New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-08-27
TEE NEw.ORLEANs MASSACRE AND ITS
AHNTTOWs

The reluctance Of the JOhnSonites to let ths public
see the Official dispatches connected with tho New
Orleans massacre is fully justified by the tenor OF
those documents They fix the stain of blood on the
hands Of their chief ndeby that all the waters Of
the Mississippi can never wash it out.
Mr. johnson first appears in these dispatches as
the author Of this most extraordinary mssivc, con-
sdering that it is addressed by The President TO the
regularly elected Governor Of what he pronounceS
fully constituted State of the Union
RxrournR MANSION WASHINGTON n. c.. July g 1866.
! To His ErceHsrey cor. WELLS Nes- o,L0Ts Ia:
have been advised t1a you have Issued con
and BY what authority this has been done and by what a
hoy this Convention can Assume to represent ire whoo
people OF the State Of Louisiana. AADaEw JOHNSON
To this inquiry, Gov. Wells promptly responded as
follows:
PRESIDENT JON Your telegram received have no
issued proclamation converting the Convention Of s0 ms
ton adiounng Convention subject to his order and 10
that case also authorizing him to call on the proper 9ces
issue wrs Of election in unrIresented parishes MY proc
amaon is response to that call ordering an election on ee
election will be held 20 m them when the entire State VIII
be represented. Your obedent servant
J. MADISON WELLS Governor OF louisiana
On that same day, the ex-Rebe chiefs teegraphed
the President as follows:
NEw.onlrANs July o. 1e66.
President JOHNSON Radical meeting composed mainly
of large numbers Of negroes les night ending III rgL Inc
night Violent and ncendlry speeches made negroes called
themselves You bitterly denounced speikeiS-feld
Dostic Hawkins Henderson, Weir Ward. and Others Gov.
Wells arrived night bl. sides with tho Convention Move
the whole matter before Grand Jury but impossible execute
civil process without certainty Of riot Contemplated TO have
the members of the Convention under process from the crm
of this district Is the military 10 interfere to pro
AIpgRr vooRuzrs Lieut Governor La
ALBERT j. HEBRON, Attorney General La
To which the President at once replied:
EXECUTIVE MASsoS WASHINGTON d. c.. July % 1866.
70 ALBEIT VOORHEES, L-G0s Of LohiaHa Ner orleans La
1he military viii be expected To sustain and not 70 oosrnct
or interfere with the proceedings OF toe Court dp,Gh
the subject OF the Convenon was sen 10 Gov Nes tns
morning. ANDREW JohSSos'
On that same day, the Military Commaudant at
New.OrleanS teegraphed as follows:
NEW ORLEANS La. July % 1866.
HJr. EpwIN IT, STANTON, SECRETARY 81 Har;
convention has been called with the sanction OF Gov.
well. % hero Monday. The leutenantGovernor
and city authorities think unlawful and propose 20 brock
up by aresng the dcegaes have N gu no orders on the
subject the parties that could not cOae
names or permit action without Instructions that effect
from the President Please instruct at by telegraph
a. BAIRD. BrcVet Major-Goneral
With all the above dsl atches before him. the PreSi-
dent tolegraphed TO the most active Of the Rebel
leaders as follows:
ExEcuTryE MAssloy. WASHINGTON, d C. July 90 1866
Yoa vii cell "a Ger sheridan or whoever may DO
mand for sufficient force 10 sustain the civil authority 10 sP
pressing all lcg or unlawful assemblies who usufp OF assume
70 exercise any power authority without first having OBJ
tanned lie consent the people tho State. there 20 DO
from tho people ,he whole State. The people mus. BE- s'
consulted in reference to changing ae org lae law o. we
Usurpng will not be tolerated Ih9w aud the C0nsltioh
mus % 'u''''"'0 ~ '"''''' ASDGEw Joussoy.
Here was the warrant which the Rebels bal
had sough. for buteherng the deiestcd Radi-
Gals. Andrew johnson assumes to decide on
the legality OF State Convention which was
that day 10 assemble, aud 10 place the Federal
troops under the control Of It's deadly encmy, With
directions to suppress it as an Illegal or unlawful
assembly. Ho hid frs. tried 70 PICK quarrel with
Gov Wells, assuming that DO had called H. 1nd tha.
the whole State not 10 be represented IN The Con-
ycnton. Gov Wells replied that lie had net called
il, and tina, the whole state wa' to be
representative having Issued proclamation order
ing new elections in every dstric. not fully repre-
sented at present. Failing in that tack, the Presi-
dent coolly ignores tho legally chosen Chief Mas'-
,rate Of Louisiana cher only state officer who was
,o, , RebelO and invests her Rebel Attorney
General with power TO WELD the Military in sup.
mort Of the Rebel programme. zen. Baird had
telcgraphed that he would rot permit tAe Convention
TO be broken up without express orders from Wash
ington Such orders were thereupon sen, to Heron;
and the crushing out Of the Convention thebatchery Ct
one hundred Union men, The manning OF mhoy more
and the complete subjugaton of Louisiana to Rebel
rule, were the natural results.
We now demand the prompt publication OF the re-
port of the Military Commission which has been sit
ting in New Orleans to investigate the hatchery which
followed the lamentabe orders from Washington OF
the 23,h aud Both ult. We have 10 hint as 70 its
tenor; but the Rebel organs in Eew-Orlcans writhe
and hiss as if they knew that the truth would come
out. aud would blast their bloody faction. Let US
hay. Ia ,anoyt without delay