The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-08
THE RIOT AT NEW ORLEANS.
Very Interesting DOcument-Stateuaon
of the LieutenRB t-GOvernOF, Attorney
General, and Mayor Monroe.

General, and Mayor Monroe.
NEW ORLEANS, August THE following des
patch regarding the riots at New Orleans has
been forwarded to the President signed by
Albert Voorhees, LieutenantGovernor OF Loui-
siana, A. s. Heron, Attorney General OF
Louisiana, and j. T. Monroe Mayor OF New
Orleans;-
NEW ORLEANS. August 7.--His EYcellency.
President Andrew Johnson-Sr:-You Excel.
lency rs already In possession OF the main facts
as regards the conspiracy which, Dy reviViRg
the Convention OF 1864, purposed to suovcrt the
clvll Government OF Louisiana. An informal
meeting OF LWenty-nine members Zone hundred
and nifty being .he whole number, and sixty.slx
a quoruW) proceeded to oppose the President
oil the Convention, who cons dered the COnven.
ton itself extinct, and himself relieved OF the
functions OF the office, and TO elect r. X. Howell
as President pro tenn. They adjourned to meet
AGAIN, and proclamation was issued by the
PresIdent pro tenl., CJnvenng the Convention
TO meet or the 30th OF July last and directing
his Excellency the Governor of the Safe 10
issue writs OF election to fill the vacancies. 50
far the whole matter was looked upon as
harmless experiment, although mlscnevOusly
intended, the people being confident that the
Governor would not condescend to notice this
proclamation, and that in case the Convention
would commit any act OF interference, he would
at once have it dissolved. Unfortunately, now
ever, atler lapse OF nearly mOntn, the Goy'
ernOr issued NriJs OF election to fill up nity-one
vacancies III that body. This document, to wnlch
the Secretary OF State refused to give his atesta-
uon under the seal OF state, was Issued under
the attestatiOn OF the private secretary OF the
Governor. The people OF the state became
alarmed when no douot could be entertained as
to the tact tnat their Chief Magistrate h9d gwen
willing aid aud assistance to subVeft the Gov
eminent, the preservation OF which vas specially
intrusted 20 his keeping. On Friday, the 27th
OF July, a large meeting was held IN the
Hall OF the House OF Representatives, pro-
fessedly Tor the advocacy OF uulver-
sal suffrage, but in reality TO organize Tor
the meeting OF the Convention on the Monday
following. The object OF the meeting was to
excite the passions and preiudlce5 OF the coored
population, so as to make them the victims OF IA
riot, by urging them headlOng into a conflict
with the State and municipal authorities. 0n
the other hand we were determined TO prevent
riot ard bloodshed by pursuing such course as
would battle the nelarlous calculations OF those
agitators. Our remedy and the only remedy
must be by resource to the usual process OF Law,
and even then to proceed IN such manner as TO
tasten upon them the responsibilities OF al COLI
sion whatever Tho case was submitted TO the
Grand Jury by the Attorney General, and IN the
meantime the Leutenant-G Ovemor and the Mayor
called upon General Baird to ascertain whether, If
a warrant, ISSUED upon rec ular indictment, was
placed in the hands of the Shcrlh for the arrest
OF Il members OF the Convention, the military
wonld interfere. The answer was, that the
Sheriff himself would be arrested, and that the
Convention, meeting peacPably, could not be
inter cred with by the officers o. the law, 1t Is
proper here to state that the Mayor had pre-
vIously addressed note to General Bard in
qulrIng whether he would be intertered with
Dy LnS military III case ne WOulu proceed TO
dlsperse the Convention as an unlawful assem-
blaze. Tue ans Ner to this communication was
tnat the meeting OF the Convention being
peaceable, it could not be suppressed by the
Ma or, and tlat the military authorities would
prevent the interference OF tue civil authorities.
1t was suggested by the Lleutenant-GoveTnor
that the city authorities, under those crCum-
stances, d d not intend to interfere TO prevent
the ms eetnC OF the Convention; bat he proposed
that in case Il warrant oi arrest was placed in
the hands OF the Sheriff, the latter, before at
tempting TO execute It, would call upon the
General, who, thereupon, would indOrSe hls
objections, and the matter would at once be
united TO the President. This arrangement
was satisfactory to both parties Oa the same
day, the Attorney-General and The Lieutenant
Governor teleoraphed to the Pres dent, TO
ascertain whether the process OF the Court tor
the arrest of the members OF the Convention
could be thwarted by the military. The answer
was expected TO sustain the courts. On sun
day the 29rh, the StaJe AMI municipal autnori-
ties called upon the press 70 advise the people
70 the proper course to be held. The
next day, so as to AVOID Il collision and riot, the
Mayor lssueu his proclamation TO the same
effect The press of the Cltv, with the exception
OF the radical organ, gave wise and salutary
counsels to the public, inviting all good cltlzens
to avoid coneregatng about the Capitol, and to
dsmean themselves with prudence and uiscre
ton. On the morning OF the Both the Lleutc-
nant Governor called upon General Baird to
communlCae to him the Presidents deSpatcn,
ana also inquired from the General II he would
not have some troops in the vicinity OF the hall
TO preserve peace and good order. General
Baird answered that the application had been
mace by members OF the Convention. The sug-
gestlon was then made that to have too large a
police lorce on the spot might be construed as
meant to overaWe the members and that mas
much as the civil authorities did not intend
interfering with the Convention until Instruc-
tions were received from the President, as
above agreed on it was proper to have troops
to cooperate with small police force to pre-.
serve peace and to prevent all possible attempts
to bring about coils on. This suggestion met
that he would give immediate orders to have the
troops in readiness. Before the end of this in
teryleW it was agaln agreed upon between Gene.
raj Baird and the Lieutenant Governor, that
whatever warrant OF arrest might be placed in
the hands OF the Sheriff would be submitted to
him before any attempt 10 have it executed, and
that upon the Endorsement OF the Generals OBJ.
jections the matter would be referred to the Pre-
sdent. The Mayor being informed of this ar
rangement sent but "a small police force to the
vicinity of the hall, and The troops that W. re 10
act in conjunction with the police were eagerly
expected at noon, information having reached
the Lieutenant-GOvernor that in the third
district there was a commencement OF eifer-
Vescence, and that large numbers OF negroes
were coming towards Laurel street from above
and below. He immediately sent despatch to
the General, conveying this intelligence and
urging that the troops be sent without delay
About one hour afterwards the riot broke out,
ending in the dispersion OF the Convention and
the capture OF the rioters, including several
members of this body. II is not our purpose to
argue the question of fact as TO the actual com
mencement OF the collision, and fix precisely
the mode in which il originated. We will, how
ever remark that the co lslon was in every
instance brought about by the armed mob sus-
tanning the Convention. Suffice 1t TO say, tnat
the civil authorities took all the precautions