Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-08-01
THE MEMPHIS RIOTS.
Report of the Investigating Committee.

HEART-RENDING DISCLOSURES.
WAsHINGToN, July 25.-The report
OF the committee appointed to investi-
gate all matters connected with the
Memphis riots and massacres, was
made to the House this evening 1t
is signed by Representatives Wash
burne, Of Illinois, and Broomall, of Pa.
The other Representative, Mr. Shank
lin, OF Kentucky, dissents.
They say the outbreak Of the dis
turbancc resulted from collision be-
tween some policemen and discharged
colored soldiers, and 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 sworn officers
Of the law composing the city govern
ment, and others.
The whole evidence discloses the
killing of men, women and children,
the innocent, unarmed and defence
less, pleading for their lives and crying
for mercy the wounding, beating and
maltreating Of still greater number; =;
burning, piIlaging and robbing; the
consuming Of dead bodies in the flames;
the burning Of dwellings the attempt
to burn up whole families in their
houses, and the brutal and revolving
ravishing of defenseless and terror
stricken women.
The report gives a circumstantial
account OF the commencement of the
difficulties, the renewal of the distur-
Dances, shooting negroes, brutal mur
ders, what the riot was, the coward
ice of the mob, burning of the Lincoln
Chapel, and other features of the mob,
and recapitulates the number of color
ed persons killed at forty-siX, and of
whites two. Wounded, 75 rapes on
cOlored women, 5; maltreated, 10; rob,
| berries, 100; houses ADD cabins burnci,
| 81; churches, t; school houses, 12-
| Value Of property destroyed, Sl39, ,0ol.
The committee say, in their several
conclusions, that from the testimony
taken from personal observation, and
from what they could learn in regard
to the state of feeling in Memphis, and
indeed throughout that entire section
of the country, they are OF opinion
that there is but little loyalty to the
| Government and flag The state of
things in the city of Memphis is very
much now as it was before the break
| ing out of the Rebellion.
Many of the same newspapers pub
lished there then are published now,
and by many Of the same men, men
who, during the war, were in the rebel
armies, fighting for the overthrow OF
the Government. Processing to ac
cept the situation, they seem inspired
with as deadly hatred against the Gov.
ernment as ever, and are guilty Of the
same incitation to violence, persecu-
ton and oppression toward the men
holding opinions obnoxious to them
that were held towards the men who
were we'll disposed toward the Union
in 1861.
They believe in the principle and
doctrine 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 tor
its vindication hereafter in some way
In view of the fact, the state of public
sentiment is such in Memphis that It
is conceded that no punishment what
ever can be meted out to the perpetra-
tors of these outrages by the civil au'
thorities, and in view of the further
fact that the cityrepudiates any habll