The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-08-15
The New Orleans Riot.
LETTERFR0M LOUISIANA OFFICIALS
TO THE President.
EFFORTS OF The CIVIL AUTHORI-
TIES TO PREVENT ANY DISTUR-
BANCE.
ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE COM
WANDER OF THE MILITARY.
THE COLLISION BROUGHT ABOUT By
THE ARMED MOB SUSTAINING
THE CONVENTION.
Bad Effect OF the Proclamation of
Martial Law.
&c., Sc, &C.,
ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE COM
WANDER OF THE MILITARY.
New Orleans, Aug:

spiracy which, by reviving the convention of
| 1864. proposed to subvsrt the civil govern
mens of Louisiana. An informal meeting
of 90 members, $50 being the whole number
and rs q quorum, proceeded to depose the
| president of the convention, who considered
| the convention extinct, and to elect r. K.
Howell as president pro TEN. They adjourn
| ed to meet again, and a proclamation was is
! sued by the president pro tenn. convening the
convention to meet on the 30th of July last,
and directing his excellency the governor of
| the state to issue writs of election to fill va
| cancies.
! So far the whole matter was looked upon
as q lawless experiment. Although misohiev-
ously intended, the people felt confident that
| the governor would not condescend to notice
this proclamation, and that, in case the con-
yention should commit any act or interior
ence, he would at once have 1t dispersed
! Unfortunately, however. after the lapse OF
nearly month, the governor issued writs of
election to I'LL up 81 vacancies in that body.
This document, to which the secretary of
state refused to give his attestation under
the seal of the state, was issued under the at
testaton 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 9th of July, large meet
ing was held in the hall of the house of rep
resantatives, professedly for the advocacy of
universal suffrage, but In reality to organ
ize for the meeting OF the convention on the
Monday following. The object of the meet
ing was to arouse the passions and prejudices
of the colored population, SO as to make them
the victims of riot by urging them head
long into q conflict with the state and mum
cipal authorities.
On the other hand, we were determined to
prevent riot aud bloodshed by pursuing
| such a course as would battle the nefarious
calculations OF these agitstors. 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 collisions whatever.
The case was submitted to tho grand jury
| by the attorney general, and, in the mean
time, the lieutenant governor and the mayor
called Gen. Baird to ascertain whether, if 8
warrant, issued upon regular indictment,
| was placed in the hands of the sheriff for the
arrest of the members of the convention, tn e
military would interfere.
The answer was that the sheriff himself
would be arrested, ana that the convention
meeting could not be interferred with by the
| officers of the law. It is proper here to state
that the mayor had previously addressed Il
note 10 Gen: Baird, inc -iring whether he
would be interferred with by tho military in
case he should proceed to dispense the con-
veniion as an unlawful assembly. The an
swer TO the communication was, that the
meeting of the convention being pesceable, it
could not be suppressed by the mayor, and
| that the military authorities would proven t
the interference of the civil authorities. 1t
| was suggested by the lieutenant governor
that the CITY authorizes, under these circum-
stances, did not intend to interfere to prevent
the meeting of the convention, but he propos-
ed that in case a warrant of arrest was placed
in she hands of the sheriff, the latter, before
attempting to execute it, would call upon the
general, who thereupon would indoYss bis OBJ.
jections, and the matter at once be submitted
To the president. This arrangement was sat.
| istactory to both parties On the same day
the attorney general and the lieutenant gov
ernor selegraphed to the president to ascer.
tain whether the process of the court for the
arrest Of the mem bers of the convention could
be thwarted by the military. %
The answer was received to sustain the
court.
On Sunday, the Goth, the state and mum.
| cipial authorities called upon the press to ad.
wise the people "a TO the proper conduct to be
held the next day. go as TO avoid all collision
and riot and the mayor issued his proclama-
tion to the same effect. The preps of the CITY,
with the exception of the radical orgon. gave
| wise and salutary counsel to the public, in $
viting all good citizons to avoid congregatng
about the capitol, and to demean themselves
with prudence and discretion.
| On the morning of the both, the lieutenant
| governor called upon Gen. Baird to commu-
nicate to him tbs presidents dispatch. and
also inquired of the general if ne could not
! have some troops In the vicinity ofthe hall to
preserve peace and good order.
! Gen. Baird answered that O similar appli-
cation had been made by the members of the
| convention.
| The suggestion was then made that to have
too large force of police on the spot might
be construed as meant to overawe the men,
bers; and that, inasmuch ms the civil author
tiles did not intend interfering with the con-
vention 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 approval of the
| general, who then stated that he would give
immediate orders to have the troops in readi-
| ness.
| Before the end of this interview it was
| again agreed between Gen. Baird and the
I lieutenant governor that. whatever warrant
| of arrest might be given to the sheriff, it
| would be submitted to him before anv at.
tempt to have it executed, and that upon the
Endorsement of the generals objections, the
matter would be referred to the president.
The mayor, being informed of the arrange
ment, sent but small police force to the vi
cinlty of the hall, and the troops that were to
act in conjunction with the police were ca
gerly expected. At noon, information having
reached the lieutenant governor that in the
Sd district there was = commencement of eff
fervescence, and that large numbers of me-
groes were coming towards Laurel street from
above aud below, he Immediately sent dis
patch to the general, conveying this intsili,
gence, and urging that the troops be sent
without delay. About one hour afterwards
the riots broke out. ending in the dispersion
OF the convention and the capture of the
rI0tAra includinO, aavopsl AZ.