Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-08-09
FURTHER p ARTICULARS OF THE GREAT RIOT
Important Order from the Presidenf.


Important Order from the President
/ The public are familiar with the objects and
proceedings of the State Convention of Louisiana,
which assembled in New Orleans on the 9th of
April 1864 ostensibly for the purpose of revising
and amending the Constitution of the State and
after remaining in session two and half months,
almost new Constitution produced, which
was submitted to the people and adopted by the
popular voice.
AZ attempt was made during the present month
by some of the Radical members to revive the
dead Convention, it is called, for the purpose
of ratifying the amendment to the Constitution of
the United States, and the President, Mr.. E. 81.
Durell, was requested to issue proclamation
convoking the body. When the Convention was
first called only portion of the State within
the Union lines and therefore great number of
the parishes were unrepresented. Mr.. Dureil,
taking the ground that when the Convention on
the Odd of June 1864, adjourned it ceased to have
any legal existence, and its members were out OF
office, refused to comply with the demands of the
Radicals. A meeting then called, and Pre-
sident pro te7A appointed, as before stated, who
ISSUED proclamation recOnvOk1ng the dead Con-
vention.
Governor Wells was solicited to issue writs Or
dering elections to nLthe vacancies in the restor
ed parishes, which he consented to do; but fixed
the day of election on the Sd of September next.
There were twenty-one unrepresented parishes in
1864 which were entitled to ffty-two representa-
tives. The radicals, however, determined
to assemble on Monday last; but it is stated it
their intention to adjourn until some day
subsequent to the one appointed for the holding
Of the elections.
There were a number Of the members Of the
Convention of 1864 who coincided in the views
taken by the President and refused to meet with
the radicals. One Mr. J. B. Bromley thought
that good could be accomplished by re-assem-
bling, and he is reported as saying that he went
to New Orleans with Gen. Butler to fight against
the rebels, and that he had no idea now of join
ing in any insane and revolutionary movement--
Another Judge Abel, of New Orleans, not only
refused to join the so-called conspirators, but in
his judicial capacity charged the Grand jury to
the effect that the officer of the State, who en-
deavored to change the government through the
action of the members of that Convention, sub
jected himself to prosecution for perjury. Ike
branded it's members as ''political apostates and
military deserters the meanest and basest ofman-
kind, venal cowardly and treacherous.
The President pro ten,., Mr.. r. r. Howell, Of
the re-assembled Convention, it is stated, had
been on visit to Washington, and had received
gress Immediately upon his return to New Or
leans a call issued for a meeting of citizens
who were in favor of universal suffrage, of the
reconstruction policy of Congress, and of amend
ing the constitution of the State to give equal
rights to all without distinction of color This
meeting was held on Friday night Last, and con-
tributed to add to the excitement which was then
prevailing
The causes which created the disgraceful riot on
Monday last are thus briefly set forth. Bad and
horrfying as it was, the radical journals of this
city were not content with the facts as they came
over the wires, but greatly exaggerated the state.
ments. One of them announced that two hundred
negroes had been killed, and that the hall where
the convention held was literally flooded with
the blood of Union men,, while the simple fact
was that only two Of the members had been seri-
ously wounded, one os whom has since died. An