第 32 节
作者:
飘雪的季节 更新:2021-02-17 23:32 字数:9322
many spectators on the street; and their manner and tone toward the
procession unfriendly。 A shot was fired; by whom I am not able to
state; but believe it to have been by a policeman; or some colored
man in the procession。 This led to other shots and a rush after the
procession。 On arrival at the front of the Institute there was some
throwing of brickbats by both sides。 The police; who had been held
well in hand; were vigorously marched to the scene of disorder。 The
procession entered the Institute with the flag; about six (6) or
eight (8) remaining outside。 A row occurred between a policeman and
one of these colored men; and a shot was again fired by one of the
parties; which led to an indiscriminate fire on the building through
the windows by the policemen。 This had been going on for a short
time; when a white flag was displayed from the windows of the
Institute; whereupon the firing ceased; and the police rushed into
the building。
〃From the testimony of wounded men; and others who were inside the
building; the policemen opened an indiscriminate fire upon the
audience until they had emptied their revolvers; when they retired;
and those inside barricaded the doors。 The door was broken in; and
the firing again commenced; when many of the colored and white people
either escaped throughout the door or were passed out by the
policemen inside; but as they came out the policemen who formed the
circle nearest the building fired upon them; and they were again
fired upon by the citizens that formed the outer circle。 Many of
those wounded and taken prisoners; and others who were prisoners and
not wounded; were fired upon by their captors and by citizens。 The
wounded were stabbed while lying on the grgund; and their heads
beaten with brickbats。 In the yard of the building; whither some of
the colored men had escaped and partially secreted themselves; they
were fired upon and killed or wounded by policemen。 Some were killed
and wounded several squares from the scene。 Members of the
convention were wounded by the police while in their hands as
prisoners; some of them mortally。
〃The immediate cause of this terrible affair was the assemblage of
this Convention; the remote cause was the bitter and antagonistic
feeling which has been growing in this community since the advent of
the present Mayor; who; in the organization of his police force;
selected many desperate men; and some of them known murderers。
People of clear views were overawed by want of confidence in the
Mayor; and fear of the thugs; many of which he had selected for his
police force。 I have frequently been spoken to by prominent citizens
on this subject; and have heard them express fear; and want of
confidence in Mayor Monroe。 Ever since the intimation of this last
convention movement I must condemn the course of several of the city
papers for supporting; by their articles; the bitter feeling of bad
men。 As to the merciless manner in which the convention was broken
up; I feel obliged to confess strong repugnance。
〃It is useless to disguise the hostility that exists on the part of a
great many here toward Northern men; and this unfortunate affair has
so precipitated matters that there is now a test of what shall be the
status of Northern menwhether they can live here without being in
constant dread or not; whether they can be protected in life and
property; and have justice in the courts。 If this matter is
permitted to pass over without a thorough and determined prosecution
of those engaged in it; we may look out for frequent scenes of the
same kind; not only here; but in other places。 No steps have as yet
been taken by the civil authorities to arrest citizens who were
engaged in this massacre; or policemen who perpetrated such
cruelties。 The members of the convention have been indicted by the
grand jury; and many of them arrested and held to bail。 As to
whether the civil authorities can mete out ample justice to the
guilty parties on both sides; I must say it is my opinion;
unequivocally; that they cannot。 Judge Abell; whose course I have
closely watched for nearly a year; I now consider one of the most
dangerous men that we have here to the peace and quiet of the city。
The leading men of the conventionKing; Cutler; Hahn; and others
have been political agitators; and are bad men。 I regret to say that
the course of Governor Wells has been vacillating; and that during
the late trouble he has shown very little of the man。
〃P。 H。 SHERIDAN;
〃Major…General Commanding。〃
Subsequently a military commission investigated the subject of the
riot; taking a great deal of testimony。 The commission substantially
confirmed the conclusions given in my despatches; and still later
there was an investigation by a select committee of the House of
Representatives; of which the Honorables Samuel Shellabarger; of
Ohio; H。 L。 Elliot; of Massachusetts; and B。 M。 Boyer; of
Pennsylvania; were the members。 The majority report of the committee
also corroborated; in all essentials; my reports of the distressing
occurrence。 The committee likewise called attention to a violent
speech made by Mr。 Johnson at St。 Louis in September; 1866; charging
the origin of the riot to Congress; and went on to say of the speech
that 〃it was an unwarranted and unjust expression of hostile feeling;
without pretext or foundation in fact。〃 A list of the killed and
wounded was embraced in the committee's report; and among other
conclusions reached were the following: 〃That the meeting of July 30
was a meeting of quiet citizens; who came together without arms and
with intent peaceably to discuss questions of public concern。。。。
There has been no occasion during our National history when a riot
has occurred so destitute of justifiable cause; resulting in a
massacre so inhuman and fiend…like; as that which took place at New
Orleans on the 30th of July last。 This riotous attack upon the
convention; with its terrible results of massacre and murder; was not
an accident。 It was the determined purpose of the mayor of the city
of New Orleans to break up this convention by armed force。〃
The statement is also made; that; 〃He 'the President' knew that
'rebels' and 'thugs' and disloyal men had controlled the election of
Mayor Monroe; and that such men composed chiefly his police force。〃
The committee held that no legal government existed in Louisiana; and
recommended the temporary establishment of a provisional government
therein; the report concluding that 〃in the meantime the safety of
all Union men within the State demands that such government be formed
for their protection; for the well being of the nation and the
permanent peace of the Republic。〃
The New Orleans riot agitated the whole country; and the official and
other reports served to intensify and concentrate the opposition to
President Johnson's policy of reconstruction; a policy resting
exclusively on and inspired solely by the executive authorityfor it
was made plain; by his language and his acts; that he was seeking to
rehabilitate the seceded States under conditions differing not a whit
from those existing before the rebellion; that is to say; without the
slightest constitutional provision regarding the status of the
emancipated slaves; and with no assurances of protection for men who
had remained loyal in the war。
In December; 1866; Congress took hold of the subject with such vigor
as to promise relief from all these perplexing disorders; and; after
much investigation and a great deal of debate; there resulted the so…
called 〃Reconstruction Laws;〃 which; for a clear understanding of the
powers conferred on the military commanders; I deem best to append in
full:
AN ACT to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel
States。
WHEREAS; no legal State governments or adequate protection for life
or property now exist in the rebel States of Virginia; North
Carolina; South Carolina; Georgia; Mississippi; Alabama; Louisiana;
Florida; Texas; and Arkansas; and whereas; it is necessary that peace
and good order should be enforced in said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally established; therefore;
BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled; That said rebel
States shall be divided into military districts and made subject to
the military authority of the United States as hereinafter
prescribed; and for that purpose Virginia shall constitute the first
district; North Carolina and South Carolina; the second district;
Georgia; Alabama; and Florida; the third district; Mississippi and
Arkansas; the fourth district; and Louisiana and Texas; the fifth
district。
SEC。 2。 And be it further enacted; That it shall be the duty of the
President to assign to the command of each of said districts an
officer of the army