Litchfield enquirer., 1866-10-11
New Orleans Massacre.

'gn:rsg New Orleans Massacre. e9ai aa We have, Ut last, the report of the Militia ,ry Commission appointed to investigate into the causes of the New Orleans riots and the affair turns out on the evidence to have been
 even aDre hideous than has been heretofore rep resented. Neither does the compromised rep utationi of President Johnson, gain anything !, we are sorry to say, by this report. When Gen Baird objected to the Mayors pro
 posed arrest of!the members of the convention q criminals he promised, say the board" ito tele graph to Washington for instructions. He
 does so telegraph and receives no answer. The other party telegraph and are answered that the military will be expected to sustain the
 Courts." :" @This dispatch the civil authorities
 interpfetto mean that Gen Baird is not to pre- vent the arrests, Gen Bairds objections are not removed and it is agreed that the Conven-
 ion, shall mee. unmolested asd that on the
 Sherif's warrant, Gen Baird shall endorse bis objections and forward the papers to Wash
 ington," " ,g' Had he brought up the troops and
 stationed them about the building the riot
 would have besn prevented. but this course would have been complained of as uncalled for
 usurpation, would have been cons trued into taking .fsides with the convention, and in Gen Baird . opinion s0ould not haoe received the
 approual ef his superiors." The failure of the
 military, therefore, to arrive iu season to queli the riot and save fifty lives, lies at the door of President Johnson. "
 @n Mayor Monroe in the meantime laid his plane for the massacre of the Convention with diabolical skill. His proclamation, the charge tof Judge Abell to the Grand Jury. and the ex- ,sggerated, incorrect reports of the universal auffrage meeting of Friday, had excited the
 people of New Orleans to such degree that
 even "ladies advocated the killing of the lead 3 ers Dostie, and Henderson, in their houses. 2
 iGtBy preconcerted arrangement, as appears; Ihe. withdrew all the police from the streets. Tmassed and armed them, and held them in
 readiness to go to the assistance of the mob the bringing procession of negroes to the Hall gave an occasion and pretext for the pre- .meditated attack :" bands of Confederate sol disrs, wearing their old or other distinguish
 ing badges, "cSme by some prearranged pur Q pose to, the attack" At little before one 2 signal of l2 strokes was struck on the city fire
 bells it was not signal ever used as a fire alarm, and the Chief Engineer swears that it was preconcerted. No sooner had the
 mob fairly commenced it's attack than the DO.
 lice force was sentin a body to it's assistance, 7 ssnd "the work of massacre was pursued with
 . cowardly ferocity unsurpassed in the annals 'aof crimes The Board considers it establish
 a beyond ! shadow of doubt that except the two or three pistols in the hands of the process : sion of negroes the beseiged party was totally ! unarmed. "e Over thirty negroes were shot : dead without killing one of their assailants ], the :onls riatsr killed absing supposed to have received . stray shot from his own party" N
 sS'NM Mayor Munioe and his police are as expert
 at perjury as at murder, according to the re- |, port He sweals, that he repeatedly asked s Gen Baird. for assistance, before the Conven- 'etton net, which, according to the evidence ol
 his own friends, is . lie; and his policemen j swear that they never in any instance made the first attack on the negroes, and even deny { having beer, armed at all, statements which iothsl Board fnd on overwhelming testimony to Sbs rank perjury. The Mayors case is thus sssunapsd ss hp by the court: Although prevailed son to issue proclamation commanding the
 peace, Mayor Munroe well knew that before
 the excited passions of the mob, it would be qss barrier of straw 10 fire that no troops :: Ind been asked for, and without the presence Of police violence. was inevitable. When
 therefore, he withdrew and massed his armed
 police, and on the breaking out of the riot yprscipitated them upon the scene, the Board
 sss sohpelled to conclude that he knew vha, ,ftheir action would be, and that he intended lsheinsvihbls cousequences of his own acts ,
 The Board further say that many of the
 murdersrs can be clearly identified, but that Is s'stthe inposaibilityof bringing such criminals 'steiustice under the civil government as it now
 exists. would be in their opinion, universally
 acknowledged by this community" They say ,,ir ID conclusion, that Northern and Union men o ass sply sate in life and property suAile tAey $ fefnasas rom csoiniag freedom of speech eysl!
 esrnsng saSecss on achich, Jake saat ot sSyave- ,.'a Y Ssfogs As ,oar, 10 d.6sreace of opinion, ytosEh duty of the North uo der such ,I stata If 3 dasts cannot be doubtful Our Southern frienda
 whiss or black must be guarantied their Cons.
 titutio1al rigbt of assembling together for the diacussd'on Of any or all political questions. P | Southern ishellion is not ended till this rich, z | conceded. a0n this point we had bor. d
 there would be no division here 1; if there bae X besnaa itsle manlipess in the Democrat.
 pfssSyi # their cry for free speech had bsel
 t