Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-20
New Orleans Riot.

REPORT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
The majority of the Congressional Com
mittee to investigate the July riot in New
Orleans, consisting of Mr.. Elliot of Mas
sachusetts and Mr.. Shellabarger of Ohio,
have made full report. Mr.. Boyer of
Pennsylvania, the Democratic member of
the committee. makes 4 minority report
The committee examined 1917 witnesses at
Washington and III New Orleans, of whom
Il were introduced by citizens Of New Or
leans. The majority report opens with an
account Of the efforts made to revive the
constitutional convention of SOL, but no
opinion Is expressed as to Its legality. The
circumstances of the bloodShed ut the Me
chanics' Institute, where the Convention
attempted to meet, are related substantial
~ as they have already been given. The
first Shot was fired at Il procession of col
ored men marching towards the institute
to protect their friends. the members of the
convention, who had promised equal suf-
frage as the fruit of their efforts Having
repeated the shocking facts of the tragedy,
the committee come to the conclusion that
- the riotous attack upon the convention,
with its terrible results of massacre and
murder. was not an accident. 1t was the
determined purpose of the Mayor of the
city of New Orleans to break up this con-
vention by armed force"
The committee quote from the Presi-
dents St Louis speech, charging that the
riot was instigated by radical members of
Congress, and say that they find no evil
dence of this. They then proceed to ar
raign the President for the encoura cement
his dispatches gave to the contrivers of the
riot Having quoted his despatch to Lieut..
Governor Y VOORHEES, that" the military will
be expected to sustain and not obstruct or
interfere with the proceedings of the
court" they say:
The President knew the condition of
affairs in Louisiana in July last. He
knew the rebels and Thugs and disloy-
al men had controlled the election of May
or Monroe, and that such men composed.
chiefly, his police force he knew that
Mayor Monroe, then an unpardoned rebel,
had been, after his election, suspended
from discharging the duties of his office
by military order he knew that he him
self had subsequently pardoned him he
must ha We known the rebel antecedants OF
Albert VOORHEES, and A. $. Heron he
knew that riot and bloodshed were appre-
hended; he knew that military orders were
in force and yet without the knowledge of
the Secretary of War or of the General
of our armies, upon whose Immediate re-
sponsibility those military orders had been
issued, he gave directions by telegraph
which, enforced as it was intended they
should be. would have compelled our sol
diers to aid the rebels against the men in
New Orleans who had remained loyal dur
ing the war, and sought to aid and support
by official sanction the persons who design
ed to suppress by arrest on criminal pro-
cess and under color of law the meeting OF
the convention and that although this con-
vention was called with the sanction of the
Governor, and by one of the judges of the
Supreme Court of Louisiana, claiming to
act as president of the convention. The
effect of the action of the President was to
encourage the hearts, to strengthen the
ands, and to hold up the arms of those
men who intended to prevent the conven-
ton from assembling. In their disclosed