The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-08-18

ollice,) for the arrest of the members of tho
convention. For his action in thus charging
the jury, Judge Abclf was at once placed
under arrest by commissioner Shannon, Of
the United States District Cont, and held
under bail in the sum of $4,000 to answer
to the charge Of treason.
| This plan being thus interfeyed with, a still
more summary method was devised. There
was an old city ordinance, belonging to the
| slave era, which declared "all assemblies
calculated to disturb the public peace and
tranquility unlawful, and as such to be dis
perscd by the Mayor, and the participants
held responsible for violating the same"
Mayor Monroe, who will be remembered
as the same obstinate and refractory mayor
encountered by General Butler on his cap
ture Of New Orleans and confined by him as
a prisoner in Fort Philip, and who also had
to be pardoncd by the President before he
could enter on the duties Of his Office came
to the determination 20 ''dispersc this un-
lawful assembly, if found within the corpor-
ate limits Of the city, by arresting the mem
hers thereof and holding them accountable
to municipal law, provided they met without
the sanction of the military authorities -
Having fully perfected his plans, his only
fear was in their possible interruption by
military interference. Against this he en-.
dcavored to guard in his letter of July 18th
to General Baird.
On Friday, 9th inst, Lieut.. Gov. Voor.
hics, according to the statement of the Times,
clegraphed to President johnson that it was
his belief that the agents of the law would
be prevented from arresting members of this
illegal assemblage unless definitivc instruc.
tons were received from Washington" The
answer to this despatch, says the Times, was
''prompt, clear, emphatic, and was couched
in the following terms:
WASnINGroN, July 2Sth, 1866
"1lJet JoorhieS, lieutenant Governor of
Louisiana:
The military will be expected to sustain
and not interfere with the proceedings of the
courts. 4 despatch on the subject of the
morning. ANDREW Johnson"
This despatch completed the programme.
True the Governor of the State, to whom
alone would righttully belong the authority
to dispense IAN unlawful assembly" seeking
to overthrow the institutions Of the State.
had given the convention his sanction by
a., II,
what cared the Lieutenant Governor and the
valiant city Mayor for this2 They had other
purposes, and the President seemingly was
with them. His telegram was the finishing
stroke which rounded their plans into a com
plcted whole, and with the police force well
in hand, and the city fire department within
immediate reach, they waited for their OPP
portunity.
Under these circumstances it might have
been prudent for the convention to have
waived its undoubtcd right to meet and dis
cuss the State issues before them. But such
was not their view Of duty. They were loyal.
They had stood by their country in her dark
hours, and now claimed her right at least to
be heard and have their plan presented to
the people. There was no peremptory order
from the President forbdding their assem-.
bling. The Governor of the State was with
them. No lawful authority had been inter
posed to stop their proceedings. Conse.
quently, at the hour appointed the conven-
ton assembled. Prayer vas offered by Rev.
| Ill a. T.
ganization were being pursued when the city
police appeared in great numbers to carry
out the proposed lorcblc dispersion Of the
assembly.
In the fearful butchery that ensucd, sew.
eral things were painfully apparent;
l. The police and their leaders were all,
so far as we know, eX-Coufederates.
2. They were evidently animated by the
same dark spirit that brooded at Fort Pillow,
Andersonville, and in the fatal tragedy of
the 18th Of April, 1865.
3. Their frcnzed rage always directed it.
self with unerring precision against Union
men. Not there only, but all through the
city, the cry was against the Yankee and the
"nigger;' and but for the timely interfer-
ence Of the military a more general massa,
ere was imminent.
4. There was intense satisfaction express
ed that Northern ministers had been put out
Of the way. Some boasted that six had
been disposed Of
5. The most fendish fury was manifested
against the negroes. Men boosted of the
number they had slaughtered, and seemed
to feel a strange pleasure in their satanic
butcheries.
6. While INDUCING in this helish wine of
intoxication in worse than Belshazzar rev.
clry, ''they praised Andrew johnson as the
man after their own hearts. His telegram,
whatever may have been his purpose, had
given them boldncss, and to.day men who
once wore the uniform of their country are
lying cold and low, murdered by those who
failed to vanquish them on the battle field
Thus have matured the bitter fruits of
placing rebels in power over Union men,
1t has become evident that the selection of
yirulent rebels for city mayors, as in the
case of Parks of Memphis, and Monroe of
this city, is perilous to Union men, and es-
peclally dangerous to the blacks. At Mem
phls the danger has been removed nv the