New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-02-12
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
THE NEW ORLEANS MASSACRE.
REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING com
MITrEE


| Mr.. Eliot and Mr.. Shellabarger, being ma,
! jOIity of the Select Committee appointed under
| a resolution of the House Of Representatives,
passed Dec. q, 1865, 10 investigate matters CON
nected vita the New Orleans riots of July 30,
! 1866, and TO report such legislative action az
the condition of affairs in the State Of Lou
isiana might require, have submitted the fol-
! lowing report:
On the 10th of December the Committee wa
appointed. They entered upon their duties ca
the following day, and proceeded to examine
witnesses-citizens of Louisiana then residing for
the time in WnshingtOn-and continued their
| labors here until the 18th of December. On tho
22d of December the examination of witnesses
was resumed at New Orleans, and was closed in
! that city on the 3D. of January, 1857; 1T was
resumed at Washington on the 10Th of January,
and finally closed on the I'd of February.
| The whole number of witnesses examiner
is 1877, of which 1J9 We're before the Committee
| at New-Oreans OF these, AZ were examined
at the request of citizens of that city.
The massacre was begun and finished IN MD
day, and such proofs of preparation were aus
closed that are constrained to say that an
intention existing somewhere to disperse and
to slaughter the members of the Convention
| and those persons, white and black, who were
present and were friendly TO its purposes, was
I mercilessy carried into full effect. What per
| SONS had formed tbat Intention and what other
persons knowingly or nnwittingly, coOperated
with or aided them, the Committee has endeav-
Ored to ascertain.
The direct cause of the riots which resulted in
the massacre of several members OF the COnven-
tion and in the slaughter of many citizens at
Louisiana was the rcassembling of that Cor
vention pursuant to a call made by the Hon. Il.
X. Howell, acting as President pro tenn. The
Convention of 1864 had been held on the
first Monday of April in that year, in pursuance
of a proclamation issued by MalOr-Gen. N. y:
Banks while III command of the Department OK
the Gulf.
By the journal of the Convention it appears
that having assembled ON the 9th OF April, 1915,
ionrpsd subject to the cali Of the President Among
The proceedings OF the Convention the following rs
i R I'm Tst %S" dis Convention adjourn ha the ~ Of
cause or 10 ease the rat for The
ss :"f oT 'G re- s, S ns lie S al .d ssSs :
upon proper o. the State to cause elections % BE- bed 70 m
exist in the Convention IN parishes "pes
Rsr hat 10 cs Of The Convention it -h.i 10
power the Legislature Of the STATE a, rs sr,' se;son H
woke the CoH'ea'ion "a se nsansr ~ ease snGas % & 70
Cerntoe that may the opinion Of 'ae LesaIs leG1 g., =. a
s Sdg Thai no per- den Of allowed dpas tic
a Constitution for the state Of Louisiana had BEEN
action OF the people residing within military lines ON
y"e OF Sss Yeas 10 5eG Nays The constitution tSus
ratified has remained in practical operation to this tlse
state Governments has been uorked pnsuant TO It's pro-
visions -. -. IT,, q. -. ...l. !.
the duty OF the President To recOnvoke the convention
the Constitution should not De Itiles IA otf.a 20
eminent the stlte. The Constitution having been
held 10 be ratified stated that occasion did nos arse
for reasSembug the Convention and no power es'si' !
for recalling its membcrs excepting that which y fOnno
i'm the first clause uf resolution, 10 wit That when
this Convention adonrs il shall De ~ she call Of tba
President whose duty shall he To lecOnVoke VIC Ton
Early in the summer 1866 conferences and meeting.
n held in NewOrieans. informal in character ~
parties who believed that power remained in the PI,st
dent recall the members Of the Convention Tor hthei
yention esies thar of the members. the 6ovsr
nor Of the ard members OF the Judiciary Of tho
STATE toght 10 necessary" The President ~ the Ton
vention the Hon L. H. Dure, although II would appeal
FROM hls testimony before the Committee that ne enter
Of his office reconyoke he Convention. deeved ef
which he deened sufficient to sue proclani
ton FOR reaSembliug. IL does not APPEAR that ba
formally resigned hi, Office bnt rs mTen 0, us'.ks'.
n,side expecting 10 he absent louisiana aud The
iIon L. X Howell. Of the Judges OF the Supreme
s1d nroced 70 ccnyoke the Convention ~ proelama.
ton 20 call upon the Governor TO issue "fits u
This action of Judce Howell was concurred in by Gov.
T. Madison Wells who ordered writs OF election 10 issue
Ills in evidence before the Committee and find Tho
ast Of 70 ST ws the Officially Of existing
vacancies and If quorum of members should appear it
cancies should filled and the wrts OF election for tho
choice Of membe from urepresened districts should be
I Conph'" WILL
elections ordered 10 be held on the third day OF Sep
TENDER The whole state being represented was then
intended 10 consider certain articles M amendDeDt or the
Constitution, and have them submitted TO the whole
people for their action approved by the people tho
Constitution thus amended was To DO suOmted W Coh
The legality of this proposed action by the Convention
was the subject OF discussion among certain por-
lions Of people OF NewOreans and as the day Of as
approached there ruinOrs OF disturbance
afOat and threats OF violence made. IL is not believed
that the fact Of assembling the Convention wonld
accustomed disturbance but the ultimate purposes
and hopes Of the Convention ayowed by the members
Instrumental in its assembling, were denounced
The Convention OF 1854 initiated ny military ORDER
II had adopted Constitution which had been slDnlttto
10 the people or mar portion Oh Lous l
within the conro Of Federal arms anu had been railrsd
. nv them Civil government hat been ORGANIZED ohdsr
the prov sons ~ that Constitution hut ali was prOVis
ioral incomplete and regarded by the military
authority from whom proceeded until the sme should
arrive when by the action " congress louisiana would
he restored her former practical relations Ia the UniOn
Until that time il was claimed that the Convention Dght
be recalled provided for ia the resolution OF adi0un-
Ineut The time within which such recOnVoeaton aould
be ordered being left indefinite by the terms OF the rso-
luton and being limited only, the language Of Judge
Howell by the admission OF the State into the Union,
after which event the normal state condition Noud 10
established and the usual forms III state action become
! possible and regular .. ...
II was understood that subjects OF vital interess
would can Tor discussion and dacsOn-bOth " them AZ
fectins elective franchseone in limitation Of Tho
right applying Ia certain classes OF Rebels ~ho had
waged war against the Government. aud one en3arfne
the right euffanchiSe citizens who han been dnr-
ing the Rebellion NJ AL times loyal 10 the Unio out VINO
had been disqualified voters by rason OF their A1can
descent. II the apprehension that amendments OF
the State Constitution in these respects would De en
mendcd by the ConventionHnd finally ratified by tho
| people which created popular eNeltemenI . a..
obviously no such amendments could De proposed Ior
discussion in convention until quorum OF rs memoers
should assemble and the proof before the Committee ~
ample that no intention existed 10 take any acon even
then until after the elections had been nelu anu tio o
eRates chosen from unrepTesented DISTRICTS ibis tmo
cend NOT arrive until after the "a September but t
was deemed by the parties who were Opposed 70 the
inteTrupi at oncAihe proposed Convention.
The massacre of citizens members Of she COZ