblies and directing the police to stop people from molesting railway communication. governor altgeld has ordered general wheeler’s brigade on duty in chicago to support the mayor’s authority. so far, there have been no large mobs like the one of yesterday, which moved from 51st street to 18th street before it dispersed. the lawlessness has been along the line of the railways, destroying and burning more than one hundred cars and railway buildings, and obstructing transportation in various ways, even to the extent of cutting telegraph lines. united states troops have dispersed mobs at 51st street, kensington, and a company of infantry is moving along the rock island to support a body of united states marshals in making arrests for violating the injunction of the united states court. of the twenty-three roads centering in chicago, only six are unobstructed in freight, passenger, and mail transportation. thirteen are at present entirely obstructed, and ten are running only mail- and passenger-trains. large numbers of trains moving in and out of the city have been stoned and fired upon by mobs, and one engineer killed. there was a secret meeting to-day of debs and the representatives of labor unions considering the advisability of a general strike of all labor unions. about one hundred men were present at that meeting. the result is not yet known. united states troops are at the stock-yards, kensington, 105 blue island, crossing of 51st street, and have been moving along some of the lines: the balance, eight companies of infantry, battery of artillery, and one troop of cavalry, are camped on lake front park, ready for any emergency and to protect government buildings and property. it is learned from the fire department, city hall, that a party of strikers has been going through the vicinity from 14th to 41st streets and stewart avenue freight-yards, throwing gasoline on freight-cars all through that section. captain ford, of the fire department, was badly stoned this morning. troops have just dispersed a mob of incendiaries on fort wayne tracks, near 51st street, and fires that were started have been suppressed. mob just captured mail-train at 47th street, and troops sent to disperse them.
on the eighth day of july, in view of the apparently near approach of a crisis which the government had attempted to avoid, the following executive proclamation was issued and at once extensively published in the city of chicago:
whereas, by reason of unlawful obstruction, combinations and assemblages of persons, it has become impracticable, in the judgment of the president, to enforce, by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, the laws of the united states within the state of illinois, and especially in the city of chicago within said state; and
whereas, for the purpose of enforcing the faithful execution of the laws of the united states and 106 protecting its property and removing obstructions to the united states mails in the state and city aforesaid, the president has employed a part of the military forces of the united states:—
now, therefore, i, grover cleveland, president of the united states, do hereby admonish all good citizens, and all persons who may be or may come within the city and state aforesaid, against aiding, countenancing, encouraging, or taking any part in such unlawful obstructions, combinations, and assemblages; and i hereby warn all persons engaged in or in any way connected with such unlawful obstructions, combinations, and assemblages to disperse and retire peaceably to their respective abodes on or before twelve o’clock noon of the 9th day of july instant.
those who disregard this warning and persist in taking part with a riotous mob in forcibly resisting and obstructing the execution of the laws of the united states, or interfering with the functions of the government, or destroying or attempting to destroy the property belonging to the united states or under its protection, cannot be regarded otherwise than as public enemies.
troops employed against such a riotous mob will act with all the moderation and forbearance consistent with the accomplishment of the desired end; but the stern necessities that confront them will not with certainty permit discrimination between guilty participants and those who are mingling with them from curiosity and without criminal intent. the only safe course, therefore, for those not actually participating, is to abide at their homes, or at least not to be found in the neighborhood of riotous assemblages.
while there will be no vacillation in the decisive 107 treatment of the guilty, this warning is especially intended to protect and save the innocent.
on the 10th of july, eugene v. debs, the president of the american railway union, together with its vice-president, general secretary, and one other who was an active director, were arrested upon indictments found against them for complicity in the obstruction of mails and interstate commerce. three days afterward our special counsel expressed the opinion that the strike was practically broken. this must not be taken to mean, however, that peace and quiet had been completely restored or that the transportation of mails and the activities of interstate commerce were entirely free from interruption. it was only the expression of a well-sustained and deliberate expectation that the combination of measures already inaugurated, and others contemplated in the near future, would speedily bring about a termination of the difficulty.
