The Portland daily press., 1868-01-09

The report OF Senator Howard on the case
OF Secretary Stanton has not yet been adopted
by tha military Committee. 1t is quite certain,
however, that it will ultimately be approved,
and reported to the Senate. 1t is very long
document and we only give an abstract of
its arguments on the two most specinus points
made by the President in his message to the
Senate, viz; the opposition of Stanton to the
Tenure of Office act, and his delay in commu-
nicating to the Executive an important dis
patch from Gen. Baird respecting the riot
impending at New Orleans in the summer of
1856 twill lie seen that in the latter case
the President did not scrupe to interpolate
words into Gen. BarJ's dispatch in order to
convict Stanton of criminal negligence. Such
an unmanly trick is only paral, lied by his own
conduct in garbllng Sheridan's dispatches
after the riot. actually occurred: ...-
With regard to the Presidents allegation
that Secretary Stanton originally supported
his reconstruction policy, the report states that
it is evident that Mr.. Stanton was not the
originator of the plan adopted, but that Mr.
Seward was the responsible author and de-
signer; that it was evident that Mr.. stanton
was opposed to the exclusion OF blacks IN COM
mencing to reconstruct the South, but finally
gave his assent to JohnsoD's instrument in
the case of the North Carolina Convention
from the fact that it was regarded as tempo
| rary project to control Congress by all the
! Cabinet and as appears in various nstruc-
| tions given to Provisional Governors by Mr.
| Seward. itt
The report then takes up the complaint al
legged against Mr.. Stanton in the message, IT, lat
he omitted to communicate to the President
the telegraphlc dispatch of Gen. Baird, dated
the 18th OF July, 1866, relative to the State
Convention IN louisiana then about to meet
IN New Orleans, and that the Secretary did
not send the General instructions as required.
The President, on this topic, desires TO give
| the impression that he bad opportunity to
| prevent the riot and slaughter of that bloody
| day, and is therefore free from the responsible
| ity Of which he speaks, and that the failure to
| prevent them was clearly chargeable to the
Secretary's delinquepct. After quoting the
dispatch as sworn to by Gen. Baird, the report
| says: ...r.. o.. s..
| This dispatch, word for word, is furnished
| and sworn to by Gen. Baird. In the coyy
| thereof inserted in the / residents message,
the words at once" are found between "me"
| and "by."
| The copy furnished by Gen. B. implies little
| or no urgency, while that furnished by the
President implies it strongly. The compare
tive expressions are as follows: PLEASE in
| struct me by telegraph. baird.
please instruct me at once by telegraph
| Presidents Message. The report does not at
tempt to account for this discrepancy, merely
mentioning the facts
that Convention, the facts relating thereto be-
ing taken from the report of the Select Com
mittee of the House OF Representatives on the
New Orleans Riots. 1t accuses President
johnson of being aware of the existence of
| Mayor Munroes letter to Gen. Baird on the
18th of July, and also of the intention of the
| rebels to disperse the Convention. Knowing
| these facts the report asks why President
johnson did not make arrangements for pre-
| venting the riot? AS the Convention owed its
wi rNri aari1x IN, fI,ap Anfa Hnc,
mander-in-C Chief of the armies, he could have
dissolved it, and failing to do that, it is argued
that he was bound to protect it against vio-
| lence. Even had he ceased to regard it as a
lawful assembly, he should have protected its
] members as private citizens.
| Evidence is then adduced, from the Presi-
| dents own speeches and other sources, that,
at the time of sending his dispatch to Lieut..
Gov. voorhees,, Mr.. johnson regarded the re-
assembling of the convention as an insurrec-
ton and rebellion, and its members insurgents
or traitors, and that he was willing that the
military should De used to prevent its assem-
bling. But he had not deigned to mention
the subject to the Secretary of War, and the
latter, through whom he was bound by usage
to send his orders, was contemptuousy over
looked, and was in total ignorance of the pur-
poses of its author.
No one can, for moment, suppose that Mr..
| Stanton would have done anything but disap-
prove of this hasty and passionate action,
| tending, as it certainly did, to lead troops to
| the slaughter of members of the convention
| aud their friends, and to Mr.. johnson the
guilt of melting and participating in it. "a
| In noticing the grave delinquency with
| which the President charges Mr.. Stanton, for
| his failure to show him Gen. Baird's dispatch,
asking for instructions Immediately, after it
was received, the committee say: Mr.. johnson.
in his report seeks to throw off from himself
all responsibility of the riot, and denies that
he was warned in time.
The denial, in face of the uncontested and
incontrovertible facts of the case, admits of
but one reply, and that is that it is untrue and
known to be so to Mr.. johnson. He was warn
ed, and fully warned, of the impending vio-
lence, and it is in vain for him to deny fact
so well established.
Mr.. Stanton Was not warned, Gen. Baird's
dispatch did not intimate thatshere was any
danger of popular rising from threatened ar
rests on the writs that were to issue. There
was nothing in it to raise an apprehension of
such danger He had threatened to prevent
the arrests unless he was instructed to do the
contrary by the President.
Suppose Mr.. Stanton had instantly shown
the dIspa ich to the President, what would
nave been the consequence Would he have
instructed Gen. Bard to prevent the arrest?
Tor that alone would have prevented the riot.
lie had Just before and on the same day in
formed VOORHEES, by telegram that the mill
tary was expected to sustain, and not obstruct
or interfere with the proceedings of the court.
The report then explains the circumstances
OF Secretary Stantons withholding Gen.
Baird's dispatch from the President, and con-
cludes with pronouncing him entirely excus-
able, considering his ignorance of the actual
state of affairs IN New Orleans at that time.
After further consideration of this subject
the report recommends the passage of the fol-
lowing resolution and that the same be GER
titled to the President:
ReSolocd, That having considered the evil
dence and reasons given by the President in
his message of the 10Th of December 1857, for
the suspension from Office of the Secretary of
War. Edward NJ Stanton, the Senate do not
concur in such suspension.