Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-09
NEW ORLEANS RIOT.
OFFICIAL HISTORY.
Communication to the Pre-
Sident.
Signed by the Lieutenant
Governor. Attorney Gen
eral and Mayor.

NEW ORLEANS August 8, lS66.-To his
Ereellency, President Andrea Johnson !:
SIR: Your Excellency is already in pos
session of the main facts as regards the con-
spiracy which, by renewing the Convention
of 1864, proposed to subvert the civil gov
eminent of Louisiana,
An informal meeting of twenty-nine mem
bers lone hundred and fifty being the whole
number and seventy-six quorum proceed
ed to depose the President Of the Convention,
who considered the Convention itself ex-
tinct, and himself without Office, and to
elect r. r. Howell, as president pro TEN.
They adjourned to meet again, and pro-
clamation was issued by the President pro
tenn. converting the Convention to meet on
the 3Oth July last, and directing his Excel
lency the Governor of the State to issue
writs of election TO fill vacancies.
So far the whole matter was looked upon
as a harmless experiment, although michiev-
ously intended the people being confident
that the Governor would not condescend to
notice this proclamation, and that in the case
the Convention would commit any act of in
reference he would at once have it dispersed.
Unfortunately, however, after the lapse of
nearly month the Governor Issued writs of
election to fill UP ffty-one vacancies in that
body. This document, to which the Secre-
tary refused to give his attestation under the
seal of the State, was issued under the attest
alton of the private Secretary Of the Gov
ernor.
The people of the State became alarmed
when no doubt could be entertained as to the
fact that their chief magistrate had given
willing aid and assistance to subvert the
Government, the preservation Of which was
especially entrusted TO his keeping.
On Friday, the Doth Of July, a large meet
ing was held in the hall of the House OF
Representatives, professedly for the advocacy
Of universal suffrage, but in reality, to or
ganize for the meeting of the Convention on
the Monday following. The object of the
meeting was to arouse the passions and pre-
judices of the colored population, so as to
make them the victims of a riot, by urging
them headlong into conflict with the State
and municipal authorities.
On the other hand we were determined TO
prevent riot and bloodshed, by pursuing
such a course as would battle the nefarious
calculations of these agitators. Our remedy
and the only remedy must be by recourse to
the usual process Of law, and even then to
proceed in such a way as to fasten upon them
the responsibility of all collision whatever,
The call was submitted to the Grand Jury
by the Attorney General, and in the mean
time the Lieutenant Governor and the Mayor
called upon General BAIRD to ascertain
whether, if a warrant issued upon a regular
indictment were placed in the hands of the
sheriff for the arrest of the members of the
Convention, the military would interfere.
The answer was that the sheriff himself
would be arrested, and that the Convention's
meeting peaceably could not be interfered
with by the officers of the law.
1t is proper here to state the Mayor had
previously addressed a note to Gen. BAIRD,
inquiring whether he would be interfered
with by the military in case he should pro-
coed to dispense the Convention as an unlaw-
full assemblage. The answer to this commu-
nication was that the meeting of the Con-
vention being peaceable, it could not be sup
pressed by the Mayor, and that the military
authorities would prevent the interference
of the civil authorities.
1t was suggested by the Lieutenant Gov
ernor that the city authorities under those
circumstances did not intend to interfere to
prevent the meeting of the Convention. But
he proposed that, in case a warrant of arrest
we're placed in the hands of the sheriff, the
latter before attempting to execute it, would
indorse his objections, and the matter would
at once be submitted to the President. This
arrangement was satisfactory to both parties
On the same day the Attorney General
and the Lieutenant Governor telegraphed to
the President to ascertain whether the pro-
cess of the court for the arrestof the members
of the Convention could be thwarted by the
military. The answer was, that the military
would be expected to sustain the court.
On Sunday, the 2gth, the State and NUM-
cipal authorities called upon the press to
advise the people as to the proper conduct
to be held the next day, so as to avoid all
collisions and riots, and the Mayor issued
his proclamation to the same effect The
press Of the city, with the exception of the
Radical organ, gave wise and salutary coun-
sells to the public, exhorting all good citizens
10 avoid congregating about the Capitol, and
to demean themselves with prudence and
discretion.
On the morning of the Both the Lieut.
Governor called upon Gen. BAIRD to COM
municate to him the Presidents dispatches
and also enquired of the General if he
would not have some troops in the vicin'
ity of the hall to preserve peace and good
order.
Gen. BAIRD answered that application had
been made by members of the Convention
The suggestion was then made that to have
too large police force on the spot might be
construed as meant to OveraWe the members
and that in as much as the civil authorities
did not intend interfering with the COnven-
ton until instructions were received from
the President, as above agreed on, it was
proper to have troops to cooperate with a
small police force to preserve peace and pre-
vent all possible attempts to bring about a
collision. This suggestion met the appro-
val of the General, who then stated that he
would give immediate orders to have the
troops in readiness.
Before the end Of this interview it was
again agreed upon between Gen. BAIRD and
the Lieutenant Governor, that whatever
warrant Of arrest might be placed in the
hands of the sheriff would be submitted to
him before any attempt was made to have
it executed; and that upon the Endorsement
ofthe Generals objections, the matter would
be referred to the President.
The Mayor being informed Of this ar
rangement, sent but a small police force to
the vicinity Of the hall, and the troops that
were TO act in conjunction with the police
were eagerly expected.
At noon, information having reached the
Lieutenant Governor that, in the third dis
trict, there was a commencement of the
eheryescence, and that large numbers of ne
groes were coming toward Laurel street.
from above and below. He Immediately
sent dispatch to the General, conveying
this intelligence and urging that the troops
be sent without delay.
About one hour afterward, the riot broke
out, ending in the dispersion OF the Conyen'
ton and the capture Of tie rioters, including
several members of that body.
1t is not our purpose to argue the ques-
ton Of fact as to the actual commencement
of the collision and fix precisely the mode
and manner in which it originated. We
will. however, remark that the collision was
in every instance brought about by thearm
mod sustaining the Convention. Suffice II
to saw that the civil authorities took all the
precautions possible to prevent the outbreak
that they applied three days previous TO
have the aid Of the military TO preserve Or
der at the place where the Convention was
10 meet: that the authorities, State and mu-
nicipal, had come to an understanding to act
in concert with the military for that pur-
pose that the citizens, no more than the
police, contemplated TO prevent the Conven-
ton to hold their meeting peaceblyy and ad-
iourn and disperse unmolestedi and that the
warrant for their arrest would have been
submitted to the military, as agreed upon,