Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-08-03
THE NEW ORLEANS RIOTS.
The President and Governor WelIs-Mayor
Monroe and General Baird.

THE NE" OHLGANS NIOTS.
The President and Governor WelI-Mayor
Monroe and General Baird.
General Sheridan returned to New Orleans
Wednesday morning from Brazos Santiago.
General Bairu has appointed q military com
mission 10 invs,ugate the Convention riots,
with General Mower as president Mayor
Monroe has addressed letter TO Gen. Baird
saying that, without attempting TO dispute his
(Baird's) military law order, he Monroe) can
not but express his astonIshment Ct such a
step. and at time when no exige0cies existed
for II. The aid of the military, says MAYOR
Monroe. would have been most gladly re-
celVed TO repress violence when such inter-
yentIon was asked; but am at q loss TO un.
derstand by what authority II is made to as
sumo the virtual suppression of the civil au-
thority. We have always been taught to be-
leve thGt il is the principal duty OF military
onicers in this country to sustain and enforce
the civil law. III am TO understand from the
words OF your order that il 10 your desire to
prevent recurrence of the riotous and unlaw-
ful proceedings OF Monday. would respect
fully suggest that your release of all the riot
ers and their accessories who were arrested by
the police, as the first act in your administra-
ton of martial law, is not welt calculated to
accomplish that object Mayor Monroe con-
ciudes his letter by declining to act as Mayor
until the civil authority is restored.
Thanks to martial law and the presence of
troops: the city is comparatively quiet.
The Times says;-"Io see negroes mutilated
and literally beaten to death as they sought to
escape was one of the most horrible pictures ii
has ever been our ill luck TO witness"
IMPORTANT CORRESPONDENCE
The following Geographic correspondence
explains itself:
WAR DEPARTMENT, July 81, 1S66-To His
Frcellencg Governor Wells II have been adj
yised that you have issued a proclamation
convening the convention elected in 1854
Please inform me under and by what authority
this has been done, and by what authority this
convention can assume TO represent the whole
people OF the State of Louisiana.
ANDREW JOHNSON
The Governors reply is as follows:
STATE or LOUISIANA. EXECUTIVE DEPART-
MENT, NEW ORLEANS. July 2s, is66.-To His
E1ceiiency Andreic johnson, President of the United
States Your telegram is received. L have
not issued any order converting the conyen-
ton of 1854. The con vention was reconvene
by the pr esident of that body by yirtue of a
resolution authorizing b I'm to do so, and in that
event for him 10 call on the proper off GERS of
the State 10 issue writs of election for delegates
in unreprPsented parishes. MY proclamation
was issued IN response TO that cali. As soon as
vacancies can be ascertained they will be filed
and then the whole State will be represented
in the convention.
j. MADISON WELLS. Governor.
SECOND DESPATCH PROM THE PRESIDENT
EXECUTIVE OFFICE. Aug. 1, 1S66-To Albert
FOorhees, Lieutenant Governor, ANDREW j. Her.
ron. Attorney General, Netc Orleans. Were the
civil authorities State or Federal conferred
with by General Bard before he declared mar.
tial law Could not the civil authorizes State
and Federal enforce the law and preserve
order, with the aid of the military and without
the necessity of martial law hope that order
has been restored. and the riot not as disas-
trous as represented. Please show this des-
patch TO General Baird
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.
DESPATCH FROM GENERAL SHERIDAN.
In order that the folio wing from Gen hral
Sheridan be fully understood it shouli be
stated that he was absent from New or. cans
when the disturbances commeAced IN that
CRY.
NEW ORLEANS, 100 p. m, Aug. I, 1-66.-7o
GeTeTot I. y. Grant Washington, d g.: You
are doubtless aware of the serious riot VIII ch
occurred in this city on the Both. "A political
body, styling itself the Con vention of 1854,
met mere on me 3Uth. for. as ii is alleged the
purpose Of remodeling the present Constitu-
ton of the State. The leaders were political
agiia'ors and revolutionary men and the ae-
ton of the Convention was liable to produce
breaches of the public peace
had made p nv mind TO arrest the head
men II the proceedings Of the Convention
were calculated TO disturb the tranquility Of
the department, but had no cause for action
mt they committed the overt act About
forty whites and blacks were killed, and
about one hundred and sixty wounded Ey-
erything Is now quiet but deem ii best to
maintain military supremacy in the city for
few days, until the affair Is fully inyesti-
gated believe the sentiment Of the general
community is great regret at this unnecessary
cruelty, and that the police could have made
any arrest they saw fit without sacrificing
lives. p II. SHERIDAN
Major General COMMANDING
ADDITIONAL
General SheIid has returned. and will
sustain martial law until after a thorough
examination Is made by the commission.
Mayor Monroe's letter of the 25th ult to Gen
Baird, In reference to the convention, is pub
lished. He says it is his intention to disperse
this unlawful assembly.
Gen. Baird replies in a lengthy letter, and
says: 81 cannot understand how the Mayor of
city can undertake to decide so important
and delicate question as the legal authority
upon which a convention claiming to repre-
sent the people Of an entire State bases its &C.
ton"
Gov. Wells has applied for military protec.
ten, his life having been threatened.
ARRESTS SINCE THE RIOT
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 2-The street cars were
fired into on the outskirts OF the city last night
by the negroes. and Capt. Reynolds, of the
steamer Starlight, was killed. One Of the muir
derers has been arrested.
Many arrests Ofarmed blacks have been made
since the riot, and several houses occupied by
negroes have been discovered containing arms
and ammunition.