The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-12-04


IsIANA COMMANDER TO GEN. GRANT-BACK HIS
TORY OF THE LOUISIANA ELEcTIoN-How THE
PRAcK WAS ENDASGERED-How 1T WAS PRE-
SERVED, AND WHY THE NEGROES DID NOT VOTE.
WASHINGTON, Nov. Is, 1865.
Gen. Lowell II. Rousseau, commanding the
department of Louisiana and Arkansas, has made
sn elaborate report to Gen. Grant, referring point
edly TO the events which preceded and accompa-
MED the late peculiar election In Louisiana and to
the attacks which portion of the Radical press
have made upon his administration on account OF
the light Republican vote cast. The main portions
of the report are IS follows
On assum ng command of this department had
to encounter difficulties OF no ordinary character.
The excitement of presidential election, at all
times great, was supplemented in Louisiana by
other disturbing elements OF q local nature. From
q struggle of opposing parties the campaign had
been virtually converted by causes into which II
is not my province to enter into struggle OF
opposing races The great majority OF the
colored population were ranged on one side the
majority of the white population ranged them
selves on the other side. Both whites and blacks
had organized into secret political clubs, semi
military in their character, having the ordinary
military officers TO each company. The coored
clubs habitually drilled the white clubs did not,
because with the majority Of them drill was I'M
necessary: A police imbroglio in the city Of New
Orleans of q most perplexing and exciting charac-
ter and the receipt Of more or less distorted re-
ports of disturbances In various sections of the
State added additional complications to the situa-
ton.
" it'll al these difficulties to contend against,
found myself charged with extended responsible
ties and armed with very slender power Civil
government having been restored in the State. the
authority of the military was necessarily limited.
The force at my command, moreover, Was ex.
oeedingy small. Until the receipt of reinforce
mente from General Gillem the entire number of
troops at my disposal in and around the city of
New Orleans was only 46S men: After the re.
I'll - lu1
but $50 men available for service In the city.
had not even then sufficient force to patrol the
city and leave respe ctable reserve behind. The
records of the department will show how ur-
gently and repeatedly telegraphed for definite
instructions on the recurrence of each fresh
emergency, and my own official acts will prove
how earnestly l strove to maintain the public
peace, whilst preserving, as became an officer OF
the United States army, the striciest imparuality
and freedom from political bias. To have acted
as partisan on either side would have simplifed
my position immensely; but to watch and control
as far possible both sides and to preserve the
public peace without influencing in any way the
result of the election, was task of no little diff
Guilty and danger.
rHE Nxoro rerr1K FORCE.
TIE police troubles formed the most dangerous
feature in the condition of affairs in New Orleans.
An act of the Legislature recently passed trans
ferred the control of the police force of the city
from the mayor and corporation, in whose hands
it had hitherto been vested, into the hands OF
metropolitan police board composed Of six men,
beers, three white and three colored, the lieuten.
ant governor of the State presiding. This board
appointed police force OF 243 negroes and 100
white men 10 take charge of the city of New Or
leans. The community at large refused to recog-
nize or uphold the authority Of body thus con-
stituted. This fact taken by itself, without enter
ing into any question of motive or justification
and without more than referring to the generally
inferior material both white and black with some
worthy exceptional, from which the men were
selected-this fact alone rendered the metropoli-
tan police organized practically worthless, and
placed life and property at the mercy OF the worst
classes in the city.
At the slightest appearance of disorder the
members of this police unsupported as they were
by public sentiment, stampeded, many OF them
throwing off their uniforms as they ran. Armed
patrols of citizens them took upon themselves the
guardianship Of the public peace, adding another
element of danger to those already existing. At
another time this question might have been left to
settle itself, but In the presence OF threatened
disturbances on all hands. when the governor of
the State had surrendered the safe keeping Of the
city to me, and when positive directions had been
transmitted to me through the war department TO
preserve the peace at all hazards, i should have
fallen short of my duty had I neglected to take
prompt and decisive action in the matter. As be-
fore state had not troops enough to police the
city. even had / deemed 1t consistent with my
duties military commander to undertake the
charge. ! consented to matters OF compromise
attaining the objects had In view.
now THAT TROUBLE ENDED. to
At nv instance the board of metropolitan police
appointed General James B. Steedman, chief Of
| police, and brought the influence OF his name ant
position to the aid Of the civil authorities In pre-
serving the peace This step alone, In my judg
ment, tended more to settle matters than any one
| thing DONE and think il only an act OF justice
| here to thank General Steedman-as the metro
| politan police board have themselves done BY
form al resoluton-for the manly and efficient man
ner in which he discharged the duties of that Office
| up to the end of the troubles.
| The mayor and corporation of the city, declar.
| ing the metropolitan police act unconstitutional
| insisted upon their right to appoint their owl
| chief and policemen. They commissioned Mr.
under the msyoralty Of Mr.. Monroe, TO the pos
/ of chief of police. II was further announced
that the metropolitan police were to be fOrcibl,
elected from the Office by the appointees OF tn
| mayor. ! Immediately sent word to Mayor Con
way by my aid.de.canp,. Major Russell, that
| should hold him responsible for any tumult tina
| might result from his action, and advising him h
| concur IN requesting Gen. Steedman TO act q
chief OF police until after the election, and y
order the chief appointed by him to take no stel
| until further instructed. His honor at ono
acceded to my wishes. then advised both par
ties TO test the legality of the metropolitan polio
bill peaceably in the law courts, and writs OF 10
| junction and quo tcGTT'0ntO have since been take
/ -
editors of the local newspapers, without dstinC
ton of. party, to meet me at my private residenc
and discuss this same matter, which they did. W
talked the subject over in q friendly manner, an
believe all LETT with the intention OF counsellin
the people to await the action Of the courts. A
any rate, this was done, the papers all taking
moderate view of the question; and this was th
end of the police troubles.
THE RIOT EXCITEMENT.
Coincident with the police'imbroglio there wei
other causes of public uneasness. From Il
parish of St. Bernard reports of highly indar
matory nature were received. white Dem
cratic GLIB il that Ffrss r65ppSSitsn - pocena
The negroes assembled at night, burned the houl
of leading white Democrat and his body with !
: drove bis wife and little children into the wood
severely beat bis sister and broke the leg Of OF
Of his children. These were the facts. Publ
rumor made them even worse. The exciteme
in this city went on incre asing from day to ds
and finally developed in hostile collisions, !foowt
by acts Of reprisal and retaliation, white again
black, black against white. These acts of violen,
we're generally committed by small parties who
the police alone ought to have been suffi cient
detect and arrest. In almost every case the mi
chief was done and the guilty parties bad di
persed before information could reach these hea
quarters.
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