New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-08-13

7 i
convention togetherbe correct, he alone possesses
that power and he (IJ II. Durell) refused to eE
ercise it. The idea of caucus Of IWenty-nine,
Of body whose quorum is seventy-sis, undertak
ing to elect president is palpabe absurdity, as
10 fact is the whole thing. For admitting thatthe
convention of 1864 had undertaken to perpetuate
| their own existence by resolution not part Of
the Constitution, it would have been ridiculous
prctension without binding effect, and necessarily
a nuIlty. This assumption Of power then on
| the part of these men, was tiagrant, open, de-
fant violation of Law. 1t was an insOlent and a#
less attempt to subvert the government and de-
stroy the Constitution, and under the laws Of most
| countries would have amounted to high treason,
| and would be punishable with death. Fortunately
for them the only otense for which under the laws
of Louisiana they could be indicted and punished,
for simply meeting with the object protessed OF
| destroying the government of the State, IS, Tor
making and knowingly assisting at an unlawful as
semby of which they were guilty as soon as they
met in convention, and for which o1eDse those
who met in convention on the Both Of July, have
been indicted by the grand jury.
On the 30th of July, then, this body, according |
to public announcement, was TO meet. On Friday
night, 9th July, meeting of the friends Of uni
versal suffrage, irrespective OF color, took place
in this city. Atthis meeting iniammatOry speeches
were made to the colored people. who attended
in large numbers. They were advised to come to
the convention on Monday, "to come in their
might to come prepared"
They were exhOrted to eXternuate the whites,
who were called hell born and he'll bound villains
and were told that unless the rights Of loyal citi
+ zens and Their coloIea brethren were c9Aeeato'
4 the streets of New Orleans would run with rebel
blood.
On Monday morning, the 3Oth at an early hour.
v the coored people commenced gathering in and
n about the place designated lof the Iieeuag OF R4e
| colNeuUoli many vi tliSA4 lniSu' +AJuut =
, o'clock procession of negroes came marching
up toward the place OF sltth8 OF tle conYenlloil
l. with colors ilymg ana drums Deatins anu Ilese
n armed with heaVy SUCKS; or othef Weapons as
- | they came up they haIOOed and shouted and
a shouted, anu acGoIuhE 20 soLie "lUitee9e9'
I" and pushed the hysta9deFs On the streets oaL o.
u their way Ihe cfoWa 10 81 "1lte Pgople Sd{e wy
T. as they came alohg. mere Was ol't sas!1 u's'
s. tufbance as the crowd pdS7eu up one
. and the procession passed on 70 tne pace HiieIe
the convention SAT. during tLs alstutDahce 1ilere II
le were pistols hfed-lAe ISC tWo py negroes ~ tue
j, procession.
,e The cOndltlon OF thlngs now presented IS an u-
u lawful assemoly IN session, arPog'Rs 70 1nt, en-
serves wlthouG egfh tlle snauoM u ~ tiget, t1L7
II power 10 oNeftuIn lle sosetieas e = y VnS
H. p0dy OF usuipeIs Coh2pLElLS loI Sle
W Of the CONSTITUTION ana avs OF me otaIe afa
"A they surrounded Dy g cfoWa OF pLousb y
." there by previous lnIltacoh al1 aTLngu iot tne
a. protection OF the : uhlaWlul assembly III 1ne!I
ey laWlessness II. -,
Tp Under these circumstances; whas was t4e ne isga
right as well as the palpable duty OF the con
We 1t clearly was 10 disPet5e tue 10 te lH
e. and to arrest and hold them ior tria me oteiss
no being compete as soon as me ania%LHl ~ t s
semoly took place tae ;t lllSterS Ell 81 u,
re- law were not compelled 10 aWalt an attacA u
to be made on them by the disturbers o
to the public peace before they proceeded 70 90 lhei
~, duty in dispensing and arresung them: Ihey "er'
az authorized by the law to take the Inuatlye usnt
IN, such force as was necessary, and only snch u
lte break up the unlawful assembly, and secure IN
ed persons Of the offenders for punishment. Ihls
however, was not done, ana why IL appear
- that the civil authorlles found that Ihe lhAIdI
M authorities would not only not cooperate WY
the them in making the arrests, oaI W9uto Pfeyen
lis the convention from being nteFfered with elthe
,o by the municipal or state authofities', mayC
~ Monroe was informed that he would not pc a
ose lowed to arrest the members OF Ine convention
on and the genera III coMmahu az thS tdie W
ov equally explicit in asserting that the sheriff OF til
parish after Indictment iound p$ tAe grand JuFl
would not be allowed 70 arrest ,,: tne lnelaoeIs
the pretended convention. UnWlllmg y pfln
about collision between the military an
! in civil authonues, mayor Monroe ueslstG
MI, entirely from his intention OF arrestlng I'll
ra'' members, and it was agreed and distinctly nnde
Lhe stood between the general commanding az y
me time and Lieut.. Gov. Noorhtes, that IN case IL
27entio4, that the sheriff, instead of making IL
nce arrests should take his writ for the arrest Of t
l Us persons indicted dlFeCuy 10 the general WI
jth, would indOrse thereon his refusal TO aloWhe
/, ). ecution thereof and would forward u
whole matter to the Presldent OIL the Chit'
States Tor direct ana specnG lnstruetio
in the premises. In the meanWhlle the c0nVehu
pO- was to remain undisturbed, and IN order to
out cure peace and quiet, smau militia
+ha force was to be nsed IN conluncuon WI
some OF the ponce II Is eFldeHt
ana this grand jury that IN pursuance 70 ms aIrang
red ment the manGlpaI atS!oL4LGs seuuigusly AZ
carefully avoided everything tnat coud posslD
lead 10 collision between the ponce ana .
armed negro force assembled LOT tne Protecu'
day of the usurping convention. IL appears that
A. furtherance OF these paclnc views al me feque
nir' of number OF respectable cltzens, the may
nat issued proclamation Gaming on Glli1ens 70
as behave themselves as 10 avert al aanger OF II
and difficulty, which they appear 10 nave heeue
as evidenced 6y the ohlntefrupteu, Passa
through their midst OF the NOISY, turpuient, IL
nacing and insulting procession OF armed negro
the on their way to the place OF the assempage
}. Z. the convention
ond The military force promised 10 ASSIST IN ma
gu" tanning. order, from some cause or other, was
y torthcomng-a 1act Inuch 70 De lalnsnIgo n,Loi a.
hou- there can DC no uo4n! lVs eey "a a. ~, w.
Mr. easily have averted all disturbance ana the aTes
fully bloody scenes OF the day would 5hereDy Ia
been avoided. Ihe military never ulu arrive III u
ana the riot was enureiy quelle9 " the P9tloe' @
been evidence shows that me cohhet Wicn teililna
the so fatally to themselves, was peguh py Ce neg
fore IN front OF the piace Wh@re e sS M Md
After the nrst attaek tne negroes roe ie oaGn
AAeu many Oh Inet !ahg ooSGt % ~ tt9 h f
stitute, the hght was contnuea 9y Snen ron
building ana tne ponce loEee ano Solle 81 u petnon:
"FS' cltzens eotnes, l!ohl Sle s'lees. ~ 10 MI
urt of go INTO the aetalls Vi Lne %i.
found IN tne acGolhpanyiig 5 ssst,llony ~, ~
nave TO say InaI pOlGe SuCCteueu