New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-12-07
Major General Roussesu's Report
Reply from Mr., Packard, President
State Central Committee.
New ORLEANS, La, |
December s. 1868.

The report OF MAJOR General Rousseau
to General Grant, on the disturbances in
this State, contains so many evident un.
truths, that justice to the Republican party
requires that it should receive immediate
notice.
The Republican State Central Commit
tee, which meets on the fourteenth instant,
and the Republican State Convention,
which will probably convene shortly there
after, will doubtless make more extended
criticism and decided condemnation of its
incorrect conclusions and false statements,
than am now called upon to do.
1t is sufficient for the present to correct a
few of the more prominent mIsstatements.
Major General Rousseau says:
Until the receipt of reinforcements from
General Gillem the entire number of troops
at my disposal in and around the city OF
New Orleans was only 463 men. After the
receipt of the reintorcements from Missis-
sippi had but $50 men available for SER
vice in the city"
1t is matter of public notoriety that
previous to and during the disturbances in
this city the regiment of Major General
Mower was lying idle at Ship Island within
twelve hours travel from New Orleans, and
that General Mower and the Republicans
of this city were anxious to have it imme-
diately ordered here. General Rousseau
refused to issue the order on the pretence
that because it was a colored regiment ats
presence would exasperate the people,"
The implication that the police force
consisted only of "243 negroes ana 100
white men to take charge of the city of
New Orleans" is also VIGOROUSLY untrue.
for at the time referred to, viz: the twenty
sixth of October, there were actually 1888
white and IT'S colored policemen on duty.
The Board of Metropolitan Police will
seon speak fer itself in report which will
not add to the Generals reputation.
The following statement is also untrue:
"The colored clubs habitually drilled;
the white clubs did not, because with the
majority of them drill was unnecessary
The white clubs did generally drill, while
the eolored clubs did not, because they
were without arms, their leading colored
men being generally ex-U United States SOL
diers, and having been disarmed by Dem
ocratic citizens" under the administration of
Major General Rousseau of the United
States army.
And so Is the statement the Generals
course was or is approved by the six Re-
publican gentlemen named among the
general approVals." One of those gentle
men wrote and proposed the very resolu-
ton, strongly oensuring the Generals
course, which was adopted by the Repub-
lican State Campaign Committee, and tele-
graphed to the Northern press. The plain
truth is, that the Generals course dur
ing the late riots is strongly condemned by
nine hundred and ninety-nine in every one
thousand of the Republicans of Louisiana,
althou h a very few NAV hesitate about
freely expressing their opinions on the sub
ject from notices of personal interest or
policy.
The General says:
ITO watch and control as far as possible
both sides and to preserve the public peace
without influencing In any way the result
OF the election, was a task of no little diff |
fculty and danger" ,.r--.--.
He would have exhibited more freedom
from political bias" and acted more as be-
came an officer of the United States army, |
if be had approved or desired THAT Demo-
Gratis as well as Republicans should alb
stain from voting, or if he had sustained |
the assailed as much as the assailing party. |
or if be had cared aud talked less about |
the difficulties aud dangers" surrounding |
himself and bis command.
The Generals political bias is illustrated |
by the fact that he allowed the assailed |
party to be generally disarmed by their |
assailants throughout the State. as in the |
parish of st. Bernard Ito which he refers,) |
where colored men killed but one white |
man and the whites killed more than thirty |
blacks, and where the blacks were disarmed |
by the whites inthe presence Of United States |
soldiers, and left to the mercy ef their ex-
cited and armed opponents. In some of
the other parishes this condition of things
may have occurred because he had not the
power to prevent it, but have vet TO learn
that he disapproved Of it, or tried in any
way TO prevent it. Let IL be Observed that
The General no ,1here and in no instance in
his report gipss the number of Republicans
killed in st. Bernard or elsewhere. WHY
is this, if he is so impartial?
General Rousseau says: "The disturbed
condition OF the public mind was brought
about by no action of mine" Perhaps
not; but II might have been prevented by
prompt and proper action on his part. He
evidently did not find it necessary to make
q friendly visit to Republican clubs to
advise them to preserve the peace, al
though he did make "personal requests TO
some Of the clubs (Democratic), whose
names had been publicly associated with
acts of violence, that they should aid 10
preserving instead of assisting in violating
the peace Of the CITY,"
Nevertheless, while the General has no
word OF rebuke for those whom his own
report shows were the guilty parties, he
makes gratuitous attack on the Republic
can party and what be styles the sindis-
Greet and unwarrantable course pursued
by other and unworthy members appa-
realty abiding to those Republicans who
differed with him and with some of the
gentlemen be has named about the pro-
priety OF advising Republicans not to vote
The report concludes with the surpris-
ing statements:
1t is but Just to say that the great body
Of the people of New Orleans are law.
abiding and entirely friendly TO the Gov
ernment Of the United Ststea.1
"Otacers of the army generally, and NV
staff especially, always found their uniform
ample protection against either violence or
the slightest disrespect, and sinpl request
from them sods sufficient 10 disperse larqe
and srcited crotods Of people"
Indeed Then 1t is very pertinent to
ask why the city Of New Orleans was for
four days and nights in state Of anarchy,