New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-08-25
THE CONVENTIONERS "POLITICAL AGITA
TORS AND BAD MEN"
GOVERNOR WELLS VAC!LLATlNG AND "HAS SHOWN
LITTLE OF THE MAN"

WASHINGTON, August 24.-The official cores
pondence concerning the riot in New Orleans,
including all the dispatches to and from the
President and other official documents will be
published tomorrow. 1t is given to the press by
authority in order that full understanding of the
Presidents course and position on that matter
may be arrivedat.
Sheridan, under date of August I'd, says:
From all the Information / can obtain of the
affair, the more re7olting it becomes. 1t was no
riot; it was an absolute massacre by the police,
which was not excalled in murderous cruelty by
that of Fort Pillow. 1t was murder which the
mayor and police Of the city perpetrated, with
out the shadow of necessity. Furthermore, be
lieve it was premeditated, and every indication
points to this. recommend the removing of this
bad man, Mayor Monroe. believe it would be
hailed with the siRcerest qualification by two
thirds of the population of the city. There has
been feeling of insecurity on the part of the
people here on account of this man, which is now
so much increased tlat the safety of life and prop
erty does not rest with the civil authorities, but
with the military
The President asked various questions of sher.-
| dan, among them: Was not the assembling of
this convention and gathering Of the mob for its
protection the main cause of the riotous and un.
lawful procee dings G the civil authorities of New
Orleans, and whether ample justice can be metcd
by the civil authosities towards all offenders
against the law!'
Sheridan replies under date of Augusta: "The
| immediate cause of tlis terrible affair was the
assemblage of the convention. The remote cause
was the bitter and antsgonistic feeling which has
been growing in this community since the advent
of the present mayor, Who, on the organization o.
the police force, selected many desperate men
and some of them known murderers. People o.
clear views were overRWed by want of confidence
in the mayor and fear of the thugs, many of whom
he had selected for hspolce force 1t is useless tC
attempt to disguise the hostility that exists on thu
part of great many here towards Northern
men, and this unfortunate affair has SO precipi
tated matters that there is now doubt of wha
shall be the status of the Northern men-whethe
they can live here without being in constant drea
or not; whether they can be protected in life AM
property, and have justice in the courts
As to whether the civil authorities ca
mete out ample justice to the guilt
parties of both sides, l must say it
my opinio8 unequivocally, they canno
Judge Abelf sFhoss course Ihaye closely watche
for nearly a8eai 4 now consider one of the mo
e dangerous ben that we have here to the peat
n and quiet SGflie city. The leading men of IL
a convention, & King Cutler, Hahn and other
+ have besh polisica4a gitators and are bad men.
regret to say easeco1rse Of Gov. Wells has bee
vacillating, and that during the. late troubles
. has shown little of the man.
r Secretary Stanton; Aug. 7, addressing Sherida
e states: "On the esd instant instructions were sci
you by General Grant, in conformity with tt
Presidents directions authorizing you to continr
=, to enforce martial law SO far as might be neee
d sary to preserve the public peace, and orderil
you not to allow any of the civil authorities to az
n if you deemed such action dangerous to the pub
safety; and also that no time be lost in investig
or ting the causes thatled to the riot and facts in &C
necton Herewith. By the instructions the Preside
On deigned to vest in you, as chief military co
mander, full authority for the maintenance of t
public peace and safety, he does not see that al
d. thing more is needed pending the Investigate
d. with which you are intrusted; but, if, in "
Judgment, your powers are inadequate to presel
a the peace, until the facts of the riot are iasc
mt tanned you will please reportito this depart'r
SIC ,ie for the information of the President"
he The correspondence is concluded by che lie
Of Mayor Monroe, Lieut.. Gov. Yo'Jrhies