Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1866-08-30
Signed) P. H. SHERIDAN,
Maior-General Commanding
MAJoR-GEN. SHERIDAN TO PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
OFFICE UNITED STATES MILITARY TELEGRAPH.

Major-General Commanding.
MAJoR-GEN SHERIDAN TO PRESIDENT JOHNSON.
OFFICE UNITED STATES MILITARY TELEGRAPH.
The following cypher telegram received
4:3O P, NJ, Aug. 6, 1860, from New-Orleans,
La, II NJ, Aug. 6, 1866:
HIS Ercellency Andre,o johnson, President
of the United States:
have the honor to make the following
reply to your dispatch of Aug. T. A very
large number of the colored people march
ed in procession on Friday night, July 81,
and were addressed from the steps of the
City Hall by Dr. Dostie, Elk Gov Hahn and
others. The speech of Dostie was intem-
perate in language and sentiment. The
speeches of the others, 80 far as | can learn,
were characterized by moderation. have
not given you the words of Dostie's speech,
as the version published was denied, but
from what | have learned of the man, be-
lieve they were Incorporate. The Conven-
ton assembled at - NJ on the 30th, the
timid members absenting themselves be-
cause the one of the general public was
ominous of trouble. | think there were
but about twenty-six members present.
In front of the Mechanics Institute. where
the meeting was held, there was assem-
dren, perhaps eighteen or twenty and in
the Institute a number of colored men prob
ably $50. Among those outside and in
side there might have been pistol in the
procession of every tenth man. About
p. NJ procession of, say from 60 to $50,
colored men marched up Burgundy-street
and crossed Canal-street towards the Con
vention, carrying an American flag These
men has about one pistol to every ten men,
and canes and clubs in addition While
crossing Canal-steet row occurred. There
were many spectators on the streets, and
their manner and tone toward the process
ion unfriendly. A shot was fired, by whom
am not able to state, but believe it to
have been by policeman, at some colored
man in the procession. On arrival at the
front of the Institute there was some
throwing Of brick-bats by both-sides The
police, who had been held we'll in hand,
were vigorously marched to the scene of
disorder The procession entered the In.
stitute with the flag, about six or eight re-
naming outside. A row occurred between
a policeman and one of these colored men,
and shot was again fired by one of the
parties which led to an indiscriminate fire
on the building through the windows by
the policemen This had been going on
for a short time, when a white flag was
displayed from the window of the Institute,
whereupon the firing ceased and the po-
lice rushed into the building. From the
testimony of wounded men and others who
were inside the building the policemen
opened an indiscriminate fire upon the aud
fence until they had emptied their revolv.
ers, when they retired, and those inside
baricaded the doors. The door was broken
III and the firing again commenced, when
many Of the colored and white people
either escaped through the door or were
passed out by the policemen inside, but as
they came out the policemen who formed
the circle nearest the building fired upon
by the citizens that formed the outer circle.
Many of those wounded and taken pris-
oners, and othe rs who were prisoners and
not wounded, were fired upon by their cap
tors and by citizens. The wounded were
stabbed while lying on the ground, and
their heads beaten with brick bats In the
yard of the building, whittier some of the
colored men had escaped and partially Sc
creted themselves, they were fired upon
and killed or wounde by policemen Some
men were killed and wounded several
squares from the scene. Members of the
Convention were wounded by the police
men while in their hands as prisoners some
of them mortally.
The Immediate cause of this terrible af-
fair was the assembling Of this Convention.
The remote cause was the bitter and an
tagonist feeling which has been growing
present Mayor, who, in the organization of
his police force, selected many desperate
men, and some of them known murderers.
People of clear views were overawed by
want of confidence in the Mayor and fear
of the Thugs" many of whom he had Sc.
lected for his police force. l have fire.
quently been applied to by prominent cit
liens on this subject, and have heard them
express fear and want of confidence in May
or Monroe ever since the intimation of this
last Convention. | must condemn the
course of several of the city papers for sup
porting, by their articles, the bitter feeling
OF bad men. AS to the merciles manner in
which the Convention was broken up feel
obliged to confess strong repugnances. 1t
is useless to attempt to disguise the hos
tility that exists on the part of great
many here toward Northern men and
this unfortunate affair has so precipitated
matters that there is now test of what
shall be the status of Northern men wheth-
er they can live here without being in con-
stant dread or not whether they can be
protected in life and property, and have
justice in the courts. If this matter is
permitted to pass over without a thorough
and determined prosecution of those en-
gagged in it, we may look out for frequent
scenes of the same kind not only here, but
in other places. No steps have as yet
been taken by the civil authorities to ar
rest citizens who were engaged in this
massacre, or policemen who perpetrated
such cruelties. The members of the Con-
vention have been indicted by the Grand
Jury, and many of them arrested and held
To bail As tn whathar tho civil author;