The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-08-10

sooner they steer for it the better. The annex
alton of Canada Is a matter Of Indifference to
us, but it may be question Of vital Importance
to the Canadians
Governor Wells, Of Louisiana, on the New
Orleans Riots.
The Governor CT Louisiana, who reached his
present position by being elected Lieutenant
Governor under the military administration of
General B,nks in that State, has issued an adj
dress which has highly elated the radicals.
Having been elected on the ticket with Mr..
Hahn to the position of Lieutenant Governor,
he succeeded to the position of Governor in
March, 1865, by the resignation Of the former,
who had in the meantime been elected to the
United States Senate. Thus, obtaining his POI
siion through the Convention movement of
1864, he now comes forward with a long ad-
dress In its defence, in order that the radicals
pioneering document to circulate during the fall
campaign. He commences with brief sketch
of the election in 1864, and then describes
some of the events that have taken place there
since the close Of the war. But he fails TO
throw my light upon his own serious mis-
management in 1866, which he found 1t neces-
sary to come to Washington and explain to
prevent his removal. Nor does he info rm the
public how It was that he oame very near
plunging the city Of New Orleans into riot at
that time. He may have forgotten that he
hung around the Executive Mansion at Wash
ing,on in 1865 for weeks, seeking an opportu-
nifty TO explain away the odium which his
course had thrown around the Union cause n
that State, but the public have not All this
he evades for the purpose of trying to show
that the late riot was preconcerted plot on tho
part Of the late rebels.
We agree with Governor Wells that the late
riot was preconcertcd plot, but the plot orig
mated With the parties whom he tries to de-
fend, and was instigated by the radicals in Con-
Der Of Congress fully testify. It was conceded
In the rooms Of one Of the principal hotels in
Washington, occupied during portion Of last
winter by members of the radical Convention
which Governor Wells now comes forward and
endorses Ii is no secret that while these men
were in Washington they were in constant
collision with tie radicals. and that they also
openly stated Just before their departure for
New Orleans that the public would soon be
startled with bloody scene, in that city
which would destroy all hopes for the success
of Johnson's policy. These statements were
made under such circumstances and in such
manner that it left but one inference, and that
was that they intended to stir Up an insurrec-
ton and compel the white population of New
Orleans to commit some act that would assist
the radical programme. These facts are still
further borne out by the speeches Of some Of
the same men ct the negro meeting on the
Friday previous to the riots. Yet in the face of
all these facts Governor Wells charges that the
riot was the result Of letter Of Mayor Monroe
to General Baird, which he tries in vain to
prove was the signal agreed upon by the rebel
consplrators. In one point, however, he dam
ages the radical account Of these riots by
charging that there would not have been a
riot II the police had only been stationed
around the hall where the Convention was
sitting. Now, the radical papers have all along
been asserting that the city police were The FIRST
to attack the Convention, and commenced the
riot then, when the negroes rallied to the
defence Of the Convention. But IL seems that
all this is false, and that the police were else
where trying to maintain order and quell the
disturbance caused by the demonstration Of
the negroes. This discrepancy between the |
effort Of Governor Wells to throw the respon-
sibibillty Of the occurrences of from the Con-
vention, and the statements made by the radi- |
cal papers, Is somewhat damaging to both
From these conflicting statements the public |
will be more than ever convinced that the |
radical conventionists are alone responsible |
for the deeds Of violence and that through some |
mishap in the execution OF their programme |
OF arrangements they got more than they bar
gained Tor. Taking II altogether, this address
Of Governor Wells, In view Of the charges and |
already made by the radical
press, will do the radical causc more harm
than good. Governor Wells should have read
the statements Of his radical friends before
writing his address. and thus have been able to
make his story tally with theirs. Az Il Is, they
clash in the most essential point In showing
who is responsible, and confirm our former
sta dement's that the whole thing Is conspiracy
Of the radicals for political effect.
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