The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-02-27
Minority Report |of the Csmn6it tee
on the New Orleans Riot,
The following is the conclusion Of the
Minority Report to Congress Of the Hon.

Ihe following is the conclusion of tn
Minority Report to Congress of the Hon
B. M. Boyer: -
Some years ago. in the loyal and orderl,
city OF Philadelphia, men who met simply
to discuss the abolition Of slavery, had tt
fly for theirliye before mob who burnt
to the ground, in defiance of the police ane
department of that city, the costly edifct
which had been erected for such discus
sions and within very recent period the
city of New York witnessed bloodier riot
in her streets than that of New Orleans
resulting in the wanton and cruel murder
of several hundred negroes, who had com
united no offence whatever.
The undersigned submits the following
general conclusions: e
l. The riot Of the Both Of July was To-
cal disturbance originating in local circum
stances ofgreat provocation, and in nowise
the result OF any hostility OF disaifection or
the part OF the community Of New Orleans
towards the general government 1t was
not in any just or fair sense of the term q
vestige or outcrop of the rebellion, nor can
it be said to be any indication even in the
remotest degree of a disposition on the
part of the people Of the city of New Or.
leans, or of the State of Louisiana, to re.
new hostilities in any form with the estab.
lished authorities either State orfederal.
2. 1t would be monstrous injustice to
hold the whole people of the State OF Lou
isiana accountable for the acts of those en-.
gagged in riot confined to small portion
of the city of New Orleans, and for that
cause to abrogate by act of Congress the
civil Government of that State, now in
peaceful and successful operation; would
be an usurpation of powers not warranted
by the Constitution, and gross outrage
upon the principles of free government.
8. The riot was provoked by the incen-
diary speeches, revolutionary acts, and
Threatened violence of the conventionists !;
such as under the circumstances would
probably have led to riot in any city in
the Union.
A. To provoke an attack on the colored
population, which was expected to be sup
pressed by the military before it had seri-
ously endangered the white leaders, appears
to have been part Of the scheme Of the
conventionists. This would afford an ex-
cuse for congressional investigation, result
ingin congressional legislation, favoring the
ultimate design ofthe conspira1ors, viz the
destruction of the existing civil government
in Louisiana.
5. AS respects that part of the resolution
ofthe House which makes it subject Of
investigation by the committee, "Whether
and to what extent these acts We're partici-
pated in by members of the organization
claiming to be the government of Louis
iana," the following conclusion is sub
mitted:
In no proper sense ofthe term, and in no
degree whatever is the riot of the Both of
July attributable to the government of
Louisiana. If there be any member of the
government of Louisiana in whose official
or personal acts the remote causes of the
riot are to be traced, the chief among them
are Judge R. f.. Howell, who, as the usur-
ping president of the minority of an ex
tinct convention, headed the conspiracy to
overthrow the State constitution Which, as
judge of the superior court he had sworn to
support, and j. Madison Wells who lent to
the conspiracy his official sanction, but on
the day of danger deserted his post without
an effort topreserve the public peace. And
if there be any members of the federal gov
eminent who are indirectly responsible for
the bloody result, they are those members
of the present Congress, whoever they may
be, who encouraged these men by their
counsels and promised to them their indi-
vidual and official support.
B. NJ. BOYER.