New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-08-17
The "statemeut' of MIR. wells of Louisiana

J. Madison Wells, "Governor of Louisiana" is
out in long manifesto upon the subject of the |
Louisiana Convention of 1854. Commencing with |
an assertion that he must have known was false, |
namely: that three hundred persons were killed |
or wounded in the recent disturbances in New |
Orleans, he proceeds to address and uphold in |
their revolutionary course, the disunion element
of the State and their black accomplices who |
bndly followed out the injunctions that had been
given them, and protected the "convenionists "
at the expense of their own lives.
The public, by this time, is toerahly familiar
with the political anomaly known as the Louisi.
ana Convention of 1864" and which Thad. Stevens
himself called that bogus concern of Banks;"
and it is not necessary therefore, that we should
follow Mr. Wells in his comments thereupon. 1t
is enough to mention, in this connection, that the
| only possible appearance of legality about the
reassembling Of this convention that Mr.. Wells
could discover, was that it was further well
known that the convention did not adjourn sine
die, but subject to the call of the president. The
fact that Mr. Durell, the president referred to- re-
| fused to convene the convention, because he be-
| lieved that the proposed reassemblng would be
| illegal, depriVes Mr.. Wells of the only argument
upon which he might have based a declaration as
to the legality of the body that Mayor Monroe
happily termed " the Extinct Convention"
Commencing then, in fraud and usnrpatiOn;
convened for the purpose of elevatiug the negroes
of Louisiana to the sudden dignity of ciuzens, at
the expense of the liberties of the people of the
State, it is not strange that violent fate should
have befallen it, But it is little strange that the
man who was elected governor under the pro-
visions OF the Constitution which the "conventiOn
was called to overthrow, should have proved 50
rccfeant to the trust that was C0nfided in him as
to attempt to sanction, with his official actioU the
contemplated violence against the liberties Of the
people whose liberties he had sworn to protect
when he was elected to the office Of governor.
Mr.. Wells. in his statement is frank enough
to say that he fully realizes that he is :" hut an
insignificant atom in the great cause Of maintain
) ing and perpetuating the Union of these States"
This is highly gratifying, and coming, as it does,
from person who may be supposed to know
Mr.. Wells intimately, this expression of opinion
cannot well be considered as other than the truth.
But when we read in another part of the state
ment" that, :" if the advocacy of these measures
ratification of the acts of Congress, etc-identi-
tes me with the radical party, in opposition to the
President | must accept the situation! we are
forced to the conclusion that, whatever else might
be the claims to respect of this insignificant
atom" logic, surely, cannot be numbered among
them.
+ 1t is much to be regretted that Mr.. Wells was 81
+ ready to "accept the situation" OF governor
= few months ago, when, even in violence to thei
e feelings and in apparent neglect of noble bu
IS "unpardoned" patriot and gentleman, the people
= Of Louisiana, in order not to appear sullen ant
: | "hostile" and HdislOyal" invested him with thu
purple that he is to-day trailing in the mire of un
e seemy scandal. tits lamentable spectacle this
e of the foul kite raised by chance into tn
e eagles eyrie Transforming the dignity 0
, his place into the scene of the orgies
l. chances that hard fortune compelled the peop
3 of Lousiana-n electing Mr.. Wells to the posltio
n of their governor-tO take, are less dispose
-, to look with astonshment upon the remrakabl
u statement" that, in the interest of a revolt
e tionary, bloody minded and yulgar faction, ha
J. been presented to the world the " plain unval
ia nished statement" of the origin and progress Of on
- of the deepest-laid and most atrocious plots thf
III ever sprang from the heated lima ginatious of COW
T. ardly white braves and deluded black assassns.
ly New 0rk News Aug. 10.