Litchfield enquirer., 1866-08-09
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 GEORGE A. HICKOx, Editor. Litchfield. Conn. Thursday, Aug g. 1866
The New Orleans Riot.

Litohfield. Conn. Thursday, Aug g. 1866
 The New Orleans Riot,
 The reports concerning this lamcntable af- fair are very conflicting, still there can be no doubt about the main facts
 In the first place the object for, which the Convention of 1864 was reassembled seems to have been this: The men who formed the present constitution of Louisiana finding themselves completely overslaughei by re- turned rebels under the Presidents policy, came together with design of extending the suffrage to the blacks and thus regaining power. We doubt whether any such action was legal or advisable, but with such an as- sembly of men, having the sanction of the ex. ecutive authority of the State, and the appar ent power to reassemble pursuant to the terms of their adjournment, no local authority cer- tainly had any right to interfere
 Such, however, seems not to have been the opinion of the Mayor of New Orleans as will appear from the following letter written five days before the massacre Y.
 MAYoRALrY OF NEw-ORLEANs,
 City Hall, Wednesday, July 25, 1866.
 Breuet Mcj. Gen Bayd, Commanding, etc':i GENERAL.-A body of men, claiming to be members of the Convention of 1864, and whose avowed object is to subvert the municipal and State governments, will, learn, assemble in this city on Monday next. ...a$ The laws and ordinances of the. city, which my oath of office makes obligatory upon me to see faithfully executed, declare all assem- plies calculated to disturb the public peace and tranquility unlawful and, as such to be dispersed by the Mayor, and the participants held responsible for violating the same.
 It is my intention to disperse this unlawful assembly, if found within the corporate limits of the city by arresting the members thereof and hold ding them accountable to existing munich pal law, provided they meet without the sanc- tion of the military authorities.
 will esteem it a favor, General, if, at your earliest convenience, you will inform me whether this projected meeting has your ap- probation, so that may act accordingly.
 l am, General, very respectfully,
 JOHN T. MONROE, Mayor.
 That the views of Mayor Munroe were sub stantially those of President Johnson appears from his despatch on the day of riot ordering the military force "to sustain the civil authorities in suppressing all illegal or unlawful assemblies who usurp or assume to exercise any power or authority without first having obtained the consent of the people of the State."
 The convention met on the day appointed but took a recess as there was not quorum present. At twelve o'clock the fire bells rang and the fremen evidently by concert appeared in fo:ce and fully armed. The riot com nenced by an attack on procession of ne- groes who defended themselves, retiring how ever to position in and around the building in which the Convention was held, and where the parties skirmished till the arrival of the police. This force as Gen Sheridan declares in despatch to Gen Grant "could have made any arrest they saw it without sacrafeing lives" Instead of this, however they commenced murderous onslaught on the negroes, shooting them down without mer- cy or serious resistance. , a, The members of the Convention were un- armed, and their treatment at the hands of the police, though atrocious. was by no means as cruel as that of the egroes. They were neverth eless fired upon, several shot, and Dr. Dostie, the most obnoxious of the number for his liberal views, is reported to have been mortally wounded by policeman while under arrest. ,.,.a. .-f Iu fis-s
 After several hours the military appeared and put stop to the massacre of blacks which seems to have gone on without interruption up to that time. One hundred and sixty are re- ported wounded, forty killed, and two of of the members of the Convention have since died of their wounds. The loss of the mob and police was inoonsiderable.
 The matter is evidently of greater conse- quence than the Democratic papers are willing to admit, and such facts must affect most seri- ously the question of reconstruction. Of the conduct of President Johnson it is difficult to speak temperately. It was such that on the fall of .Dr. Dostie, an unarmed man and the most reliable Unionist in the State, the mob gave three cheers for Andrew Johnson and Jefferson Davis. ... .....l. t,-...t