Litchfield enquirer., 1866-08-09
REPORT ON THE MEMPHIS RIOTS

appointed to investigate the Memphis riots was made tothe House of Representatives July ninth. it was signed by Messrs Washburne and Broomall MT. Shanklin dissented.
 The Committee report that the disturbances began with collision between some police
 men and discharged colored soldiers, which was seized upon as pretext for an organized and bloody massacre of the cOlored people of Memphis regardless of age, sex or condition. inspired by the teachings of the press and led on by the sworn officers of the law, comprising the city government and others. The evidence discloses the killing of men, women and child ren the innocent, unarmed and defenceless pleading for their lives and crying for mercy the wounding, beating and maltreating of a still greater number burning, pillaging and robbing tho consuming of dead bodies in the flames. the burning of dwellings, the attempts to burn up whole families in their houses, and the bru- tai and revolting ravisbng of defenceless and terror-stricken women The report gives a circumstantial account of the commencement of the difficulties, the renewal of the disturban- ces. the shooting of negroes, brutal murders, what the riot was, the cowardice of the mob, the burning of Lincoln chapel, and other fea- lures of the mob. and recapitulates the num- Der of colo.ed people killed at 46, whites. 2 |; wounded, 75 {; rapes on c0iored women. 3; maltreated, 10; robberies, 100; houses and cub
 ins burned, 9l churches. 4; school-houses, :2; value of property destroyed $l3O,9sl.
 The committee say that from the testimony taken, from personal observation and what they could learn in regard to the feeling in Mem phis and indeed through tha: entire section of the country. they are of opinion that there is little loyalty to the government and flag. The oto nfkh g., nt as it was before the breaking out of the rebel lion many ot the same newspapers published
 then are published now and by many of the rebel armies fighting for the overthrow of the government. Protesting to accept the situa
 tion. they seem inspired with as deadly hatred against the government as ever, and are gull ty of the same incitation to violence, persecu- ton, and oppression toward the men holding opinions obnoxious to them, that they were to- ward the men who were well disposed toward the Union in l961. 'a d
 The committee say deliberately, that iH their judgment there will be no safety to loy- al men either white or black, should the troops be withdrawn and no military protection az forded. They believe that the riots and mas sacres of Memphis are only specimen of what would take place throughout the entire South should the government fail to afford adequate military protection. Indeed, the committee believe the sentiment of the South which they observed is not a sentiment of full acquies- cence in the results of the war, but that there is among them lingering hope that their fay orite doctrine of secesslen may yet be vindics : ted. They believe in the principle and doe trine of secession the same as ever. Though they have been beaten by arms, they assert and maintain that the principle is the same, and hope for it's vindication hereafter in some way. lp view of the fact that. the state of public
 sentiment is such in Memphis that it is con csded that no punishment whasevsf can bs neted oct to the perpetrators of thess outra- ees by the civil authorities and in visv of the further fact that the city authorities repu- diate any liability for the property, both gov erament and individual, destroyed bg the mob, the committee believe it tobe the duty of the government to arrest. try and punish tho of- lenders by military authority, and a(so by the same authority levy tax upon the eihzsns oi