Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-08-10

tempted to break up the Union succeeded
In grasping the power ofthe nation again
l had seen that while protesting with their
lips renewed allegiance to the flag and OBJ
legation to the President for his pacific pol
icy, they were becoming arrogant, intoler-
ant and dlctatorial.. They were .glorying
In the apparent schism between the Presi-
dent and Congress in the policy of restOr-
ing the States lately In rebellion, and rub
bing their hands with delight at the idea
of civil war in the loyal States.
In view Of all this array Of strong, stub
born facts, frankly own that my views
of the conciliatory policy in bringing back
to allegiance those who have been engaged
int war to destroy the Union, have under
gone change. The iutolerant spirit en-
gendered by slavery still exists. The loss
| of property and the failure of their hopes
can never be forgiven, and though regard
them as impotent to resist constituted au-
thority, enforced by the presence of mill
tary forces, yet am convinced that they
would renew the rebellion tomorrow If
there were sure prospect of success.
Impressed with the truth Of these views,
foreseeing the uncertainty for the future
security of Union men in the South, desir-
Ing that the amendment to the Constitution
adopted by Congress and submitted to the
several States for. ratification should pre-
vail, and fully realizing the fact that the
amendment would never be ratified by the
present Legislature, own that was In fa-
yor of the reassembling of the Convention
OF 1884, asDthe only means of securing the
ratification as required, and thereby insure
the admission of our Representatives in
Congress.
The legal right of the Convention to con-
tinue Its functions is question, l suppose,
properly pertaining to the courts to decide.
Senators and Representatives in Congress
of great learning and men of high legal
attainments In New Orleans, have express
ed the opinion that under the resolution of
adjournment the Convention could lawfully
reassemble. A distinguished Democratic
Senator In Congress took the same view.
For myself If L had any doubt on this sub
ject, which have not, should have defer
red to the opinion of abler men.
The total number of delegates composing
the Convention was 150 the number elected
70. The quorum was fixed at 76, this num-
Der being majority of the whole. There
were n parishes unrepresented in the Con-
vention, entitled to 81 delegates; and adding
thereto 10 vacancies to be filled, it would
make 81 delegates to be elected. Besides,
there were some ten or twelve delegates
who, disappearing the emancipation clause,
be ranked with the extreme Conservatives.
Counting the 6l delegates to be elected to
be of the same class and the balance OF the
Convention to be Radical, it will be seen
atparties would have been nearly equally
divided.
There are disfranchising clauses in the
Constitution of 1864. The much abushed
members of that body had 1t in their power
to have made the Constitution as stringent
against those engaged in the rebellion, as
Tennessee and Missouri have done. They
pursued an opposite course, believing and
trusting as did, that these men would be
actuated by a spirit of tolerance and for
bearance, in return for the liberality shown
toward them.
r How the members OF that Convention
have been treated, individually by the very
men in whose honor and good faith they
had trusted, to say nothing Of the scorn and
villihcation Illuminated against them as a
collective body, and the Constitution they
made, let the record of the bloody doings
at the Mechanics Institute on Monday, the
Both ult- answer.
In keeping with their unrelenting policy
to maintain the power of the State in their
own hands exclusively, they opposed the
meeting of the Convention of 1864. They
needed no better monitor than their own
conscience to tell them that by their con-
duct they had forfeited all claim to further
favors from the original members Of that
Convention. They resolved that it must be
put down, crushed out at all risks. The
terrible scenes Of the Both of July, conf
IDENTIFY predicted in case the Convention
met, were the result. The letters of Mayor
Monroe to Gen. Baird, accompanying this
communication furnished proof that, if
every other measure failed, a resort
would be made to force. Everything
was arranged on Sunday, prepar-
atOry to that purpose. The police re-
ceived orders, and on Monday morning
they were in large numbers at the cOrnerof
Canal and DTyades streets, each having one
or more revolvers on his person. They
were not there except to commit violence.
The speakers at the Friday night meet
ing counseled nothing more than that the
blacks should come armed to defend the
Convention in case the members were at
tackled. Admitting that they had assembled
for that purpose, what occasion was there
for alarm, unless it was meditated to assault
the Convention? The inference is irresist-
ible, from the manner of the police alone,
that it was designed to break up the Con-
vention by force. For this purpOs begin
ming was necessary, and the opportunity
sought for soon occurred, by the arrival of
a procession of blacks, with music, on their
way to the place of the meeting of the Con-
vention, which procession had entered the
street through the crowd of policemen and
citizens. l.H...EE
At the corner of Canal they were met
with insults and jeers, which brought on
collision. A shot was fired but ended in
nothing serious. The next act of violence
was the arrest Ofa cOlored man by police
man in front of the Institute, but for what
otfense | am unable to say. The crowd of
colored persons assembled became excited
at these occurrences, the same as body of
white men would do under the same circum-
stances. Some took the side policemen,
others the side of the prisoner. Brickbats
were thrown and one shot fired, the testi-
mOny going to show that it was done bV
one of the colored crowd. 1t was answered
Immediately by several shots from the
crowd OF policemen at the corner, and fol-
lowed up by rapid firing on the crowd of
blacks, who returned the fire as fast as they
could, but being Overpowered and driven
from the street. they took shelter in the
Mechanics Institute. ,..it
If the object of the police was simply to
preserve the public peace, why did they
not, after the men had taken refuge in the
Institute, return to their original position.
at the corner of the Streets, which effectu-
ally cut off egress from the front, and, plac-
ing guard to watch the rear of the build
ing, await the arrival of the military, who
we're known to be on their way? Their only
reason for this course is that it did not suit
their purpose. They accordingly advanced
In the front of the building and besieged it
on all sides. Every negro who attempted