The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-08-13

corner Of Canal and Dryades streets, it was
received with insults and jeers, which brought
on collision. A shot was fired, but the iiia'-
ter ended in nothing serious.
The next act of violence was the arrest =,
colored man by policeman IN IronI " Ine
Institute, but for what offence am unap,e 10
say. The crowd of colored persons assembled
naturally became excited on .n,s 9 occasion, tne
same as a body of white men unQer the same
circumstances Some Of the crowd took the
side of the policeman, and others that of the
prisoner ~
the testimony going to show that it was done
by one of the colored crowd. 1t was answer
ed by several shots from crowd of policemen
a. the corner, and followed up by rapid firing
by the crowds of blacks, who returned the fire
as fast as they could, but being overpowered,
they were driven from the street, and took
shelter in the Mechanics Institute.
Ii the object of the police was simply to
preserve the public peace, why did not they,
after the men had taken refuge, retire to their
original positions at the carner of the street,
which effectually cut off egress from the
'front.', and, placing guard to watch the rear
OF the building, await the arrival of the mill
tary, who were known to be on their way
Their only reason for their course is, it did
not suit their purpose. They accordingly ad
sieged it on all sides. Every negro who at
tempted 20 escape was murdered. ma
Growing the climax of these murderous
and bloody acts it is well known that when
the white flag was hung out as atoken of sur
render, the police arrested the members of the
convention, and other white citizens, and
brought them into the streets where the most
prominent ofthose holding Union sentiments
were shot, stabbed and beaten while in custo-
IN ftln L II
the city. Why did not the Mayor or his
chief of police, station a guard al the door and
forbid any person from entering, and then
await the arrival Of the military 2 By this
means the last and most deliberate and horri-
BILE phase Of this bloody tragedy would have
been avoided. 1t is also notorious that the
police failed to arrest, or attempt to arrest
even one of the riotous citizens who, accord
ing to their oft repeated staten eats were con-
tinually attacking, wounding and killing per-
sons who had surrendered and were in their
custody. s4 is
think that have fully shown that it was
the design of those opposed to the convention
70 break it up by force The inference to be
drawn from the letter of the Mayor is, that
such course was resolved upon; and the
massing of the police, and their willingness to
rush into the fight, / think fully establishes
the fact that the cause of this exhibition of VII
Olence and MOB law must be traced further
back. 1t is the embers of the fire ofthe rebel
lious feeling which plunged this country into
desolating civil war, and the fame is not
yet extinguished in the breasts Of the former
slave-holding aristocracy.
Having failed in their first attempts to de.
stroy the government, they seek to retain po-
litical power by the same spirit OF political vi
olence by which their chiefs had sustained
their supremacy before the war.
CONCLUSIONS.
My deliberate conclusion is, that if the mill
tary forces be withdrawn the lives of the I'm
ion men who proved themselves conspicuous
in maintaining their allegiance will not be
safe.
/ The ultimate security, both of the govern
ment and Union men of the South depend, in
my opinion, ON the ratification of the Consti-
tutional amendment proposed by Congress
and the enfranchisement of the loyal black
man as he becomes educated and qualified fol-
that important privilege.
II the advocacy of these measures identifies
me with the radical party in opposition to the
President, must accept the situation. Be
sides, can't change my position in respect to
my feelings-I deem it necessary to preserve
and perpetuate the Union.
IS aod .ata j. MADISON WELLS,
aeitDh ~ Governor OF Louisiana.