The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-08-22

allow the execution thereof, and would for
ward the whole matter to the President Of
the United States for direct and specific
instructions in the premises. In the mean
while the Convention was to remain undis-
turbod, and in order to secure peace and
quiet small military force was to be- used
in conjunction with some Of the police. 1t
is evident to this Grand Jury, that in pur
suance to this arrangement the municipal
authorities sedulodsly and carefully avoided
everything that could lead to collision be-
tween the police and the armed negro force
assembled for the protection Of the usnr-
ping Convention. 1t appears that in fur
therance of these pacific views, at the re-
quest ofa number of respectable citizens,
the Mayor issued proclamation calling on
citizens so to behoove themselves as to
avert all danger Of riot and difficulty, which
they appear TO have needed, as evidence by
the uninterrupted passage through their
midst, OF the noisy turbulent, menacing and
insulting procession Of armed negroes on
their way to the place Of the assemblage Of
the Convention.
The military force promised to assist in
maintaining order, from some cause or other
was not forthcoming fact much to be
lamented, as there can be no doubt its time
y arrival could easily have averted all dis
turbance, and the dreadfully bloody scenes
OF the day would thereby have been avoided.
The military never did arrive until the riot
was entirely quelled by thepolice. The EVIL
dence shows that the conflict. which termi-
mated SO fatally to themselves, was begun
by the negroes in front Of the place, where
the Convention sat. After the first attack,
the negroes fell back, and many of them
taking cover in the Mechanics Institute,
the fight was continued by them from the
building, and the police force and some per-
sons in citizens clothes. 1t is needless to
go into the details of the struggle--they will
be found in the accompanying testimony;
suffice it to say, the police succeeded in ar
resting many persons white and buck
who were placed in confinement, and in en-
tirely quelling the riot There appears to
have been some unnecessary sacrifice OF
life, and some unnecessary ferocity and
brutality in the closing scenes of this lamen-
table tragedy, by persons in the crowd, I'M
til now unidentified Some of these persons
were arrested by order Of the Mayor and
Chief Of Police, but were all, together with
all the other persons arrested by the police
at the time Of the riot, discharged, as far as
we have been informed, without examine
ton, by the military authorities, who had
on the evening of the Both Of July taken
possession Of the city by virtue ola declara-
ton of martial law; hence the impossibility
of identifying parties engaged in the riot, as
well as those who were guilty of unneccs-
sary cruelty in attempting to suppress it.
The evidence is all concurrent to the fact
that the police, with few exceptions, and
these not identified, behaved with humani-
ty, used no unnecessary violence towards
the rioters, and protected persons arrested
by them, in many instances, at the risks of
their own lives.
One fact connected with this unfortunate
affair we would leave untold, did we deem
its suppression consistent with the full and
faithful discharge Of our duty to the public.
1t is the course pursued by j. Madison
Wells, the Governor ofthe State. We find
him cooperating with the usurping conven-
ton for the purpose ofdestroying the govern
ment under which be holds his power and
position.
We find him on the day of this disastrous
riot in his Office, in the same building where
the unlawful assembly was held, where he
remains until very short time before the
rioting began. On leaving his Office he had
to pass through the mob of armed negroes
assembled to sustain the usurpers. He
must have known the evident danger of rio.
and bloodshed, yet not one word have we
heard from him. the sworn protector of the
laws, to prevent the impending consequent
ces Of the threatened trouble, evidences of
which were all around him. The first
thing we hear from his Excellency is pub
lished manifesto, in which lie attempts to
Justify his giving aid and comfort to the
usurpers, and villiies and ISLANDERS the peo-
pie who have elevated him to his present
position.
The testimony before the Grand Jury
shows that the feeling Of the people of the
city is one sympathy for the unfortunate
colored people who have fallen the deluded
victims to the lawless ambition for place
and power of bad and INSCRIPTIONS white
men, whose great interest in the welfare of
the blacks is all feigned for the purpose of
accomplishing their own nefarious ends.
To the colored people, as class, there is
no hostility. On the contrary, there is a
disposition entertained very generally to see
that even handed and impartial justice is
done to them in every respect.
In conclusion, as those troubles have
been brought amongst us by political trick
sters, in an attempt to deprive US Of our
proper participation in our own government,
and as the events Of the both Of July are
sought to be tortured and misrepresented
to our injury, we deem it our strong con-
viction that the people of New Orleans
have, in good faith, renewed their obliga-
tions to the Government of the States, and
are now in the fullest sense loyal to the
Constitution and Union.
FRANCIS RAWLE, Foreman.
L. CHARBoNNET, B. P. VOORHEES,,
PHILIP POWER Jr., G. w. HOPKINS;
JoHN r. CONWAY, VICTOR j. FoRsrALL,
j. VIoscA, ANTHONY PRADos Jr.,
ISAAC n. Phillips, CHARLES RouyER,
S. 3. FRosT, H. B. FLORES,
VICTOR DAVID, HENRY AUBERT,
j. G. V1ENNE.
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i MANIFESTATION in late letter. re.
CARDS Maryland as gone from the radicals
That delectable individual says: