The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-09-11


RBADeuARTERs DEPARTMENT OF LOUISIANA,
NEW ORLEANS, Laj August, 1S66.--Lieu enant.
Colonel George Lee, Assistant Adjutant. General
COlonel:-I have the honor 10 submit for the infOr.
nation OF the MajoT-General commanding The fol-
lowing report concerning the of the 3Ot6 utimo
II was matter OF pubic notoriety that the Con-
vention oil 1884 was to meet here on that date.
Some weeks previously 1t had been in session. and
had continued ITS session dulnE several DAYS, 1t
had excited much opposition, and there were threats
OF breaking 1t up yet II renamed undisturb bed, and
to one unacquainted with the political views and
considerations by which the persons hostile TO 1t
were influenced there was no reason to suppose that
the proposed assemblage would not be passed by IN
the same peaeeable manner.
since the riot, have been informed by gentlemen
OF the highest characer-planters of wealth and
fuence, belonging to the party inimlcal the Con-
yention-that the question of its meeting hao been
by them fully discussed in all of Its bearings; that
had been proposed first to treat it with rdicule,
next go into the movement, and by superior
numbers, to send delegates to overwhelm and con.
troll it, But upon rehectng that the members al.
ready elected would be the Judges as to the quaIi-
cations of ones, 1t feared that this purpose
might be frustrated, and 1t was then determined to
treat The meedDg as an unlawful assemblage. and
such to break II up all hazards.
mention these facts 10 sho that, while to those
outside the polincal arena the dangers or disturb
ance might nave appeared imminent to one like
myseli-entirely outs de the nng, keeping myself so
from sense OF dub-no such view could have pre-
They go also to show that the ground that 1 took
as 10 the righ OF the Convention to operate, long
as 10 overt ac of hostility to the established state
Government was committed, was not until a recent
date disputed. and 1t is now maintained by many
prominent lawJ ers IN this city.
AS 10 the Convention ITSELF being personally ac.
9ualnted with but two or three OF its members, and
as had no intercourse with them, L may not have
Understood properly the object 1t had in view. NV
information concerning t was nearly all derived
from III friendly sources, but from the ltCle know
ledge had upon the SUI ject, cOu not perceive
that the gentlemen com, ,,Usng this Convention mad
any more authority to femodel the state Govern
ment II an any other assembage of citizens. Yet
believed they hai right 10 meet and to ia and to
resolve, provioed they committed no breach OF the
Had the result been to ohsruct any officer of the
State in the exercise OF his Office, or an attempt
upon the part OF any person 10 exercise the func-
tons OF any state Office, un oss authorized TO DO
by the President OF the United States, l should
regarded this overt act. calling Tor mill
tary interference, provided the civil powers were
unable TO defend themselves and punish the ag
believe further to arrest these citizens and hold
them TO bail prior to the commission OF any overt
act OF crime, violation OF their rights and had
the civil courts tailed TO re eve them promptly from
such duress, upon writ OF haOeas corpus, 1t would
become my duty, If cal ed upon IN conformity with
the requirements.oi the recent order OF the Lieu.
terantGeneral COMMANDING the armies designed
Tor the protection OF American citizens, to interfere
with military force for their relief, and possibly to
take INTO custody and hold in military confinement
those who had committed the wrong. This idea in
relation TO my duties, under the order of General
Grant, endeavored TO convey to the gentlemen
who came to see me IN relation to breaking up the
On Friday, night, July q, meeting of radical
persons was hel1 III the Mechanics Insutnte. 1t
was composed largey OF cOlored people, and was
addressed bY Ex-Governor Hahn, DR.. Doste, and
others. At later hour torchlight procession o
the same in Individuals was addressed in front of the
CITY Hell by Dr. Dostle. All of these speeches ex.
cept those OF DR.. Dos,ie, said have been tem
perate OF this the only report which have IL
TO be toundin opposition papers and Its authenti-
city is denied Lhe words put into ms mouth by hs
version OF his remarks was widely disseminated, it
did undoubtedly have much effect IN exciting the
public mind. In the same category with the speech
attributed TO Dr. DOstie must be placed the charges
of Judge Atel to the Grano jury OF the parish, IN
timents which he then put FORTH the occasion which
he selected Tor tneir ptterance and the incorporate
language IN which they were clad, were all calcu.
To tine Major-General commanding the Division
who has had much longer time to observe the
character of the prominent men OF this community,
need not speak OF the unscrupulous character OF
this gentleman dis aYed in his Official capacity.
we have only to lament that we find in his posi-
tion a person ready to peryert the sanctIty with
which we all wish TO enshroud the law to the ac
complishmeBt of political party ends
On Saturday, the 29th of July had a call from q
member OF the Convention, the only direct commu
nicatlon l have had any person connected
with II. Our interview was quite briet, He in
formed me that tneY Designed 10 meet on Monday
and that IT was understood they might be inter
tered with by the CITY authorities He told mt
nothing with regard to their views and objects In
reply informed him that had but correspond
with the Mayor upon the subject aud tha
after what had passed between us did not thinA
the Convention men need fear violence.
During the Gay of Sunday, the Goth, gave order;
to the troops-one regiment otwhch, q colored regt
menJ, was quartered in the upper part OF the city
and the other, regiment OF regular infantry, TO
gether with the battery at Jackson Barracks, at th
out the day of Monday in readiness TO march at
moments nohce; to remain however, within tn
linus OF their respective camps. l also made ar
rangements for havlnR steamer at the barracks
early in the morning, to keep up steam and b.
ready to bring forward the troops rapidly to tn
point required swift tug kept at the foot o
Canal street as the speediest method OF conveying
mesa to the officer in command, should his ser
vices be called for. These dispositions for keepn
our soldiers the streets OF the city were mad
as much to prevent the eXceae which any osten
tatOn OF military movement woud have produced
as to keep the men readiness Tor service. For tn
same reason the steamer sent TO JACKSON Barrack
was directed to move there at an hour when nc
likely TO attract The attention OF the puOic so in
portant did II appear IN order to quiet down tn
growing excitement that military parade should
avoided.
WASHINGTON, july 2s, lS66-Albert Voorhees, Llel
tenant-GoyernOr Louisiana.-sir the miltaLv i vi
be expected TO sustain and not obstruet OF lnerie
with the proceedings OF the Courts despatch ON q
lhis moEnlng ANDREW JOHNSON.
The authority of this despatch saw no reason
doubt, but VI was ambiguous as 10 the wishes OF u
Government relation to the Convention. III
difficulty lay in determining who were the legal a
thOrities whom the military were expected 10 su
port and sustain. Judge Abel, OF one OF the Sta
Courts had but recently In charge 10 the Graz
jury OF his district. denounced the Conventou
1854 as unlawful, and for this we'll as for the Sc
timents expressed by him, he had been arrested
the United States Commissioner, and bound Ov
for trial at the next session OF the United Stat
Courts. The question then arose as between Jud
Abel and Judge Shannon which was the militia
authority 70 recognize a. the Court intended by Z
President, Jhe journals which published the d