New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-08-04
THE SPIRIT OF OUR PEOPLE.


From indications already made apparent, it
is certain that the radicals and their hackers
in this city will try to make it appear that the
riots of Monday last were the outbreak OF
! fanatical hatred against the negro race, The
attempt has been made to prove that Union
men. so-called are not safe in the South, and
that Southern people are continually Matching
schemes of violence against the blacks, who,
according to radical ideas, constitute p" the
only loyal population Of the South. If any
testimony were needed to disproye these allie
cations, it would be furnished by the events
Of Monday last. There was great indignation
in the community, it is true but that indig-
nation was not directed against the negroes,
but was the natural resentment of law-abid-
ing people towards set of unprinoipled, am
bilious and vindietiye schemers, who were
plotting to subvert the State authorities, and
to seize possession of the government by
means which in all communities would be
recognized as revolutionary and REASONABLE
Yet, in spite of the proyocation thus given
the people were DESTROYS that no violence
should be used towards these audaeious men
SALtbI eLI1Cg l1LlG u lllb INV. ne
authorities took all practicable measures to
avert collision. The mayor called on Gen.
Baird, first to know if that officer designed to
protect the convention against the operation
of the municipal ordinances, and then for mil
itary aid when it became evident that diff
Guilty must ensue. The State authorities made
similar application to Gen. Baird, and re-
ceived similar answers, to-wit that he, (the
generaI) would not permit the warrants of the
courts against the members of the convention,
to be executed. An agreement was then made
that he should indorse on the warrants his
reasons for this action, in order that an issue
might be made for the Presidents decision.
The sheriff was even instructed not to go near
the Mechanics Institute, with his officers, for
fear Of exciting tumult among the turbulent
crowd of negroes there assembled. The mayor
issued proclamation calling on citizens to
hold aloof from the convention and let affairs
take their course.
But this sort of 4 solution would not satisfy
the conventioners. They wanted riots col
lisions and bloodshed A hundred policemen
could have dispersed the riotous crowd in the
morning, without firing a shot and the ques-
ton at issue could then have been settled by
the courts. But this was not permitted. The
sheriff and his posse could have accomplished
the same purpose /; but this was not allowed.
Fifty white soldiers could have kept the peace
until instructions from Washington might be
forwarded to General Baird but this was not
done. When the riot broke out there was no
time for delay. It was necessary to take ener-.
getic measures and energetic measures were
taken. The riot was totally suppressed before
the military came into the city. It did not
last more than two hours. 1t was limited en-
tirely to the square bounded by Canal, Com
mon, Dryades and Baronne streets. Beyond
this there was no disturbance.
Large crowds of people, both black and
white, were assembled to see what was going
on but no indications of hostility between the
two races were manifested. All over the city
negroes pursued their usual avocations in
peace and quiet. They walked the streets,
or drove their drays, and nobody said harsh
word to them. Negroes in New Orleans, ex-
cept those Immediately engaged in the con
yention riots, were as safe as negroes in Bos-
ton at any time, and far safer than negroes in
New York, during the riots which, from time
to time have afflicted that city. During the
draft riots in New York in 1868, negro could
not show his face in the streets without being
attacked, beaten, killed. Innocent negroes
men, women and children-were hunted from
their homes by an excited and malignant pop
ulaee orphan asylums, churches and private
belonging to negroes, were burned
to the ground,
Nothing of that kind happened in New Or
leans, and this fact shows that, among our
people, there is no animosity against the
blacks. The Southern people are the best
friends the negro can have They do not try
to allure him into vicious idleness to fill his
mind with notions of impossible
equality; to excite him to hatred Of the society
in which he lives, and to rebellion against the
constituted authorities; but they sympathize
with him in sickness or distress they lib
orally requite his labor they wish to educate
and improve him morally and mentally, and
to make him, as a decent and respectable mem
Der of the community, finally fit to exercise
such privileges as may judiciously be bestowed
On him.
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