The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-08-29
The Late Riot in New Orleans.
REPORT OF THE GRAND JURY.
70 the Hon H. AbeH Judge Of the First District Ceu

under Consideration the subject of the terrible riot
that occurred III this city on the Both OF July, last,
and now come into court and ash leave to report tnat
They have caused to be summoned before them a
LARGE number of citizeHs whose testimony they had
been informed was material to show the cause, lncep
ton manner and close Of the bloody scenes OF 5he
30th Of July and in order to secure TAR, 1ail ana
impartial history of the bloody day, as well as TO sus
tain and Justify Tue conclusions to Which they nave
arrived and have embodied in this report they nave
caused the testimony of the witnesses examined pY
them to be carefully reduced to writing, when 'estl
mony they submit herewith and from when IL appears,
That on the SBth day of July last there was con-
ct at and near the Mechanics institute, in this city,
which resulted in the death OF about forty persons,
swhite and buck aud in the woundlng, slightly and
severely of about TWO hundred more.
The first question naturally presenting ltseH Is, /
what caused in time of profound peace SO terrible
conflict? What aroused our usually quiet and peace
able population to so dire and fierce struggle? 1t
could be no rihng or ordinary cause that could bring
on such deathy collision upon the members OF com
munity hitherto moving so harmonlousiy tosether.
The question, however is not difficult OF solution
/ Some few weeks since a meeting OF about thirty
persons met in secret caucus in this city, elected RUFUS
X Howell president pro tem resolved that lie should
conyoke the convention of 1864, to meet on the oJth
of July last and that the governor of the State should
be requested to issue his proclamation for elections to
fill the vacancies in th convention These men claimed
to have right and power, and very undsguisedy ex-
pressed the intention to remodel the constitution OF
the State to suit their purposes and to take possession
or control of the State government. 1t Is unnecessary
To enter into discussion here Of the question of the
pretensions of this body of men, Suffice it to say,
that there never was more impudent and audacious
claim set up power than this pretended right
to meet in convention 1t had not the slightest found
alton whatever even under the resolutions OF the con
/ yention of 1864 under which it claimed they
could meet, which construed together, as well rs by
the Interpretation Of their author, contemplated
that the power of calling the convention together
should be conferred the president OF the body e&-
cept in tie case of the rejection of the constitution by
the people The second resolution, on the contrary,
clearly and explicitly coners the power on the c9sa-
ture at its first session to reconEoke the members OF
the convenonin case Of the adoption OF the constl-
tuition by the people. Again. even II the construction
that the president of the convention had the power
call the convention together be correct he alone pos
sesses the power and he e. Il. Dure) refused to ex-
ercise it, The idea OF caucus Of twenty nine, OF
, body whose quorum is seventy-six, undertaking to
elect president is a simple absurdity, in fact is
the whole thing. For admitting that the convention
Of 1854 had undertaken to perpetuate their own ex
stence by resolution not part OF the constitution
it would have been ridiculous pretension without
binding effect and necessarily nullity This assump
ton of power, then on the part OF these men, was
fragrant open, defiant violation of law. 1t was an
insoent and lawless attempt to subvert the govern
ment and destroy the constitution and under the laws
of most countries, would have amounted to high rea-
SON. and would be punishable with death. Fortunate
" for them the only offence for which under the laws
Of Louisiana they could be indicted and punished for
simply meeting with the object protested of destroy
ing the government of the State, is for making and
knowingly assisting at unlawful assembly, of which
u they were guilty they met in convention,
and for which offence those who met in convention on
r the 30th Of July have been indicted By the grand jury
u On the 30h of July, then, this body, according 10
! public announcement, to met On Friday night
9th July, meeting of the friends of universal su
rage irrespective Of color took place in this city. AT
this meeting nhammatory speeches made to the
= coored people, who attended in large numbers. They
. were advised to come to the convention on Monday
. g to come in their might to come prepared"
e They were exhored to exteruinate the whites who
e were called hell born aud hell bound villains and
told that unless the rights of loyal citizens anC
: their eoored brethren we're conceded the streets o.
= New Orleans would run with rebel blood
II On Monday morning, the 30th, at an early hour
the colored people commenced gathering in and abou
y the place designated for the meeting of the
u ton many of them armed. About II o'clock pro
" cession OF negroes came marching up toward the pac
of sitting of the convention, with coors flying anc
" drums beating; and these armed with heavy sticks o.
other weapons. As they came up they halloed an(
shouted and according to some Witnesses osted anC
pushed the bysandors the streets of their way
y The crowd of white people gave way they passet
u along. There but slight disturbance the crowC
passed up made and the procession passed
" the place where the convention sat During this
disturbance there pistols ired-the first two by
IL negroes in the procession.
Y The condition Of things presented is unlaw
" full assembly in session. arrogating to themselves with
out the shadow Of right the power TO overturn thu
government OF the State-a body of usurperS con
= spring for the subverson of the constitution ant
y laws OF the State; and they surrounded by crowd o
); negroes brought there by previous invitation, and
" armed for the protection of the unlawful assembly
in their lawessness.
Under these circumstances, what was the legal RICH
as we'll as the papabe duty OF the couservators Of h
: peace, both State and municipal? It clearly tt
disperse the voators Of the law, and to arrest anG
hold them for trial. The offence being complete, a.
soon as the unlawful assembly" took place, the min
listers of the law not compelled to await an ATTACK
to be made on them by the disturbers of the public
peace before they proceeded to do their duty in dis
persing and arresting them. They were authorised
by the law to take the initiative, using such forces
necessary and only such to break up the unlawful
assembly, and the persons of the offenders for
punishment Thk, however was not done, and why
1t appears that the civil authorities found that the mil
tary authorities wouh not only not cooperate witt
81 them in making the arrests, but would protect the
= convention from being interfercd with by either the
u municipal or State authorities. Mayor Monroe was
informed that he would not be allowed arrest the
members Of the convention, and the general in com
mand at the time equally explicit in asserting that
the sheriff of tile parish after indictment found by the
! grand jury would not be allowed to arrest the
u bers of the pretended convention. Unwilling tc
bring about collision between the military and civil
/ authorities, mayor Monroe desisted entirely from bis
intention OF arreStng the members and 1t agreed
and distinctly understood between the general com
;, handing at the time and Lieut. Gov. VOORHEES,, thai
I in case the grand jury should indict the members Of
u the convention that the sheriff. instead Of making the
d arrests should take lis writ for the of the per
t sons Indicted directly to the general who would in
dorse thereon his refusal to allow the execution there
of and would forward the whole matter to the pres
ident of the United States for direct and specific
II instructions in the premises In the meanwhile the
u convention to remain undisturbed and in order tC
secure peace and quiet small military force to be
{ used in conjunction with of the police. 1t il
e evident to this grand jury that in pursuance to this
arrangement the municipal authorities sedulonsy ant
carefully avoided everything that could possibly lead
to collision between the police and the armed Negro
Q force assembled for the protection of the usurpins
: convention 1t appears that in furthemnce of these
pacific views at the request of number of respecta
bic citizens, the mayor issued proclamation calling
citizens to SO behave themselves all danger
of riot and difficulty, which they appear to have needed
Il evidenced by the uninterrupted passage, through
their midst, Of the noisy turbulent menaeing and in
/ suting procession of armed negroes their way
the place of the asscmblage Of the conyentian.
The military force promised to assist in maintaining