The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-06-21
RECONSTRUCTION.
THE LOUISIANA TROUBLES.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM JUDGE ApE1L


could asiOnish one more than to find the extra
ordinary statements contained in a telegram
IRON General Sheridan to General Grant, dated
the btn INST So far as 1t relates to me, nothing
could De more at variance with the record aud
Iacls OF the case. 1t seems to me that they are
not only made in error, but are most incredible.
AJudge Abel repeats here the letter already
published OF General Sheridan to General Grant
OF June 6, giving his reasons for removing from
once Monroe, Heron, and Abel, and thus con.
cludesl l:-Respect for the officers of my Govern
ment forbid my characterizing this telegram IN
the language that 1t certainly appears to de-
serve, or such as General Sheridan sees ft to
use towards officers OF rank and merit l shall
content myself with candid and earnest refu-
tu0n OF the numerous groundless assertions
In the third paragraph of the telegram Gen.
erai Sheridan says: "The court over which
Judge Abel presided is the only criminal court
IN the city OF New Orleans. For period of at
ieast nine months previous to the 30th of July
ne had been educating large portion of the
community TO the perperatlon of this outrage
by almost promising them no prosecution IN his
court against the offenders in case such an event
occurred" This statement is extraordinary,
without foundation, and utterly impossible. 1
never thought OF such thing. 1t is utterly i'm
po slole that could have knOwn nine months
previous to the 30th of July, that such a meet
ing would take place. The conventionsts and
their friends held nearly every Office in The
state, and appeared we'll pleased with the con-
stitution. Its author, General Banks, pro-
nounced 1t the best ever made" President
Lincoln said that cit was a most excellent con-
hold nearly all the offices under it until they
were displaced by the newly elected Democrats,
winch occurred only bout three months before
the riot. How couldlI know nine months before
that these men would assemble 10 alter so good
constitution, uniessthe General ranks me with
Ghalcas the wise. the Grecian priest and guide,
The past, the present. and the future knew
If the General be satisfied with his assertions
1 snail not complain. He prOceeds:-"The
records of the Court will sho that he fulflled
MS promise, as not one of the guilty ones has
been prosecuted" This assertion Is plainly con-
trao cted by the record referred to. 1t shows
that the Grand Jury OF the parish indicted about
twenty-five of those whom they believed to be
the guilty pa1ties and IN doing so they con-
Cured with General Sheridan, who telegraphed
to the President that the meeting of the
Convention was the immediate cause OF the riot;
and the law only punishes those who are the inn
medlate cause OF breaches of the law.
General sheridan proceeds:-"In reference to
Andrew S. Heron, considered it his duty to
indict these men before the criminal court. This
ne 1alled TO do, but went so far as to attempt to
impose on the good sense of the whole nation
by indicting the victims OF the riot instead of
the rioters-in other words, making the inno-
cent guilty and the guilty innocent. He was
therefore, an abettor and coadjutor with Judge
Abel In bringing on the massacre of the 30th OF
July" Fortunately for the country, what
amounts to unlawful assemblies, riots, etc., are
questions of law, and not mere opinions of our
generals. l did everything in my power by
legal means to prevent that meeting, and have
always believed that, had the military COM
as 1 did 10 prevent the meeting, there would
have been no assembly, no riot, and conse-
quently no bloodshed; and so stated in letter
to General Sheridan which | had the honor OF
addressing MIN on the 29th OF August last The
Conyenhonists claimed, up. TO the very day of
their assembling. that they had promise of mill
tary assistance; and II their assertion has been
denied have never seen II.
Finally the General says:- Mayor Monroe
controlled the element engaged in this riot, and
when backed by an Attorney General who would
not prosecute the guilty, and Judge who
advised the Grand Jury to find the innocent
guilty and let the murderers go free, felt secure
in engaging his police force in the riot and mas
sacre. With these three men exercising large
influence on the worst elements in this city,
giving to the elements an Immunity for riot and
bloodshed the General in Chief will see how
insecure I felt in letting them occupy their
positions in the troubles which might occur in
registration and voting in the reorganization"
here made has no foundation in tact.
1t is too unreasonable to gain credence
among an intelligent people. My charges to the
Grand Jury are on file in the First District
Court and will show exactly the contrary. /
am prepared TO prove, by the whole panel OF the
Grand Jury. most OF whom are men OF equal in
telligence and worth vito General sheridan or
here stated. never spoke to them upon that
or any other subject before them except through
my charges, which are on tie and cannot De
garbled As to controlling the elements OF
which General Sheridan speaks, with the excep-
ton of the occurrence of the 30th OF July, no
city in the United States had order better pre-
served. That that occurrence was forced on the
people by irresponsible men admits OF no doubt.
have endeavored TO show to the Chief Exc
Cutive officer of the United States, TO Generals
Grant and Sheridan, that the telegram OF tue
9th inst from General Sheridan 10 General
Grant is unsustained by facts, and unjust IN lts
application. respectfully ask that IL De over
ruled as insufficient, and that myself ana tne
officers of the State of Louisiana ana CORPORA
tion of New Orleans be restored to the functions
of their offices until superseded by oincers
elected under q new Constitution, as l1tenoed
nv Congress- as clearly appears by tAt Skin
section of the act OF March last, which declRres
Ithat until the people of the said Rebel states
shall be by law admitted to representation An
the Congress of the United States, any clyli oy.
erHmept which may exist therein shall 0e deemed
nrovisional only and in all respects sat teet 20
the paramount authority of the United Estates
at any time to abolish, modify, conrolf oE a
nereede the same,n etc. III the foresight
of Congress in the preservation OF ctatfA ofsrn-
ments until new constitutions are AfrmeQl as
y Contained in the sixth sectlon, be dlFregsrd
and five Independent governments otf eregted In
their stead, with fully organized arGAies, and an
anSiliarv bureau aud one million 9lnd half of
81 efficient registered men, Win poBertul allies In
the North, venture to predict that The Legisla-
t,1re and Executive would lfe q ershadoWed.
Throngh the light Of hs,tlTtH speak in sorro "
\ ana aoprehension of Iny SAhappy country, and
! NOT Though prejudlce owards General Snerl-
dan. as might be supPos9d nom the tenor OF his
seleeraI0, Ny daty % fmysef as citizen, to
AeeI libel or cocrectfan error committed by q
lverntpent ohIciels &nd 20 demand at the hand
d nv Governn en- adress for injuries done me
~, one oe tncN "a MY apology for addressing
.Iyose ~ 10 wfQu t Government has lntrusteo
Az dnty a IqiQt lht citizen and maintain the
honor Of ef ~ fnment,