Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-02-15
The New Orleans Riot.

The report Of the Investigating Commit
tee on the New Orleans Riots has at length
teen made, and q minority report from Mr..
Boyer, the democratic member Of the CON-
inittee. The great length Of the reports
fOrbids their appearing in full in our col
umns.
The committee was engaged IN It's labors
from the 10th Of December to the ID Of
February; and examined I97 witnesses.
The report rehearses the history Of the con-
veuuon and the riot, and quotes some Of the
evidence given before them. The commit
tee say "thIs rictous attack upon the con-
vention, with Its terrible results of massacre
and murder, was not an accident Ii was
the determined purpose of the Mayor Of the
city of New Orleans to break up this con-
ventIon by armed force This the Commit
tee proceed TO demonstrate.
They show the state Of feeling on the part
Of the State and city officials. and reeite
their interviews with Gen. Baird, and the
consequent action taken by them.
The committee then quote part Of Presi
dent Johnson speech at St. Louis sept. Sth
il which be asserted that the convention l.
self and the incendiary speeches made By its
friends were the causes Of the not; and they
say they can find 10 evidence warranting any
such charge. They show that the President
knew the condition Of aflirs in New Or
leans, and that II was contemplated to az
rest the members Of the convention. and
tclegraphed to Albert Voorhies, Lielt. Gov
ernor Of Louisiana, dated July ., 1856
The military viii be expected to sustain
and not obs;ruct or interfere with the pro.
ceedings of the Court. A despatch on the
subject Of the convention was sent to Gov.
Wells this morning."
The Committee says
The effect o. this dispatch Was to assure Lieu
tenant Governor VOORHEES, and those who were
acting with him that they would have the sup
port Of the President IN their proposed action
II is maintained by the President that Louisiana
is political State within the Union. in the
same sense with Massachusetts and Ohio. But
he knew thst the Governc- Of Louisiana WAS 81
his home in New Orleans; thst the Legislature
was not in session and that his own power under
the Constitution was upon the application Of the
Executive " to protect the State against domes-
tic violence" and be overlookei the Governor
OF the State, known 10 be loyal. and communi-
Gated directly with the Lieutenant Governor and
Attorney General, known not 10 be in sympathy
with the Governor. and by his action gave such
directions as, If carried out as understood By
the parties who received them, would have ar
rsyed the military power Of the United States
on the side Of Mayor Monroe's police in their
proposed arrest Of the members Of the Ccnven-
ton.
The President knew the condition Of aEaIrs
in Louisiana in July last. He knew that
=. rebels al thugs" and disloyal men had
controlled tie election Of Mayor Monroe and
that such men composed chiefly his police force.
He kaeS that Mayor Monroe, then an unpsr-
doued rebel, had been after his election suspend
ed from dis,harging the duties Of his cfioe ny
military order, be knew that be himself had
subsequently psrdonei him, and must have
known the rebel autecedents Of Albert Voorhies
and A S Heron; be knew that riot snd blood
shed we're spprehendsd; be knew ihst military
orders were in force, and yet, without the know
ledge Of the Secretary Of War or Of the General
Of our armies, upon whose inmeiis;e retponsi-
bility these military orders had been issued,
be gave directions by telegraph, which, if en-
forced, a. it was intended they should be, would
have compelled our soldiers TO aid the rebels
against the men in New Orleans who had re-
NAMED loyal during the war, and sought TO aid
and support BY ofhciA sanction the persons who
desired TO suppress by arrest on criminal pro-
uuIer rnlnr If law the r7eas1r- If the Con-
veniion, and that, although this Convention was
called with the sanction Of the Governor and by
enc Of the Judges Of the Supreme Court Of
louisiana, claiming TO act as the President Of
the Convention.
- The effect of the action Of the President
Was TO encourage the heart, to strengthen the
hands, and to h ID up the arms Of those men
who INTENDED to prevent the Convention from
assembling. In this disclosed intention to ar
rest. by police or sheriff, the members of the
Convention, they were assured Of his support
and aid; and it was believed, with good reason,
that whatever steps the Mayor should take. in
his Office and under color Of law, to suppress
the meeting Of the Convention, would have the
the sanction Of the President"
The committee then discuss the question
o. the legality Of the convention, and de-
clare that it was rot an unlawful assembly
in the meaning Of the law, and did nothing
tina; var unlawful.