Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-09

tion had been called, and also under
what authority it assumed to represent the
State Of Louisiana 2" This was clearly
wrong on the part of the President For
he had no authority to call in question the
act of the Governor III calling Convention
The Governor had been elected by the pco
pie of the State, and if he had acted in-
properly, or Illegally, the authorities of the
State had ample power to try him. But it
was intended to is!.in.idate, or frighten the
Governor from his purpose to favor the
meeting of the Convention, the President
being as much opposed to the la if-t'i n
Of the constitutional amendments, os lie
rebels themselves. Governor Wells how
ever, did not regard this threat Oh tie 2-sh
of July an officer of the federal government
telegraphed to the President, that it was
feared a riot would result from the meeting
of the Convention, or the arrest OF its Eiem-
bers, and whether he would interfer. He
replies by placing the whole civil authority
of the Sstate in the hands Of this officer,
who was a general in the rebel army, and
virtually deposing Governor Wells.
This was the state of affairs when tie
Constitutional Convention met at u O'clock
on the 3lst Of July, only twenty six dele
gates being in attendance, Judge Howell
presiding. The hall when the Convention
met wa, densely crowded with whites and
blacks, but the proceedings were soon az
rested, and the whole broken up by the at
tempt of rebel police to make arrests. The
account of the riot which followed we gave
in our last
The general impression is, that if PrcS-
dent johnson had not interfered, or if he
had only ordered the military TO preserve
the peace there would have been no muir
derous riot
The New York Ecening Post, which is
considered Johnson paper, holds the fol-
lowing language Ill respect to his intcrfer-
ence in New Orleans
Who made The President the j,dgs Of the eleylity of
u State c0arenf0n? When did he hear erideHce 1D-
on the matter? Where does he get his authority for
iuta1eriRg2 By the Constitution, the United
States shall protect each State against invasion,
and on application of the Legislature, or of the
Executive (when the Legislature cannot be con-
vened), against domestic violence" Where was
the ''invasion?" where the domestic violence ?"
where the application of the Legislature or of the
Executive? Where was even the danger to the
,larI
met in hall in New-O Orleans. Was it feared Jy
the H,rdn0uS moi or by Mayor Monroe that these
2G would rise and put the whole order of Things
to the sword?
Suppose the convention illegal; suppose it
had passed an ordinance, no matter to what in
tent-what then? Its orders could have had no
force. II there hdd been doubt up0l their egaljtH
Hey OuLt to haze been taken before the state Co,,3ts
whose province it is to decide such vuestions If
civil government is restored III Louisiana, accord
ing to the Peace Proclamation, If Louisiana is a
State, with constitution, laws officers courts
and judges, then all such matters must be settled
and decided in the State, by the State officers and
by the courts, not by mob.
1t does not escape the attention OF the Union
loving people that every outrage like the New-Or-
leans riot III the Southern States, is done in the
interests Of oppression, and against equal rights
and impartial Justice, by men who were but lately
Jealous and fragrant Rebels, and who continue to
boast of their crimes against the country and the
flag. Whether at Memphis New-Orleans in
Richmond or in Georgia, wherever We hear Of mob
violence, it is the violence the brutal lawlessness
of men lately engaged in an attempt to destroy
the Union and their victims are men, women and
children whose loyalty to the Union was so active
during the war that no history of the war can be
written without recording their courage, fidelity
and sefsacrifce. 1t is not pleasant to Union-lov-
ing people to see the President of the United
States, no matter by what accident or inadyerence
placed in the position of giving encouragement to
such lawlessness, and making less endurable the
sufficiently hard position OF men who, with him,
are hated and reyiled by the late Rebels South
ern lOYaliStSn