New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-10-10

hat a small force of troops,would be sent to the |
Mechanics Institute; relied on my proclamation
10 keep at least the white people away. Sen. |
Baird informed me that he would send small de-
of troops, / told him if such was the
ease, the convention might assemble. On the
morning of the assembling, every ten minutes
sent messenger to report to me whether the
military had got there or not. Thiswas about ten
and report that the military had not yet arrived,
as mad been agreed upon between Gen, Baird and
myself.e | informed Gen. Baird on Friday and on
Saturday thatsthis convention was to assemble at
II o. clock on Monday and it would be necessary
to have them there previous to that hour; and he
informed me that he would have a small detach-
ment of white troops on Monday morning, be-
fore the Aourt of IL o'clock. Expecting they
would come, Iallowed no policemento go there"
etc. st4-y
Major. Gen. Baird says:
THE first communication had was letter
from Mayor Monroe ION flel. The next commu-
nication was On Saturday, the 2sths when Mayor
Monroe called upon me and introduced Lieut.
Gov, Voerhies. No request whatever was made
to me for troops at that Interview
The interview is infinitely described by the gen
eral and lieutenant governor. Its object was to
induce the general to allow the arrest of the con-
yertion, The subjectof troops or apprehended
riot was not alluded to. Ii will be observed that
the only essential difference between Lieut.. Gov.
Voerhies and Gen. Baird on this point is as to
which first proposed on Monday the sending of
troops. The agreement is made. VOORHEES, goes
TO the mayor and tells him of it, and the mayor is
pleased to- hear of it.
Mayor Monroe swears that Gen. Baird promised
and agreed to and with him, on Friday and on
Saturday, TO send troops.
Gen. Baird swears that henever 50 promised or
agreed with him or any one, except Lieut.. Coy.
Voofhies, on the morning ofthe riot.
Comp also the testimony Of Mayor Monroe
and Gen. Heron; in regard to the meeting inthe
mayors parlor, and the employment Of police and
military. H a.
See also. the testimony of Chief Of Police Adams
who details the instructions he received from the
reasons therefor, but in which appears no word Of
illusion to expected military aid. This testimony
was given before that of Mayor Monroe.
Surprising Gen. Baird and Mayor Monroe'to be
Of equal cTedibility under path, the testimony Of
Iient- Gov. VOORHEES, and Chief Of Police Adams is
sufficient to indicate on WhicAsd the false swear
| ing lies
| Let us now consider little further evidence
bearing upon General Baird's action in regard to
| the troops. 4ps,
The civil authorities propose to dsperse and
arresttthe convention, first, by the city police,
nextsby the sheriff y posse, and request the mill
,tary not TO interfere. General Baird telegraphs
at once for Instructions. He receives no answer.
The civil authorities receive dispatch, which
| they interpret to mean that Gen. Baird is not to
prevent the arrests. Gen. Baird's objections are
net removed, and it is agreed that the convention
shall mol meet QfflOlesIeQ; ana IiaG On lle sneTlu s
4 warrant, Gen. Baird shall indorse his objections
| and forward the papers.to Washington. So far
no application for troops, or desire for military
assistance is made or limited at by the civil author
4 tiles. ButGen Baird thinks it prudent to have on
that day water TRANSPORTATION in instant readiness
| to bring up the troops if required. Had he, with
out the slightest request from the civil authorities
orintimation that they were netamply competentto
keep the peaee--had he brought up the troops
and stationed them around the building, the riot
would have been prevented but this course would
have been complained of as uncaifed for usurpa-
ton, would have been construed into taking sides
with the convention, and IN Gen. Balrds opinion
would not have received the approval of, his
superlogg
On the morning Of the riot, Gen, Baird is under
the impression, shared by members OF this COM
mission, and known by them to have been pre9a-
lent, that the hour OF meeting was to be 6 Pm.
Mayor Monroe states that, in his applications for
troops, he stated the hour of meeting to be IL,
but Che commission have already given their rea-
SONS for discreditng this witness, and for heliey-
ing that such alleged applications were never
made. aS%
At last, at some time between 10 and IL on
Monday morning, Gov. VOORHEES, assents to, or
Gen. Baird proposes, the sending of troops 1t is
assented to- and now, for the first time, General
Baird has the request Or sanction Of the civil
power for the presence Of his troops. He does
not wait for formal requisition, nor does he ask
why the lieutenant governor acts in the place of
the governor. He sends q messenger at once for
4roops, and tells the lieutenant governor that he
win have them in the street an hour before the
convention met. He thinks that, If the governor
noticed his remark, he must have seen that there
was an error about the time, as twas then nearly
II o'clock. From that time it cannot be denied
that Gen, Baird used every effort TO hasten the ar
rival Of troops, who did not, unfortunately; come
pp until the slaughter was over and the riot had
ceased at that point.
GEN. BAIRD EkcGLrATRD.
On a review of this evidence, the board cannot
but decide that no blame should be attached to
Gen. Baird for his action in the premises. Under
| the impression that the hour of meeting was 6,
the troops had not quilted the barracks, and
shortly before II the general receives for the
first time the request on sanction of the civil
authorities for their appearance. 1t was then TOO
late.
EXCITING CAUSE OF THE RIOT.
Before proceeding fuTtherin the discussion Of
the events on the day the riots, the board would
consider some Of the exciting causes by which, in
their opinion, the passions OF q large portion OF
| the commanity had become inflamed to the high
est point against this called convention, and the
negro suffrage party by which it was supported.
They were, in the opinion of the board, the tone
of the press forSonl time past whose hardly con-
ceaIed stfreats pointed clearly to violence; the
published charge of Judge Abel to the GRAND
Jury; Mayor Monroe's declared intention to EN-
ploy his police against the convention, unless pre-.
Yentedtby the military the speeches made at the
universal suffrage meeting of Friday night, and
bu6E 6AdEtbldtSu anu luGDTfGNb EN4luTtSs ttitfSul
published in tho papers--alls these combined, in
the opinion of the board, to produce q conviction
among the large classes always ready for violence
that this meeting might be considered as in the
condition OF status of complete eutlawry, with no
right to- protection, and fair game for the pistol
ana the knife. With regard to the meeting ON
Friday night, there can Be no doubt that it exer-
csed a highly exasperating influence on the minds
of the opponents Of the enti0n Negro suffrage
was openly advocated, violentspeeches were made
In which e rabeisn were denounced, and there
can be no doubt that Almost ill-adyised appeal was
made, by one speaker to the negroes to come in
their might on thenext Monday to the meeting
of the convention. In one respect this meeting
was certainly incendisry in its effect. It fired into
absolute fury the srloldering wrath of the classes
alluded to against the convention party, and, by
bringing procession of negroes to the hail. gave
afi occasion and pretext for the contemplated and
premeditated attack. As an indication of the in
tensity of feeling titus excited, may be mentioned
the remarks Of ladies advocating the imme-
siiate killing ofthe leaders, Doste and Henderson,
in their homes
LANGUAGE or THE SPEAKERS.
Inregardt to the expressions used by the speak.
ers outside of the hail, the evidence is conflicting.
Mr. Tlton, who listened to the speakers from the
corner 81 tile block opposite to that of which the
most violent appeals To Fight for their votes; to
come armed to the convention (, no eoWards
wanted; the stones Of the streets CRYING out for
the blood of rebels,n etc, These expressions
transcend even the reports published id the city
papers; while ON the other hand AIR, Shelly, the
New York reporter, who was present on the plat.
form within fny feet ne the snaol.ers Itans.s