The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1866-08-16

gress. - 4
When1 convened the Legislature in
extra session, in November 1855, to re-
store the credit of the State, they were
more intent on calling a convention to
change the Constitution of 1864 than to
promote the general interests of the
people. Their objection to that consti-
tuition were the character of the men
who formed ii and the abolition Of slave
ry. Having failed they tried again at
the regular session and only abandoned
the measure on the advice Of the Presi-
dent. | opposed the calling OF new
make constitution less in harmony
with the views Of the President and
Congress than that Of 1854. / urged my
views on the legislature, but they had
no effect on the majority. had reason
to fear the choice OF men who have serv-
ed In the rebel army or lived IN the con-
federate lines. saw that such q result
would be remarked by the loyal States
as showing defiant spirit, and ~ still
glorying in cause that had been pur-
chased by them with such fearful loss of
life and expenditures of treasure. With
the numerous and repeated evidences of
the continuing Of an intolerant and re-
bellious spirit, and manifestation Of Pr
fortunes Of the Confederacy, and with a
press almost unanimously expressing
sentiments Of the same tenor, is 1t q
matter of surprise that I should pause
| and commence to reflect on the conse-
| quence as regards the future security Of
| the Government and the fate of the
Union men in the South, if these men
who once attempted to break up the
! Union succeeded in securing power in
the nation again. l had seen that, while
protesting with their lips renewed allie
glance to the flag, aud obligation of the
past that embodied the pacific policy Of
the President, they were becoming AFRO
CANT, intolerant and dictatoral. They
glory in the apparent schism betwetn
the President and Congress in the poll
| cy OF restoring the States lately in rebeii-
ion, aud rub their hands with delight
at the idea Of civil war In the loyal
States. = ra",
In view Of all this array of strong, stub
born facts, | own, my views of the con-
ciliatory policy, in turning back to allie
giance these who have been engaged in
a war to destroy the Union, have under
gone u change. The intolerant spirit
engendered BY slavery still exists. Loss
of property and failure Of hopes can new
er be forgiven, and though i regard
them as impOtent to resist the cOnstitu-
ted authority enforced by the presence
i of the military, yet am convinced they
would renew the rebellion tomorrow If
they saw prospect Ofsuccess. ssE3E
4 Impressed with the truth Of these
views and seeing the Necessity of prO-
tecting Union men by passing the Con-
stitutiOnal amendment and realizing
that the legislature would not pass it, l
was in favor of the reassembling of the
Convention of 1864 to ratify the amend
ment and thus secure the admission of
| our Representatives in Congress.
He then proceeds to show that the
| Convention was not packed and that he
made provision for the election of dele
gates from those parishes not represent
ed in 1854 a. os
For the purpose Of maintaining the
power TN their own hands the rebels de-
termined to break up the Convention of
1854. The letter Of Mayor Monroe to
General Baird, accompanying this COM
munication, IL proof that it was the de-
termination, II every other means failed, |
to resort to force. Everything was ar
ranged on Sunday preparatory to that |
purpose. The police received orders,
and on Monday they were in large num-
bers at the cerner of Canal and Dryades
streets, each having one or more revolv-
ers on his person. Why were they there
except to commit violence? Admitting
that the blacks assembled for the protec-
ton Of the convention, what occasion
was there for alarm unless it was deter
mined to assault that body? 1t appears |
from the massihg of the police that it
was the design to break up the conven-
ton. For the purpose Of making a be-
ginning, a procession OF blacks, on it's
way to the place Of holding the conven-
ton, was insulted and jeered at, until a
collision was brought on. The next act
was the arrest of a black man, for what
offence know not. This brought on a
collision which, resulted in driving the
blacks into the building occupied bv the
convention. If the object of the police
was simply to preserve the public peace,
| why did they not, after the men had
taken refuge in the Institute, retire to
their original position at the corner of
i the street, which cffectualiy cut off
egress from the front, and placing a
guard to watch the rear of the building,
await the arrival of the military, who
were known to be on the way. Their
only reason for this course is that it did
not suit their purposes. They accord
ingly advanced In front of the building,
& beseiged it on all sides. Every negro
who attempted to escape was murdered.
The browning climax OF these murder
ers, bloody acts is we'll known. When
the white flag was hung out rs rs a to-
ken ofsurrender the police arrested the
members Of the Convention and other
white citizens, brought them into the
street where the most prominent of the
Union gentlemen were shot, stabbed
aud beaten, in custody and presence of
the entire police force of the city. Why
did not the Mayor or his Chief, station
guard at the door then, forbid any per-
son from entering and await the arrival
Of the military. BY this meanse this
last, most deliberate and horrible phase.
of this bloody tragedo would have been
avoided. 1t is also notorious that tho
notorious that the police failed to arrest,
or attempt to arrest even one of the riot
GUS citizens, who, according to their oft
repeated statements, were continually
attacking, wounding and killing per-
n