Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-08-09
COMMENTS OF THE PRESS
THE NEW ORLEANS MASSACRE.


1t is not often we have as sad a story as
that told in the Tribune this merning A
company of American citizens, holding rep
resentative positions in Louisiana, members
of Convention assembled in 1864 by the
loyal people Of that State, legally assembled
in pursuance of call of the Governor, are
sacred. A riot in New Orleans is not ON
but the uprising of the Rebel population
engaged in the performance of loyal duties.
Rebel sources-the agent Of the Associated
Press in New Orleans having been, We are
informed, formerly saldier in the Rebel
army. His statements show his full sym.
pathy with the rioters. We are told that
the outbreak was occasioned by an assault
of a negro upon white mana white man
having been pushed along sidewalk and
tripped up during processionl Consider
ing how men are frequently pushed and
tripped up whenever militia regiment par
ades on Broadway, we can imagine the ex-
tent of the provocation necessary to excite
Rebel malignity. The action of Mayor
Monroe is more Ineligible. We see him
seriously proposing to arrest the members Of
the Convention for daring to come together
at the call Of the Governor. Then he issues
. proclamation which reads to US like an in
centive to riot. He begins by speaking Of
the Convention as the Extinction Conven.
ton of 1864, and specially calls upon the
young men TO keep quiet and not molest
said Convention, for he is satisfied by "re.
cent dispatches from Washington that the
deliberations Of the members thereof will
receive no countenance from the President,
and that he toiU sustain the agents Of the
present cipil governments and vindicats its
laws and acts to the satisfaction of the good
people of the State. In other werds, every
Rebel in New Orleans is told BY . Rebel
Mayor that the President Of the United
States is in sympathy with him; that the
members of the Convention are outlaws and
not under executive protection, and that
whatever the Rebels might do to vindicate
thu Reconstruction Policy" would meet
the Presidents appreciation, Still, do moth
ing scandalous! Gen. Baird's patriotic de-
termination was overruled by o dispatch
from the President. Every Rebel saw that
the Mayor was sustained, and that the Pres
ident was the Rebels friend.
Read the dreadful storyl The Convsn-
ton meets There are no soldiers in the as
ssmbly. The polics--Rebel soldiers many
Of them-are exemplary, " and try to pre-
vent "lynehing and nobbing. " One prom
inent member--a citizen of many years
standing-is dragged to jail. The Presi-
dent and members are gradually arrested
and imprisoned. - e-,fifa
We are telling this story as Il is told by
Rebels. We can make but one comment.
For all the blood shed in New Orleans we
hold the Executive power responsible. The
President knew the temper OF these men.
He had but to recall q very few years of his
own history to find himself flying before q
mob like that which murdered A. r. Destie
aud his legal associates. These rioters were
precisely the manner Of men that President
johnson claimed to be. They were loyal
like him. They opposed Secession as he
opposed il. They dared social ostfacism
and Rebel vengeance. not from the safe dis
tance ef Washineton as the armed
commander Of armies--but as plsin citizens
devoted to the flag 1t was to reward such
men ss the murdered Dostiep that we
toek the sutlawed loyalist, Andrew John,
son, from the dust. and stsmpsd him with