The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-12-08

formation, beg leave to apply to you for such
statement of the facts connected with the outra cG
referred to as IL may be in your power to furnish
am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
LOGAN HUNTON,
by h. A. BRApFoRD.
Hon A. ID. CnossMAN.
From Mr.. Crossqan TO Mr.. Hunton.
MAYoRALTy OF NEW ORLEANs, Sept. Is, 1851.
STA: have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
OF your communication of the Sth instant, in which
you desire to obtain information "relative to the
outrages alleged to have been recently commit ted
upon the Spanish Consul and other Spanish resi-
dents OF this city, for the purpose Of reporting the
same to the Department of State at Washington
Conhnng myself strictly to the facts of the case,
would state, In reply, that, at an early hour on
the morning OF the 2lst ultimo, the steamship EN-.
pre- CITY arrived here bringing the melancholy in
telllgence OF the execution at Havana Of portion
OF Crittenden's command. comprising ffty-one
American citizens This heart-rending news was
confirmed by the correspondent of the press of this
city, who at the same time accompanied their ma r
ratlve bya recital of the most revolving and barba-
rous indignities committed on the bodies of those
unfortunate men after they had been shot. These
| advlces spread like wildfre through the city, and
| aroused the entire community to the highest pitch
| OF excitement and evaporation. Notwithstanding
| the universal sympathies of our population, did
] not, however, for moment apprehend that any
| outrage would have been committed per-
! cons or property, until about two o'clock, when
| ascertalned that some written placards had
|
to unite in destroying, during the night the Office
| of La Union the Spanish paper of this city. This
| induced me at once to send for the Hon. Joseph
Genois, Recorder of Municipality No. /, for the
| purpose OF communicating with him on the sub
ject; and, after consultation, deemed it advisa-
| BILE to call upon the Spanish Consul with the OBJ
ect of persuading him TO all his influence with
the editors OF that paper to suspend its publication
| until the great excitement should have somewha
subsidized On reaching the office of the Consul he
was not in; whereupon the Recorder and myself,
after having explained the purport of visit to
the CopsuPs private secretary, left word that we
wapld wait for him at the Mayors Office until three
| o'clock few minutes after the appointed time
MIR. Laborde arrived. and, after representing to
him the dangerous excitement which prevailed,
and the probability that 1t might be quoted by an
authorized announcement that La Union would
suspend its issues for some time, he consented to
use all his influence in carrying out our wishes,
and actually gave the requisite instructions to that
effect to his private secretary in our presence
At that time had not the slightest idea that any
attack would have been made upon the Spanish
Consul, and so expressed myself at the moment
On leaving my office at 4 o'clock, in company
with the honorable Recorder Genois and some
other gentlemen, we were then apprized that the
establishment OF La Union had been destroyed.
The persons who participated in this act of vic
lence went determinedly and cooly 10 work, and +,
1t must needs be confessed, were encouraged by
the presence and openly avowed sympathies Of
many citizens. Previously to this occurrence |
had issged ordsrs to the head5 OF police 10 mug
ter all their available torces, and to increase them
| TO any extent that might be demanded by the
public safety.
In the meanwhile the excitement continued to
grow, and at 5o'clock concerted attack was made
on the cigar shop of Spaniard in St. Charles
street. The police, however, succeeded for a mo-
mcnt in arresting the disorder at this point only
to break out, however, simultaneously and with
renewed violence, in various other quarters. An
immense demonstration was made on the estab.
li5hment at the corner Of Tchoupitoulas and Poy-
| air n md / add
the multitude, counselling them 10 preserve ordcr
and peace and calling upon all good citizens to aid
in suppressng the disorders The crowd die.
persed, promising to b have peaceably; but the
riots broke out anew, and, indeed, so strongly were
the sympathes OF the community enlisted in the
cause ~ the ex.,,ition and go greatly were they
inconsed at the barbartes said to have been prac-
tised in Havana, that for moment the greater
portion OF the population entirely Unaffected
and the police were thus left 10 cope with the rioters
without much assistance the part of the citizens.
So spontaneous also the disturbances in va
rous parts Of the city, that il impossible for the
police 10 act with concert, and the difficult
was experienced with the military, who turned out
in very Limited numbers only, and were not ena-
bed 70 effect an organization until al advanced
hour of the evening.
extent Of the city that it nearly eight O'Clock
in the evening before heard Of the attack on the
Office of the Spanish Consul Ii was not until
twelve O'Clock that the rioters were finally dis
| q
cUHee houses and shops in different portions of the
city.
! can assure you, however, from information
subsequently received that not one-fourth of the
places which il was designed TO attack were dis
iurbed and were it not for the very decided
sures which took for the preservation Of the peace
on the following day, and the hearty response
made by the citizens TO my proclamation calling
upon them TO aid the authorities in suppressing the
turbulent proceedings, there would doubtless have
been renewal o! those disgraceful occurrences
which, for the fair fame of our city, deeply dc
plore.
will also etate that several citizens, who had
been led to believe from various threats that their
property was menaced with destruction, called
upon for assistance, and in every instance
took the necessary precautions to preserve theEl
from being molested. deer0 il proper to add that
the only time saw the Spanish Consul was during
| the brief Interview with him in my office on the
2lst, the particulars of which have Already been set
! forth. The foregoing statement embraces a cor
rect and faithful account of the proceeding which
took place in this city on the 2lst and 22d ulumo.
! IN connection with The above il may perhaps not
| be arniss TO add that Mr.. Mussou, the postmaster
/ Of lhis city, called on me between and O'Clock
on the 2lst ultimo, and stated that he entertained
| somc apprchensions that attack would be made
on the Union office during the night. He alec
marked that Mr.. De Buys, his deputy, had inform.
ed him that persona had called at the post Office for
letters which had been written 10 them by the nfo
| tupate victims at Havana and that he overheard
some Of them utter threats against the Spanish
Consul for not having deposited the lettcrs in tho
post Office.
Finally, a matter Of reference, beg TO enclose
n copy OF official communication which cent
! into the Council of Municipality No 2, in relation
TO the occurrences Of the 2lst and 22d utrno. The
strong language which employed ON the occasion
mad origin IL the coBcurrent accounts received
! by all the papers Of this city from their various
correspondents in Havana, reciting the limitations
and barbarities committed on the bodies after
death.
In addition to the above details, have deemed il
proper with the view of placing the State Depart
nent in 20, session Of oil the information touching
on the subject TO enclose copies, numbered to q
Of the various orders and directions issued from my
office during the period of excitement.
have the honor to be, yery respectfully, your
obcdient servant,
A. D. CROSSMAN, Mayor.
! LoeAN HuSroS, U. S District Attorney.
From Dfr. CrOssmGn 10 The Council Of Municipality
No. 2.
MAYoRALTY or NEW 0sLgANs,
August 20, 1851.
GsNrLEMEs On Thursday last our usually