The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-02
TIE FEELING YESTERDAY.

IL WouiO NC AOtiy W N~AJ ~NA Uoo1ooo w |
conceal the fact that there existed yesterday
morning, throughout the city, deep and
widespread uneasiness-a terrible apprehen-
sion that some great public calamity was i'm
minent. stranger arriving in the city, and
totally ignorant of the posture of affairs,
could not but have read in the anxious faces
of men who stood in knots on every street, in
the marching and counter-marching of squads
of police, in the movements of infantry sol
diers, and the presence of cavalryin Lafayette
SQUARE, and battery at TIvoh Circle, that
some excitement of an unusual nature pre-
vailed. Business, for the time, appeared
entirely paralyzed, and although on Canal
and other streets the sidewalks were filed
with people, there was visible over all things
pail of anxiety aud suspense.
On the previous day, in deliberate disregard
of the instructions of Generals Grant and
Buchanan in cool Indifference to the action
taken by commanders in other military
districts, the radical quorums of both houses
of the General Assembly had required Of
their members the test oath as qualification,
and in the lower house had unseated six
Democratic members duly accredited from
headquarters, and given place to their oppo-
nents In the Senate, Mr.. Sambola had been
declared not entitled to his seat, and his OPP
ponent. Mr. Campbell, had been qualified and
recognized as a senator. These acts, calcu-
lated to infame the passions Of large por-
ton of the community, engendered, whether
Justly or not we cannot say, in the minds OF
the authorities a suspicion that turbulence
and disorder might result from the close con-
tact of large numbers of both plrties attend
ing the sessions. Precautions were, there
fore, taken by both the police and the mill
tary authorities to prevent any disturbances.
| At an early hour, Gen. Neill, the adjutant
general fifth military district, called at the
Office of the chief of police, and had brief
| conference with that official. Shortly after
wards detachment of police, between one
| and two hundred strong, moved off from the
! central station in the direction of Mechar-
les Institute, and a company OF the sixth
cavalry was seen passing through st. Charles
street One of the riders fell in some way
| and broke his leg, as the command passed
along near Commercial Alley. He was car.
ried into a house near by and received
prompt care and attention. About half-past
| IL a company of the first infantry, under
command of Capt. Yiele, passed up Canal
street, and turning off into Dryades street
stacked arms, platoon in front of the Insti-
tute. another platoon at the Canal street cor.
| ner. Previously both halls in the building
had been cleared by the police, and the crowd
was compelled to remain outside. But, or
the arrival of the soldiery, the street was
also cleared from Canal to Common, none
but members and the press being permitted
to pass the corners. At either end of the
open place a large number were collected
and in every doorway policemen were stand
ing or sitting The oft-mooted query
Where are the police ?" was not hearC
yesterday.
Both houses met at noon, amid an ominou
stiffness reigning within and without Bust
ness was proceeded with devoid of that con
fusion which on the two previous days ha'
existed in at least one of the bodies. Tn
policy of receding from the position requiring
the test oath as a qualification seemed t
have been settled upon by the Republican
leaders, and was, in fact when propose
adopted Meanwhile a number of the Dem
ocratic members elect had forwarded to Gen
Buchanan protest against their exclusion
from their seats. Those who signed this di
not present themselves to qualify, remainin
absent pending Gen. Buchanan's action.
So the day passed off quietly enough, Their
were very few arrests made, and the expecta
tons which many had entertained were fol-
tunatey disappointed.