The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-03
President Johnson and the Massacre.

President Johnson and the Massacre.
From he Tribune.
We are beginning to understand more fully
the recent massacre in New Orleans and the
causes preceding it. The more evidence we
accumulate the more we are convinced of the
Justice of the judgment that the President must
be held directly responsible for all that has been
done In New Orleans. He engendered the spirit
which broke forth in riot, murdered loyalists,
and finally raised the Confederate flag. "About
forty persons have been killed, and large
number wounded, nearly all being friendly to
the Convention ~ This is the result OF the
Presidents policy in Louisiana, and we regard it
as fitting sequel to the result OF that policy in
Tennessee, where tae military authorities are
prevented from punishtng the authors of the
massacre in Memphis. Memphis unavenged
and unpunshed, Is htly followed by New Or.
leans.
The President began his work of interference
July Il, when he asked Governor Wells to
inform him under and by what authority the
Convention had been called, and also under
what authority it assumed to represent the State
of Louisiana. This was before the massacre.
Governor Wells was Governor of Louisiana, and,
according to the Presidents frequently pro-
clslmCd theories, as much sovereign In MS
way as the President himself The menace TO
Governor Wells was as much a usupatlon as
Though the President were to address letter to
Governor Fenton to know under and by what
authority he summoned the state Legislature.
Governor Wells dsobeyed the President, and
issued his proclamation for elections to be held
TO choose delegates to the Convention to
fill vacancies, all that he could do by the
letter of the law. Thereupon, July 28, the
Attorney General and the Lieutenant Governor
unwilling to obey the law or TO permit the
matter to go to the courts TO test its cOnstitu-
tionaIty = again telegraphed the President
stating that a riot was feared; that the Governor
was guilty of the horrible crime of "being in
league with the Republicans" that it was in
tended to indict the members by grand Jury, and
asking whether the President would interfere
with the Indictment. To which, July Is, the
President replied that ''the military will be ex-
pected to sustain and not ObstruCt or interfere
with the proceedings OF the courts" In other
words, 60 ahead, gentlemen: indiCt or what
you please; no soldiers shall molest you" This
was on Saturday Mayor Monroe proclaimed
his purpose to suppress the Convention. He
summoned poliCemen-poliCemen, be it kno Wn,
who were selected for their vaor IN Rebel
armies. This police force and the mob acted
together with bloody harmony, and did the work
OF suppression thoroughly.
When the Convention assembled. the Presi-
dent issued his order to Mr.. Heron, a member
of Governor Wells Cabinet. In the first place,
that order deposed Governor Wells for not obey
ing the President. In the second place, it
placed General Sheridan under the control of
State officer. In the third place, its language
was not that OF a calm executive officer, per.
forming solemn ministerial duty, but of vio-
lent, angry man, speaking to angry people.
''Usurpaton will not be tolerated !n-"the peo-
pie must be first corsulted"-all 'illegal or
unlawful assemblies" must be suppressed! Let
at be remembered that these words were written
10 community of Rebels, to men who were
seething with anger and hatred, and who cher
jshed no more darling idea than being permitted
10 gain, in the streets of New Orleans, that
revenge which the valor OF Sherman and Sher-
dan prevented them from gaining in the field.
They in safe majority. TlpV armed.
They were commanded by the Mayor and sus-
aained by the President of the United States
The negroes and loyalists were unarmed and
The soldiers OF the nation were compelled to
ground their muskets and look on at the mas
Racre. The work OF massacre was easy indeed.
1t is impossible to resist the logic of this whole
proceeding. 1t was commenced July 2, by me-
nacing Governor Wells, Governor of 'sove-
reign State;" 1t was continued by deposing him
and, to make the work surer, by placing the
army at the control OF a Rebel officer. II the
President had sent manly despatch to General
Baird-to preserve peace at all hazards, and
protect every loyal man, leaving the Convention
TO be dealt with by the courts and the people,
10 do what was best when peace came, but still
10 make peace-the country would have felt tnat
The affair was merely riot, land suppressed as all
riots should be. But when the country sees in
New Orleans what was seen in Memphis and
Alexandra, direct personal sympathy between
1he President and rioters, can it release the
President from most fearful responsibility
DO we not see this man while clamoring
against usurpation performing himself the
very highest usurpaton when 1t suits his
purpose. He deprecates interfering with
States, and removes a State Governor
He desires reconstruction, and vet when
Tennessee wished to come into the Union
by the only open door he stood in her way. We
very much fear that all these protestations of
respect for principle ana desire for peace and
willingness to trust the people are the mere
words OF a politican-without sincerity and
spoken to deceive. Just as when he called
himself the Moses of the negro, and declared
treason was Odlous, and gave interviews tC
radicals like Kelley and Slearns which made
them trust him, he spoke as a politician for pur
poses of deception. His acts are the Onll
speeches we want. They show a stern, unius
purpose. Andrew Johnson desires to recon
struct this Union in his own way-and to do /
in spite OF every opposition. He means that /
in his power, the South shall again rule tn
councils of this country. He cannot return tn
negro to slavery. but it is his will that the negr
shall never leave 1t. And to do this he goes Il
his work with coarse, unscrupulous energy
with courage and persistency which we rC
spected when he assaled the country's enemies
but which are now the sources of national grie
and humiliation.
President johnson and the New OrIean
Riot.
From ne Times.