New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-10-27
THE POLICE COUP D'EPAT.
ARMED CLUB DELEGATIONS
They Arrive at City Hall.
THEY ARE Addressed AND RETIRE.

VI DNhOSLoblS N4ALSho Ou VI
Conway at his residence, and urged him to
appoint an entirely new police force, in
Gliding the Chief, and to disregard the
Metropolitan District Police law. Mr.. Con-
way was disinclined to act upon their sug-
gestions and gave them his views of the
effect of such a movement on the prospects
of the Democratic party at the North.
His constituents were not satisfied with
his reasoning, and told him in substance
that they would give him till five o'clock
Saturday evening to consider the matter,
declaring that if he did not act they would
take the matter into their own hands. On
Saturday evening others, or the same citi-
zens, visited the Mayor at his residence,
but it is not believed that they succeeded
in persuading Mr.. Conway that it was pru-
dent to disregard State law.
Last evening delegations from Demo-
cratic clubs, many Of the men armed with
muskets, estimated by one of the morning
papers to number six hundred in all pa
trolled the streets, and at length approached
he City Hall.
They marched up st. Charles and Caron-
delet streets in detachments of from twenty
to fifty, some of the squads halting at Haw-
kins's Branch and at Cassidy's to fortify
their courage with old Bourbon or other
stimulants.
They gathered in front of the City Hall
and success semed about to crown their
movements, until Major Keeler or Captain
De Russey appeared and accompanied
Sheriff Maxwell to the Mayors parlor,
where number Of citizens had assembled,
offering assistance.
tbeing considered certain that the mill
tary authorities would sustain the Superin-
tendent of the Police, discourage any at
tempt to establish citizens police and or
der the self-constituted guardians of the
peace to disperse, prominent Democrats
were called upon or volunteered to address
the assemblage.
The Mayor was not convinced of the Ee-
cessity of establishing a citizens police,
and could net be won over to its support.
The first to address the multitude of
armed citizens from the front of the City
Hall was General Steedman, who, accord
ing to the Times, spoke as follows:
To-day has been one of excitement. In
obedience to the call OF the Mayor six hun
dred men have reported herefor duty. The
Mayor says there will be no need for yosr
services here tonight / therefore advise YOU
to 90 quietly TO your homes. He has been ad-
vised that the Chief Executive of the State
had Informed, General Rous eau that he was
willing TO turn over his authority TO the
military commander. General Rousseau
had refused to receive it. The Democracy
were a people of law and order. If the
party in power could not run the machine
let them get eff Of it--let them turn the
pewer over to the people to whom it right
fully belongs.
Go now quietly to your homes, with the
assurance that good news is in store for
you, for have Intelligence that Horatio
Seymour now is on the stump and is pro-
ducing among the people of the North
great changes. The American eagle will
yet overshadow this land. The goddess of
freedom will kneel and beg not in vain for
human right. l beg then of you, as men
engaged in the great struggle for human
rights, TO go new to your homes.
Mayer Conway being called upon said
that he was ready to indorse every word
that had fallen from the lips of General
Steedman. He believed that General
Rousseau was doing everything in his
power to show himself the friend of the
city. He begged the crowd, as peaceable
citizens, to disperse and go peaceably to
their homes.
General Harry Hays next spoke thus,
according to the same report:
came here to say tonight, that if your
liberties were imperaled, | would be the
first to shoulder musket / wish to give
you some advice as one of you-as one of
the poorest of you. / went to the Chief of
Police to find out precisely how the police
stands, and tell you that the Chief of Po-
lice has bearded the Commissioners. and
told them that while they were sitting that
they should not put negro policeman on
duty. This much praise is his due. At the
time he spoke there was not one negro
POAAbChAoh Oh AAC gave lucI1 COu-
elusion the same advice as that given by
preceding speakers.
Senator Ogden was the next speaker,
and said:
| have no praises referring to an inter-
ruptionl to give to any but the citizens of
New Orleans. l am proud to have been
born a tisizel Of the place, and | tell YOU.
gentlemen, that we have stood on the brink
of volcano-one Of the greatest political
convulsions that the world has often wit
messed. 1t is the cause of law and order,
the cause Of or wives and sisters, that
has united us tonight. All that we new
ask is, that their lives and our prop
erty shall be protected. When, there
fore, the Chief Executive comes to
you and begs you to disperse, will you
not hearken to his appeal, will you not go
like good citizens to your homes? When
the Governor of this Slate comes to you
and tells you that he can not control the
storm he has raised-that the dissensions
which he has occasioned has sprung, like
the dragons teeth sewn bysCadmus, into
armed men, General Rousseau did right to
refuse TO shoulder his responsibility. This
action of General Rousseau it was now the
duty of the people to sustain. The speaker
begged his audience to retire quietly, and
be contented with the present situation.
Sheriff Maxwell also addressed the armed
people, and advised them to retire from
the scene and 60 to their quiet homes.
When these speeches were ended some
of the club delegations left, but not all.
The Mayor went over to the Office of the
Sunerintendent of pol;aa and hatvvasn these