Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1866-08-15

MS contumacy, was the unanimous choice OF
the people at a recent election, and the old
police, those who were in before Gen Butler
took the city, have all been reinstated, and
| appearances now indicate that even the
| Memphis police, who slaughtered so many
negroes in that city, will suffer nothing by
comparison with their New Orleans confer
ees 1t is well known there that it is next
| to impossible for negro to obtain Justice
from them, or in the Recorders Courts.
During the past winter the number of muir
ders, shooting and stabbing affray which oc
CURED In the city were greatly increased
and hardly day passed in which one did
not take place.
After Governor Wells declared his inten-
ton of calling together the Convention,
Judge Abel charged the grand jury that it
would be an unlawful asSemblage, and its OBJ
ject and design would be to subvert the
peace of the State Mr.. Shannon, the Uni
ted States Commissioner had him arrested
for this. Mr.. Monroe, the Mayor, proclaim
ed that if the Convention met he should
use the police force to dlsperse it. Presi-
dent johnson telegraphed that Gen. Baird
should use the military power in sustaining
the action Of the courts; but which, Mr..
Shannon or Judge Abel?
1t does not appear that the freedmen had
any malicious intent in making procession.
During the last two or three years these
professions have been very commop, and on
all kinds of occasions, such as picnics, Sun
day school celebrations, etc. One dispatch
says they were armed; but any one who has
resided in New Orleans knows that it is as
rare for Southern man to go unarmed as
to go without his boots. There are city
laws against carrying copcealed weapons,
but they are never enforced except against
the blacks. 1t appears, also. that 1t was a
foregone conclusion on the part of the May
er to get up a riot, and to demonstrate not
only that New Orleans was no place for free
speech. but that the negro had no more
rights now than he had before the war.
And this, too, in city, which was the first
to come into the possession OF the United
States, where the policy which afterwards
become known as the Freedmens Bureau,
was first inaugurated by Gen. Banks, and
where one of Gen. Howard s most reliable
subordinates holds the Office of Assistant
Commissioner. aa
The mnrderous assault on Ex-Governor
Hahn and the murder of DIR. Dostie and
Mr. Henderson will long be remembered as
the legitin ate fruits of rebel rule. 1t shows
how well prepared the people are for self
government, and how much chance there is
for Union sentiment in that city. Cover
nor Hahn was one of the first lawyers in the
city to welcome the advent of the Union
troops A young man of great natural abili-
ty and good speaker, and having little
sympathy with the cotton and sugar aris-
tocracy which formerly and now apparently
governs the South, he was chosen Governor
as the Free States candidate under the new
order of things in 1864. During the past
winter he has spent much of his time in
Washington, and in his evidence before the
Reconstruction Committee he has not been
very profuse in praise OF Southern loyalty.
DR.. DoStie was an enthusiastic Free
State man and did as much as any one dur
ing the years of 1864 to encourage the
Free State sentiment in nLouisiana. He was
at the head of the Union League, and took
a deep interest in the political bearings of
the State. For all these things he was
greatly hated by the old politicians. Dur
ing the Confederate rule he had to flee for
his life to the North, and could only return
in safety when the city came under the con-
troll of the Federal bayonets. Mr.. Hender
son, who was killed, had been correspon-
dent of the n Y Tribune, and during the
last two or three years was engaged In run
ming cotton plantation.
Brevet Maj. Gen. Absalom Baird is from
Pennsylvania, and served with distinction
during the war under Gen. Howard and en-
Joys his perfect confidence. He is an old
school Aboltionist in his private opinions,
but his administration has in general been
very satisfactory to the people. He is a
man whom the people can neither cajole,
bribe nor humbug, and when he first as
sumed the position of Assistant Commits
sioner he very soon taught the planters that
he could dispense with the fawning and ad-
vice which were so acceptable to Gen. Full
lerton.
A few more such riots as have disgraceed
Memphis and New Orleans viii show the
people of the country that the opinions
which Gems. Grant and Sheridan hold about
the necessity of keeping military force at
the South are not far from correct.