The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-10-12
THE TRANSCRIPT.
Friday, October ~, 1866.
The New Orleans Massacre.


port of the Military Commission APP
pointed to investigate the facts, which
has made its appearance in print
The bloody crime is directly charge
able upon the civil authorities of New
Orleans. There is not particle of
truth in the assertion so freely made
by the advocates of my policy that
the Radicals melted the Negroes to
violence. That the Negroes were
unarmed is shown by the fact, the re-
port says, "that over thirty Negroes
were shot dead during the firing, while
they did not succeed.in killing single
assailant, young Conas, the only man
killed on that side being supposed to
have received stray shot from his
own party"
The evidence is conclusive that there
WIS n preconcerted plan md purpose
of attack upon the convention pro
vided any plauiable pretext therefor
could be found Members of the con
vention were told to prepare their
collins" and were warned in various
ways to keep clear of the vicinity
The Board say, though not in evidence,
it is within their personal knowledge
that mock obituary notice of the de
mise OF the convention IN the Both of
July, was some weeks previous post
ed in the city.
We quote from the report
GAS it is maxim that a man must
be presumed TO intend the legitimate
consequences of his acts, the Board
are reluctantly forced to the conclu
sion that, although the instance of
Lieut.. Gov. Voorhees, and others were
successful in causing the issuing of
the Proclamation, yet that Mayor
Monroe well knew that before the OK
cited passions of the mob, it would be
as barrier of straw to fire. that no
troops had been asked for, and with
out the presence of police, violence
was inevitable. When, therefore, he
MJtlultM anu llldSoJNl us ~ lliNA iJ0-
lice, and on the breaking out of the
riot, precipitated them upon the scene,
the Board are compelled to conclude
that he knew what their action would
be, and that he intended the inevitable
consequences of his own acts.
The police were in full sympathy
with the mob, and Mayor Monroe did
all he could, though, perhaps, indi-
rectly, to foster this feeling. The
brutality of the Mayor, aided by the
police, is worthy of notice. Negroes
endeavoring to escape, were merciess-
ly pursued, shot, stabbed, and beaten
to death. Wounded men on the
ground begging for mercy, 'cere sac
agely dispatched by mob, police, fire
men; and the report says, incredible
rs it may seem, in two instances by
women.
The Commission attach no blame to
Gen. Baird. They believe he did all
that was possible in the premises to
prevent bloodshed. Mayor Monroe,
however, swears that Gen. Baird
promised and agreed to and with him
to send troops This the General de
MES, and his testimony is backed up
by that Of Lieut.. Gov Voorhees, and
Gen. Heron. The evidence is clear
that Gen Baird did his duty, sending
troops as soon as requested by the
civil authorities. The evidence is also
equally clear that Mayor Monroe has
committed wilful perjury; but this is
not at ali surprising when we see what
an active part he took in aid of the
mob in their murderous work,
The United States troops, though
appearing at late hour undoubtedly
saved the city. The committee say:
"The Board viii state it as their
firm conviction, that but for the dec
laration of martial law, and the pres
ence Of the troops, fire and bloodshed
would have ragged throughout the
night in all negro quarters Of the city
and that the lives and property OF
Unionists and Northern men would
have been at the mercy Of the mob. =
The conservators of the peace being
for the time the instigators of violence,
nothing would have remained but in
arming in self defence, and n scene
might have ensued unparalleled in
the history Of the age As in the
Gordon riots in London, and the more
recent draft riots in New York, the
affair would have passed beyond the
power OF the originators, into the
hands CT that class whose only object
would have been plumber and destruc-
ton irrespective of party. In the
Boards opinion, the property OF the
Southern merchant, not less than the
life of the negro and the Unionist
vas that night under the protection
of the Federal bayonet alone
Under the existing civil government
of New Orleans the committee say
that il is impossible TO bring tho Grim
inals, many Of whom are well known
to justice; and furthermore, that th,