Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-08

then ro0C000 Us OF the IeOol IlOs IN NOW Ut
leans, and tho repetition there, with even .
more fendish spirit, of. the murders and pill
loge which marked the Msmphis riot The
facts are these;
The Constitutional Convention which was
elected in Louisiana in 1864, under the direc-
ton OF President, Lincoln, after. drafting
constitution and Submitting it to the people,
psssei resolution authorizing its president
deem best. In pursuance of this resolution
the convention was summoned to meet in
New Orleans on the 3Oth, ult. Gov. Wells,
also in pursuance of this same resolution,
issued writs for an election of delegates in
unrepresented parishes. President johnson
early interfered in the matter, as will be seen
by the following correspondence
"WAR DKPARrx.Nr, July Fl, 1865.
g To HIS Ezcelency Coz. Wells:
Il have been advised that you have issued
proclamation converting the convention
elected in 1854. Please inform me under
and by what authority this has been done,
and by what authority this convention can
assume to represent the whole people Of the
state Of Louisiana. ANDRKw JOHNSON -
REPLY.
STATE OF LOUISIANA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, NEW ORLKANs:2
July %, 1868.
g To His Escelleney Andrea Johnson, Prssi-
dent of The United States:
Your telegram is received. have not
issued any order converting the Convention of
1864. The convention was reoonvened by
the president of that body, BY virtue of reso-
luton authorizing him to do 80, and in that
event for him to call on the proper officers Of
the State to issue writs for election in unrep-
resented parishes. My proclamation was Is
sued in response to that call. As soon as va
cancies can be ascertained they will be filled.
and then the whole State will be represented
in the Convention.
ID. MADISON WELLS, Governor"
Mayor Monroe, the refractory rebel who
was mayor Of New Orleans when Gen. But
Ter occupied the city, on the 18th ultimo
threatened in published letter to dissolve
the convention as an g unlawful assembly. }"
One of the judges in Louisiana made an in
fsmmatory harangue to his grand jury. de-
nouncing the proposed assenbiage, as guilty
either of treason or perjury Every art wss
employed by the rebels to excite the populace
against the convention, and against all those
In the city, white or black, who favored it, or
were suspected of agreeing with Congress re-
spectng reconstruction. The result was what
might have been expected. rebel mob, aid
ed by rebel police, after an assurance from
Washington that President Johnson would
not interfere except In aid of the rioters, as
saulted this convention which had peacefully
assembled. The correspondent of the New
York Times,-a writer not friendly to the
convention-thus describes the riot:
have already forwarded number OF discon-
nected dispatches relative TO to-dsy's fearful
carnage. and now propose TO give you more
connected account. | only write what | can
subetantiate on the best au thority. The Con-
'ention met at IL O'Clock, IS members being
present u Judge r. K. Howell. since missing, IN
the chair. K. KING Butler also missing, moved
an Adjournment OF an hour, during which time
the sergeant at arms was directed to compel
the attendance OF nbsentees.
The Hall was densely packed with freed
men and whites, the former having armed
themselves extensively since their Fridays de-
monstratlons. just after the adjournment
pEOCtSciOu COutbiHiuS dOOut d uQuQItu lEtcO-
men, carrying United States flag and march
ing the streets with martial music, arrived at
the Institute, having had a slight disturbanc
on Cansl-st. At this juncture the merchants
all over the city, fearing the coming. riot,
closed their stores. When the procession en-
tered the building, squad of police followed
and attempted TO make arrests. A scene OF
the widest confusion followed pistols were
fired, clubs and canes were used, and brick
ba Is few In every direction.
The policemen claim that they were merely
attempting to arrest the Canal-st. rioters
above mentioned, but certain it s that they
mounted the platform, where a small body of
the members yet remained, and one of them
presented a. pistol upon their using offensive
language. The policemen were finally driven
out Of The building, leaving inside Gov. Hahn,
Judge Howell, Mr.. De CostIe and other gen
tlemep, with CLARK, attached to the State
Government, beside about fifty freedmen.
Fortunately, Gov. Wells had just left the
building for the purpose of consulting with
Gen. Baird about calling out troops, Gen.
Sheridan being out of town.
The institution used now as the State Cap.
itoi is located in Dryades-st., between Canal
and Common, and when the policemen were
driven out they were met by large BODY Of
freedmen, VINO caused them to fall back to
Csinal-st. Hiring furniture-cart, l used 1t
observatory on Caral-st, looking To-
ward Common through Dryades-st. The po-
licemen rallied and drove the freedmen and
their friends back to Common, and in turn
were driven back to Canal-sr., leaving Dry
AIDES st. perfectly clear of any vestige of hu-
manity except the three bodies OF three dead
freedmen. Up to this time one police officer
had been mortally wounded, one severely, and
others were slightly hurt with clubs and pistol
~. a~aA
in Canal-st., and the crowd of rioters accom-.
panying the police approached the institute
and commenced throwing stones through the
windows and firing pistols at any one they
could see inside the building. At the same
time q detachment Of police attacked the
crowd of freedmen on Common-st and after
sharp firing and wounding several blacks they
drove them away. This gave the police and
the mob which accompanied them full control
of Dryades-st.
A 6re-engine was brought out and placed
in front of the Institute, for what purpose
do not know. Several attempts were made
by the police to enter the building, but they
were repulsed. The ammunition of the mon
in the institute seemed 10 give out about this
time, as they did not fire any more. They at
tempted to escape through the rear of the In
stitute into BarOnne-st., but were met and
either arrested or shot down. They also tried
to escape through an alley which runs from
Dryades to Baronne-st., on the Canal-st., side.
do not know that any freedmen succeeded
In getting away from the building alive, al
though saw several at q distance from it be-
ing marched to Police Headquar ters. l think
that every one who tried to escape from it
was killed, and saw several brought in the
alley above mentioned, and after they fell l
saw crowds of ruf6ns beating them as they
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