New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-08-09

garded by the people of the loyal States show
ing defiant spirit, and as still gloriying IN Q
cause that had been crushed by them with sueh
fearful loss of life aud expendituresof treasure.
With numerous and repeated evidences OF the
continuance of an ntelefant and rebe!lous spirit,
| and the manifestation Of tie prescription of all
who did not adhere to the fortunes of the Confed-
eracy to the last on the part Of a large majority
1 of the citizens: and with a press almost unaui.
| mously expressing sentiments of the same tenor;
| is il matter of surprise that should pause and
| commence to reflect on the consequences. both
as regards the future security of the government
| and the fate of Union men in the South if these
men who once attempted to break up the Union
succeeded in grasping the power of the nation
again.. had seen that, while processing with
their lips renewed allegiance to the flag and
oblivion Of the past, that, emholdened by the
pacific policy of the President, they were 6ecom-
ing arrogant, mtolerant and dictatorial. They
glory IN the apparent sehsm between the Presi-
dent and Congress on the policy of restoring the
States lately in rebellion, and rub their hands
with delight at the idea of civil war in the loyal
States.
In view of all this array of strong. stubborn
facts, | frankly own that my views of the con-
ciliatory policy, in winning back to allegiance
those who have been engaged IN a war to destroy
the Union, have undergone a change. The in
tolerant spirit engendered by slavery still exists;
the loss Of property and failure of all their homes
can never be forgiven, and though regard them
as impotent to resist the constituted authorities,
enforced by the presence Of the military, yet lam
convinced they would renew the rebellion to-
morrow, if they saw prospect of success.
Impressed with the truth of these views, fore
seeing the necessity for the future security of the
Union, and the safety of the lives of Union men
in the South, that the amendment to the Constitu.
ton adopted by Congress, and submitted to the
several States for ratification should prevail and
fully realizing the fact, that the amendment would
never be ratified by the present legisature-I
own, was in favor of the reassembling of the
convention of 1854, as the only means of secur-
5F,Fr sa#f AFnya nn, IL IL,
admission Of our Representatives into Congress-
The legal right Of the convention to continue
Its functions, is a question, | suppose, properly
pertaining to the courts to decide. Senators and
Representatives in Congress, of great learning,
and men of high legal attainnlents i'll New Orleans
have expressed the opinion that under the resolu-
tlon OF adjournment, the convention could law
fully reassemble. A distinguished Democratic
Senator in this city took the same view. For my
self, if had any doubt on the subject which
have not should have deferred to tie opinion Of
ADLER men.
The total number of delegates composing the
convention was one hundred and fifty; the number
elected, ninety-three. The quorum was filled at
seyenty-six this number being majority of the
whole. There were twenty-seven parishes repre-
sented in the convention, entitled to ftyone del
egates, and adding thereto, ten vacancies to be
filled would make sixty-one delegates TO be
elected.
Besides there were some ten or twelve dele
gates, who, disappearing the emancipation clause
refused to sign the Constitution, and who may be
ranked with the extreme conservatives. Counting
the sixty-one delegates to be elected to be of the
same class, and the balance of the convention to
be radical, it will be that parties would have
been nearly equally divided | have gone into
these. details to show the falsity Of the charges
that have been made that the convention would |
not have represented the whole people, and that |
it was intended to be packed. Every parish would
have been represented-Gbout one-half having
elected their delegates in 1864, and the other half
iT1sf kaFNra
who opposed and those who sustained the cause
Of the CoEfederacy.
There are no disfranchising clauses in the Con
Intuition OF 1864. The much abused members of
hat body had tin their power to have made Con
itutions as stringent against those engaged in the
ebellion, as Tennessee and Missouri have done 4
hey pursued an opposite course, believing and
rusting as did, that these men would be actu-
ted by spirit of tolerance and forbearance in
sturn for the liberality shown towards them.
low the members of that convention have been
eated individually, by the very men in whose
onor and good faith they trusted, to say nothing
the scorn and villheation Illuminated against
lem as a collective body, and the Constitution
ley made, let the record of the bloody doings at
le Mechanics Institute on Monday, the 3Oth ult.,
lswer. Xxi
In keeping with their unrelenting policy to main
I'M the power Of the State in their own hands ex-
lusively, they opposed the meeting Of the con
ennon Of 1864. They needed no better monitor
IAN their own conscience, to tell them that by
ler pfoseFlptve conduct, they had forfeited ali
ann 70 !, fnfther lDeralty from the original mem
ars OF that convention. They resolYeditmust be
1T down, crushed out at all risk and the terrible
enes OF the 30th of July, confidently predicted in
Use the convention met, was the result
Inc letter OF mayor Monroe to General Baird i
this communication, is convincing
'oof that it was INSTRUMENTATION If every other
cans failed to resort to force. Everything was
ranged on Sunday preparatory to that purpose.
le ponce K received their orders, and on Monday
oGGnlng they were In large numbers at the corner
Canal and Dryades streets, each having one or
ore reYolyers on his person. Why were they
ere, except to commit violence Admitting all
at has been charged against the speakers al the
lday night meeting; they counselled nothing I
ore, than the blacks should come armed to de-
nd the convention in case the members were at
cked; admitting they had assembled there for
~ purpose, what occasion was there for alarm
less u was meditated to assault the convention?
e inference is Irresistible from the massing
the police alone, that it was designed
break up the convention by force. For /
y purpose @ beginning was necessary
opportunity, sought for. This soon oc- y
fTed oy the arrival Of procession Of blacks,
"a music, on their way to the place of meeting t
the convention, which procession had TO enter I
street, through the crowd of policemen and {
lzens at the corner of Canal, and were met S
th insults and jeers, which brought on a COLI ?
n A shot was fired, but ended in nothing sere i
s. The next act of violence was the arrest Of a J
lofed man by policeman, in front of the
stitute bnt for what offense am unable to
7. The crowd Of cOlored persons assembled,
turally became excited at this occurrence, the
ne as q body of white men would do under the :
ne circumstances Some took the side of the .
hcemen, others the side of the prisoner: brick
Is We're thrown, and a shot fired, the testimony
ing to show it was done by one of the colored
,wd. It was answered Immediately by several
,ts from the crowd of policemen at the corner, I
followed up by rapid firing on the crowd OF Il
.eks, who returned the fire as best they could . Ii
being oyerpowered and driven from the y
eet they TOOK shelter in the Mechanics Insti- a
I the object Of the police was simply to pre-
e the public peace, why did they not, after ?,
men had taken refuge in the Institute retire N
their original positions at the corners of the d
Gets which etiectually cut off egress from the y
nt and placing a guard to watch the rear of ST
building, await the arrival of the military, who tn
re known to be on their way. The only reason n
their course is it did not suit their purposes i,
ey accordingly advanced in front of the build
and besieged it on all sides. Every negro who
empted TO escape was murdered. The crown i'm
climax Of these bloody acts is well known On
len the Wlate flag was hung out as a token Of HI
render, the police entered, arrested the mem su
rs OF the convention and other white citizens ia
ought them into the streets, where the most fTo
lminent for their Union sentiments were shot. tn
bbed and beaten in the custody and presence lat
the entire police force of the city, WIN did DO
me mayor or his chief, station guard at the /,
Or even then, forbid any person from entering ~
await the arrival of the military? Soc Soc
5y this means, the last mogtdeliberate and hor ~
le phase of this bloody tragedy would have I'M I'M
en- avoided. tt is also notorious that the pOice &c
led TO arrest or to attemnt IN arrast avan ana