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following resolutions offered by Colonel Moss of Missouri, were read and adopted:

"Whereas, The lamented A. P. Dostie, of New Orleans, one of the true patriots who signed the call of this Convention, has been foully murdered since said call was issued; we recognize the spirit of this faithful Unionist as a delegate in this Convention, whose voice shall ever be remembered, and whose wrongs shall never be forgotten until the principles he maintained shall perish from the earth. Be it further

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Resolved, That this Convention wear the usual badge of mourning in memory of the brave friends of liberty who perished at New Orleans on the 30th day of July last, and that a copy of these resolutions, as a tender of sympathy, be forwarded to the families of those who perished.'

CHAPTER XXX.

CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS.

On the 6th of December, 1866, Congress resolved: "That a committee be appointed to go to New Orleans and investigate into all matters pertaining to the riot of July 30th, 1866." That investigation resulted in the exclusion of the three prominent upholders of President Johnson's reconstruction measures in Louisiana. The following letter from General Sheridan explains that action:

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"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT, New Orleans, June 6th, 1867. "To General U. S. Grant, Commanding Armies of the United States:

"General-On the 29th of March last I removed from office Judge Abell, of the Criminal Court of New Orleans; Andrew S. Herron, Attorney General of the State of Louisiana; and John T. Monroe, Mayor of the city of New Orleans. These removals were made under the power granted me in what is usually termed the Military Bill, passed March 27th, 1867, by the Congress of the United States.

"I did not deem it necessary to give any reason for the removal of these men, especially after the investigation made by the military board of the massacre of July 30th, 1866, and the report of the Congressional Committee on the same massacre, but as some inquiry has been

made for the cause of these removals, I should respectfully state as follows:

"The Criminal Court over which Judge Abell presided is the only Criminal Court of the city of New Orleans: for a period of at least nine months previous to July 30th, he had been educating a large portion of the community to the perpetration of this outrage, by almost promising them no prosecution in his court against the offenders, in case such an event occurred. The records of this court will show that he fulfilled his purpose, as not one of the guilty ones has been prosecuted. In reference to Andrew S. Herron, I considered it his duty to indict these men before the Criminal Court.

"This he failed to do, but went so far as to attempt to impose on the good sense of the whole nation, by indicting the victims of the riot instead of the rioters, in other words, making the innocent guilty, and the guilty innocent.

"He was therefore an abetter of and coadjutor with Judge Abell in bringing on the massacre of July 30th. Mayor Monroe controlled the element engaged in this riot, and when backed by an Attorney-General who would not prosecute the guilty, and a Judge who advised the Grand Jury to find the innocent guilty, and let the murderers go free, felt secure in engaging his police force in the riot and massacre. With these three men exercising a large influence on the worst elements of this city, giving to these elements an immunity for riot and bloodshed, the General-in-Chief will see how insecure I felt in letting them occupy their positions in the troubles which might occur in registration and voting in the reorganization.

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'I am, General, very respectfully,
"Your obedient servant,
"P. H. SHERIDAN.

"Major-General, United States Army."

In the place of Andrew S. Herron, B. L. Lynch was appointed Attorney-General of the State of Louisi

ana, a man identified with the Union cause in that State. In the place of John T. Monroe, Edward Heath was appointed as Mayor of New Orleans, whose sympathies. every New Orleans loyalist knew to be in harmony with. a radical Congress, and opposed to a policy that had permitted the policemen of New Orleans to murder hundreds of defenceless citizens.

In the place of Judge E. Abell, General Sheridan. appointed under the new reconstruction laws of a radical Congress, Major Howe, of the Federal Army, a man of anti-slavery and loyal principles, who could appreciate love of justice and order.

Hon. B. Flanders was appointed under the Congressional reconstruction acts in place of J. Madison Wells.

The following correspondence will explain Governor Wells exit from that high position which he had maintained with such undignified contortions under the eye of the Chief Executive. Upon the removal of Governor Wells, for being an impediment in the way of the reconstruction laws of Congress-he writes to his successor as follows:

"STATE OF LOUISIANA, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, NEW ORLEANS, June 7, 1867.

"Hon. B. F. Flanders:

"I refuse to recognize the authority of General Sheridan to remove me from office, and I therefore decline to vacate the same. If put out by force, I cannot resist; but I protest against the act of violence as an aggravation of his unwarrantable proceeding in removing me from office. Respectfully,

J. MADISON WELLS,

Governor of Louisiana.

The following letter from General Sheridan proved an effective missive:

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"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT, New Orleans, La., June 7, 1867. "Mr. J. Madison Wells, Ex-Governor of Louisiana, New Orleans, La. :

"SIR-Governor Flanders has just informed me that he made an official demand on you for the records of the office which you have heretofore held as governor of Louisiana, and that you have declined to turn them over to him, disputing the right to remove by office from me, which right you have acknowledged and urged on me up to the time of your own removal. I therefore send Brevet Brigadier General James W. Forsyth, of my staff, to notify you that he is sent by me to eject you from the governor's room forcibly, unless you consider this notification as equivalent to objection.

“P. H. SHERIDAN,

Major General, U. S. Army, Commanding Fifth Military District."

Upon the removal of General Sheridan, for these noble acts, by Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, General Mower, the Commanding General of the Gulf Department, appointed in the place of Harry Hays, Ex-Colonel of the Confederate Army, Dr. George W. Avery, as sheriff of New Orleans. Dr. Avery was a Surgeon in the United States Army, under General Butler, and during the massacre of July 30th, went to the police station, jails and hospitals, to attend the wounded and dying-was the friend and physician of the dying Dostie and Horton.

On the 4th of July, 1867, Mechanics' Institute was crowded with white and colored citizens, who had met to celebrate the day consecrated to American Indepen

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