The Portland daily press., 1866-08-29
The New Orlcnn. Rinfs.
ooREsPoNDENcE BETWEEN MAYOR MONROE
AND GEN. BAIRD.
State Of Louisiana,

State Of Louisiana,
Mayordity Of Neao Orleans,
p..,., Guy Hall, July 25, 1896.
Dreoet MVor- General Baird. CoDnonndino de-
| Pdrtment Of Louisiana. OO"'"'''S ~
General:-A body of men clo;,o;,, a.. tolo,,,.
TO the convention of 1854 and 1uhns " Dvrn DeiUS
0pJect is 10 suDvert the present munic;noI ond
otate governments will, L L arm assaip',hlo ~
tnls eity Monday next The laws and ordinan-
ces OF the city, which my office makes oiiin
| tory upon me to see faithfully execntoS 5a
clare all assemblies calculated to distnrb tho
public peace and tranquility as nm iavf,,i IL
as such to be dispersed by the mayor and tba
participants held responsible for violating the
same. 1t Is my intention to disperse this nm
lawful assembly if found within the CORPORATE
limits of the city by arresting the members
thereof and holding them accountable to ex-
isting municipal laws provided they meet
without the sanction OF the military authori-
ties. will esteem it favor, ii at YOUR earliest
convenience you will inform me whether this
projected meeting has your appreciation, so that
1 may act accordingly. lam, General respect
fully, JOHN T.. MONROE, Mayor.
Headquarters Dept of Neo Orleans, La,
I. July rs, 1866.
Hon. John T. Monroe OF Neeo Orleans
SIR nave received your communication
OF the 18th inst, informing me that q party of
men, claiming to be members of the conven-
ton of 1864, upon the avowed object to sub
vert the present municipal and State govern
ments, are about to assemble in this CITY, and
regarding this assemblage as one of those de-
scrlbed in the law as calculated to disturb tho
pubic peace and tranquility, and therefore un-
lawful, you believe it 10 be your duty and that
1T Is your intention to disperse this unlawful
assembly if found within the corporate limits
OF the city, by arresting the members thereof
and holding them accountable to the existing
municipal laws, provided they meet without
the approval OF the military authorities. You
also inquire whether this projected meeting
has my appreciation that you may act ac-
cordingly.
In reply have the honor to state that the as
semblage to which you refer has not so far as L
am aware the sanction or appreciation of any
military authority for its meeting presume
the gentlemen composing it have never asked
Tor such authority, as the military commanders
since have been in the State have held them
selves strictly aloof from all interference with
the political movements of the citizens of Lou
lslana. For my own part have carefully re-
framed from any expression of opinion on eth
or side of many questions relating to the recon-
struction of the State government When ask
ed II ntenoed to furnish the convention mil
ltary guard have replied, "No, the mayor of
the city and his police will amply protect the
slttlngs. If these persons assemble as you say
Is intended, 1t will be. presume, in virtue of
the universally conceded right of all loyal citi-
zens Of the United States to meet peaceably
and discuss freely questions concerning the
civil government, right which is now restrict
cu Dy IdCb buttb the movement proposed
might terminate in a change of existing 1nsti-
tutlons. If the assemblage in question has the
legal right to remodel the State government il
should be protected in so doing. fit has not.
then its labors must be looked upon as q niece
OF harmless pleasantly to which no one ought
to object: AS to your conception of the duty
imposed by your oath of office, regret to dif-
fer with you entirely. 1 cannot understand
now the mayor of a city can undertake to de-
eide so important and delicate question Us to
the legal authority upon which o convention
claiming to represent the people of an entire
State bases its action. This doubtless will be
decided upon in due time by the legal branch
ofthe United States government. AT all events
the government of the State would seem to be
more directly called upon to take the initiative
In step of this kind If ifit was proper and ne
cesSary. What we want at the present time is
the maintenance of perfect order and the sup
preston ofviolence. If fwhen you speak of the
projected meeting as one calculated to disturb
the public peace and tranquility. l am to un-
derstand that you regard the number of persons
who differ in opinion from those that Will con-
stltute the meeting so large, and the lawlessness
of their character so well established, that YOU
doubt the ability of your small force of police
TO control them, you have in that case only to
call on me, and will bring to your assistance
not only the troops now present in the city,
but, If necessary, the entire force which it may
be IN my power to assemble either upon land or
water Lawless violence must be suppressed
and IN this connection the recent order of the
acknowledgement, designed for the protection
OF citizens of the United States, deserves care
full consideration. 1t imposes high obligations
Tor military Inference to protect those who,
having violated no ordinance of the State are
engaged in peaceful avocations.
am, sir, very respectfully,
A. BAIRD,
Brevet Major General