on the seventeenth day of july an information was filed in the united states circuit court at chicago against debs and the three other officials of the railway union who had been arrested on indictment a few days before, but were then at large on bail. this information alleged 108 that these parties had been guilty of open, continued, and defiant disobedience of the injunction which was served on them july 3, forbidding them to do certain specified acts tending to incite and aid the obstruction of the carriage of mails and the operation of interstate commerce. on the footing of this information these parties were brought before the court to show cause why they should not be punished for contempt in disobeying the injunction. instead of giving bail for their freedom pending the investigation of this charge against them, as they were invited to do, they preferred to be committed to custody—perhaps intending by such an act of martyrdom either to revive a waning cause, or to gain a plausible and justifying excuse for the collapse of their already foredoomed movement. debs himself, in speaking of this event afterward, said: “as soon as the employees found that we were arrested and taken from the scene of action they became demoralized, and that ended the strike.”
that the strike ended about the time of this second arrest is undoubtedly true; for, during the few days immediately preceding and following the seventeenth day of july, reports came from nearly all the localities to which the strike had spread, indicating its defeat and the accomplishment 109 of all the purposes of the government’s interference. the successful assertion of national authority was conclusively indicated when on the twentieth day of july the last of the soldiers of the united states who had been ordered for duty at the very center of opposition and disturbance, were withdrawn from chicago and returned to the military posts to which they were attached.
i hope i have been successful thus far in my effort satisfactorily to exhibit the extensive reach and perilous tendency of the convulsion under consideration, the careful promptness which characterized the interference of the government, the constant desire of the national administration to avoid extreme measures, the scrupulous limitation of its interference to purposes which were clearly within its constitutional competency and duty, and the gratifying and important results of its conservative but stern activity.
i must not fail to mention here as part of the history of this perplexing affair, a contribution made by the governor of illinois to its annoyances. this official not only refused to regard the riotous disturbances within the borders of his state as a sufficient cause for an application to the federal government for its protection 110 “against domestic violence” under the mandate of the constitution, but he actually protested against the presence of federal troops sent into the state upon the general government’s own initiative and for the purpose of defending itself in the exercise of its well-defined legitimate functions.
on the fifth day of july, twenty-four hours after our soldiers had been brought to the city of chicago, pursuant to the order of july 3d, i received a long despatch from governor altgeld, beginning as follows:
i am advised that you have ordered federal troops to go into service in the state of illinois. surely the facts have not been correctly presented to you in this case or you would not have taken the step; for it is entirely unnecessary and, as it seems to me, unjustifiable. waiving all question of courtesy, i will say that the state of illinois is not only able to take care of itself, but it stands ready to-day to furnish the federal government any assistance it may need elsewhere.
this opening sentence was followed by a lengthy statement which so far missed actual conditions as to appear irrelevant and, in some parts, absolutely frivolous.
this remarkable despatch closed with the following words: 111
as governor of the state of illinois, i protest against this and ask the immediate withdrawal of federal troops from active duty in this state. should the situation at any time get so serious that we cannot control it with the state forces, we will promptly and freely ask for federal assistance; but until such time i protest with all due deference against this uncalled-for reflection upon our people, and again ask for the immediate withdrawal of these troops.
immediately upon the receipt of this communication, i sent to governor altgeld the following reply:
federal troops were sent to chicago in strict accordance with the constitution and the laws of the united states, upon the demand of the post-office department that obstructions of the mails should be removed, and upon the representation of the judicial officers of the united states that process of the federal courts could not be executed through the ordinary means, and upon abundant proof that conspiracies existed against commerce between the states. to meet these conditions, which are clearly within the province of federal authority, the presence of federal troops in the city of chicago was deemed not only proper but necessary; and there has been no intention of thereby interfering with the plain duty of the local authorities to preserve the peace of the city.
