The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-18 00:00:00

E. M. Stanton.

Sir,--I have the honour to inform you that a very serious
riot has occurred here to-day. I had not been applied to
by the Convention for protection, but the Lieutenant-
Governor and Mayor had freely consulted with me, and I
was so fully convinced that it was so strongly the intent of
the city authorities to preserve the peace, in order tiriire-
vent military interference, that I did not regard an outbreak
as a thing to be apprehended. The Lieutenant-Governor
assured mo that even if a writ of arrest was issued by the
court the sheriff would not attempt to servo it without

my permission, and for to-day they designed to suspend
it. I ordered a steamer to be at Jackson Barracks, three
miles below the city, at an early hour in the morning, and
a tug to be ready to bear orders to the commanding officers
of the First Infantry stationed at that point. At 11.30
p.m., Lieutenant-Governor Voorhees came to see me, and
after conversation he, feeling confident at the time of the
ability of the police to preserve order, I proposed to bring
to the city four companies an hour in advance of the sup-
posed meeting of the Convention, at six o'clock p.m., to be
kept near by in case they should be required to keep clear
the streets in the vicinity of the hall in which the Con-
vention was to meet. Ho agreed with me that it would
be vary desirable, but left, not apprehending the difficulty.
At twelve o'clock I drove to see Judge Howell, Presi-
dent of the Convention, to request that arrangements
might be made to keep any crowd that might assemble to
protect the Convention out of the streets, so as to avoid an
accidental collision. -When I reached his houso I learned
that the Convention was to meet at twelve o'clock, and
that he had gone to it.
Returning to my headquarters, I soon received a letter
from the Lieutenant-Governor, informing me that large
parties of negroes were collecting from all quarters, and
coming into the centre of the city, yet ho was not sure of
his information. However I at once sent for the troops.
Very soon afterwards I learned that a riot had taken place
near the Convention-hall, and I sent a staff officer to in-
vestigate the facts. On his return he reported having met
Judge Howell, who said the Convention had adjourned for
want of a quorum, but would meet again at 1.30 p.m.
This reassured me, but I again ient to hasten the arrival
of troops. -
Immediately after this the riot assumed a serious cha-
racter; the police, aided by cittzens, became the assailants,
and from the evidence, I am forced to believe, exercised
great brutality in making their arrests. Finally they
attacked the Convention hall, and a protracted struggle
ensued. The people inside the hall gave up. Some, who
surrendered, were attacked afterwards, and brutally
treated. Quite a large number were injured—l cannot
now say how many—Governor Hahn, Dr. Dostie, Mr.
Fish, and perhaps other members of the Convention,
among the number.

On the arrival of the troops I soon cleared the streets,
and order was restored.

From the evidence of the bad feelings of the citziens
and of sympathy with them by the police, I felt compelled
to declare martial law and appoint a Military Governor,
from which I hope good results will ensue.

correspondence witlh
I enclose herewith copies of my
the Mayor, and a despatch which the Lieutenant Governor
claims to have received from the President.
regret that no reply to my despatch to you of Satur-
day has yet reached me. General Sheridan is stil.
absent in Texas.
I remain, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servt
A. BAIRD, Brevet Major-Go:11f .ral.
New Orleans City Hall, July 25, 1866.

Brevet Major-General Baird :
A body of men claiming to belong to the Convex ition of
1864, and whose avowed object is to subvert the present
Municipal and State Governments, will, I lea-cD., .assemble
on Monday next. By the laws and ordinances of the city
which my office makes obligatory upon me to see ft lithfully
executed, all assembles to disturb the peaco an. 1 tranviillitY,
and proved to bo unlawful, aro to bo dis' porsed b.Y. the
Mayor, and the participants hold responsible.
It is my intention to disperse this unla- ;dui a ssemblage
if found within the corporate limits of the city , by arrest-
ing the members thereof, and holding them ar countable to
existing municipal laws, provided th oy mar witb.out the
sanction of the military authorities.
I will esteem it a favour, Genera 1 r
• at your earli9o