Q. The Lieutenant Governor, would he exercise the functions of Governor
in case of the death of the Governor?
A. Of course in event of his death he becomes Governor at once. I do
not understand that anybody can exercise the functions of the Governor
but the Governor. That is a little bit of teaching I learned in the
Democratic party when I was a very little bit of a fellow, and never
forgot it. We have a respect for law and authority in our party.
Q. Is there anything else you can enlighten us on in regard to the
military movements of the mob that you can think of?
A. There is nothing that I can say, except to give an opinion about the
character of this mob, and the sufficiency of the military, and civil
authorities, &c. I looked around very closely into this matter, and I
am perfectly satisfied, in my own mind, that this mob was not to be
dealt with by a trifling force. I do not believe it was in the power of
the civil authorities to have put it down. I do not believe it was
within the power of the small military force that was first called out
to have put it down. It ceased to be a riot and got to be an
insurrection almost instantly. The time was very short that intervened
between the mob and the insurrection.
By Mr. Lindsey:
Q. What distinction do you make between a mob and an insurrection?
A. I believe that a mob is an uprising in a locality, either here or
anywhere else--a small uprising that is within the power of the sheriff
to look after. The sheriff, with what posse he might get together, may
attempt to restore peace, and, failing in that, call out the local
military. I make the dividing line as to when it becomes an
insurrection when the executive of the state is compelled to interfere.
If the sheriff and the Eighteenth regiment and the Fourteenth regiment
and the Nineteenth regiment had put down that thing and restored peace
and order, and placed the cars of the railroad in the hands of the
company, I would have called it a riot.
Q. And then the difference between a mob and an insurrection is in
strength and power?
A. Strength and power. If they overcome the local authorities and the
State authorities have to interfere, then it is an insurrection. The
sheriff is one arm of the executive. If he cannot quell it, then the
executive himself has to come in.
By Senator Yutzy: