The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1866-08-09

The New Orleans Massacre.

Twenty-Five: white men and one hun
dred black men are reported as the dead
of the New Orleans massacre; murdered
for the offense of peaceably assembling in
Convention, to discuss public affairs; the
act being made an offense by the fact of
their having been loyal to the National
Union in the war of rebellion. and con-
tinuing so still. We read of those who
make desolation, and call it peace-so
that which they call peace in the South,
means the determination of loyafmen.-
A hundred and twenty-five loyal men lie
stark upon the streets of New Orleans,
murdered by rebel hands, because they
were loyal to the Union, and they call it
restored loyalty, and a reconstructed
Union. '-
This massacre was not the work of a
mob, suddenly excited, spontaneously ris-
ing up and taking the authorities by sur
prise. 1t was instigated and led on and
protected by the Mayor of New Orleans
and his police. He violently denounced
the Convention as Republican body, and
proclaimed his intention to break it up
and to seize the members. He, did all he
could to excite the passion of the disband-
ed rebels, and to assure them of impuhity
in any violence they might use.
: He tried to get the President to forbid
the military from interfering while he and
his posse attacked the Convention. And
when he failed in this (but partially as it
appears), he issued a proclamation to the
citizens, which, under the presence of ex-
horting them to refrain from attacking
the Convention, was calculated to instigate
them to it. He denounced the Convention
as revolutionary body, and as enemies
to Mr.. Johnson's policy, and he assured
citizohs who were. arming for the massa-
ere of the members, that their delibera-
tions would receive no countehahce from
the President. -
His message was calculated to excite
their bloody purpose, and to promise it
protection. Denouncing peaceable de-
Lucrative assembly as violation of the
laws, fesuffectifg provision of the old
slave code for that purpose, he assured the
rebel citizens that the laws and the civil
government (meahihg his government
would be sustained by the President. 1t
was designed to assure them that there
would be no Interference by the military.
and it TURNED out too true. -.
His police led the attack OH the Conven-
tion, and they are reported as causing the
arrest of negroes on the streets, because
they were being killed. The reports de-
scribe the Convention as..shffoHhded by a
iiiob, while the police were preparing to
storm it, and the members who cattie OUT
were either killed or left for dead. -.
That this massacre should be permitted
by the military commander, after the mott
fieation he had received, is most extraordi-
nary. We fear that it cannot be explained
by mere negligence, but that we shall have
to look beyond this, to the influence ofthe
factthat the superior authority was known
to be hostile to the sentiments of the mer
who composed this Convention, and favor;
able to their enemies. Such crime coult
not have occurred Under the administra
ton of Abraham Lincoln. The conviction
that a different heart controlled the ma
tional military power, gave rise to tina
slaughter of loyal men. We fear that W.
must look to the same Influence that wa
Used to break up the Tennessee Legisla
tulre by unlawful means, and that reward
ed those who engaged in that work of reb
e1 anarchy. ,.. ..-....-. ...-.. ,......
The massacre Of hundred and twenty
five unoffending men is fresh reminde
of the ferocious spirit of The rebellion. I
is the fruit Of the settlement which th
inpfessible Fullerton made in New Or
leans-softly impfessible to rebel blandish
ments, but stolid to the dangers and op
pressiohs of the loyal; a settlement whicl
gave up the loyal blacks to stich tetde
mercies as these, and which made the reb
els triumphant, and the whites, who hal
reconstructed the State Government il
loyalty, outlaws, subject to rebel vehge
aflce.
This murder of a hundred and twenty
five men for no other crime than their ser
vices in restoring the Union, and than tha
color which is the badge of loyalty, is
specimen of perfected reconstruction ufi
der the spirit which now controles it. Thi
carnival of blood is foretaste of the eX
termination which they expect to max
when they shall be restored to the contro
under Mr., Johtisons policy. 1t is the kin
of restoration which is hurried up b.
Presidential vetoes. 1t is the direct conse
dtef1ce of that which Mr.. johnson call
ssmy policy."--Cineinnati Gdsette: