said, "Hay's brigade will all be there, and will clean out those damned Yankees." One man remarked, “I have spotted Dostie myself." (6375.) It was freely said, "We are going to hang Hahn and Dostie;" that "No man should come out of the Convention alive; that "We will show you what will happen to-day; that "You will see fun to-day;" that "It is no sin to kill a nigger."

"Fire engines were brought out, one of which had pistols in the box. Fire companies gathered near the Institute at the same time from different parts of the city. In the early morning a man was ascertaining the names of those who were willing to aid in suppressing the meeting. A school was dismissed because there was to be a riot; badges of different kinds were worn by citizens' in the street; men were seen buying pistols and cartridges; citizens encouraged the riot in different ways; there were crowds of citizens at different parts of the street; they cheered and shouted for Jeff. Davis, and for Mr. Johnson. When the wounded men were brought nto the 'lock-up,' members of the city council cheered the policemen 'in their bloody work,' and finally, no onc of the rioters, either policemen or citizens, has been complained of or punished.

"On Sunday night the police were withdrawn from their stations, that they might rest until Monday morning, when they were ordered to report at their different headquarters. Early on Monday the whole police force, numbering between four and five hundred, were massed at different stations; they were ordered to come armed, and arms were furnished to those who were without hem; the greater part of the police was kept at the

station-houses until the time arrived when their work should begin. Soon after noon an unusual ‘alarm' was given-such as had been used when federal armies were investing the city-and then the combined police, headed by officers and firemen, with their companions, rushed with one will from different parts of the city toward the Institute, and the work of butchery commenced. In these acts of violence, police and fireman and citizen acted in concert. Different badges' were worn on the streets; many policemen had their hat bands reversed so that their ‘numbers' could not be distinguished. No effort was made by the mayor or chief of police to control or check these men, but the slaughter was permitted until the end was gained. Facts of this description were put in proof with other circumstances, demonstrating, as we judge, that the slaughter of these men was determined on by the chief executive officer of the city, and was prepared for by him on the night before the meeting was held."

*

*

*

THE MEETINGS ON FRIDAY EVENING-THE RIOTS NOT

CAUSED BY THEM.

"It is charged as a prominent and direct cause of these riots that incendiary and turbulent meetings were held on Friday evening, July 27.

"On Saturday morning, July 28, Lieutenant Governor Voorhies and Attorney General Herron sent the following telegram to the President:

"NEW ORLEANS, July 28, 1866. "President JOHNSON, Washington, D. C.:

"Radical mass meeting composed mainly of large number of negroes last night, ending in a riot; the com

mittee of arrangements of said meeting assembling tonight. Violent and incendiary speeches made; negroes called to arm themselves. You bitterly denounced. Speakers Field, Dostie, Hawkins, Henderson, Heistand, and others. Governor Wells arrived last night, but sides with the Convention movement. The whole matter before the grand jury; but impossible to execute civil process without certainty of riot. Contemplated to have the members of the Convention arrested under process from the criminal court of this district. Is the military to interfere to prevent process of court ? “ALBERT VOORHIES,

Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana. "ANDREW S. HERRON,

Attorney General of Louisiana.”

"The committee inquired carefully into the alleged facts upon which this telegram was founded. There were three meetings upon this evening. One was held within the hall of the Institute, one outside the hall at the same time, and one at the City Hall, in the street, after the close of the former meetings.

"The meetings at the Institute were held upon public notice to consider the questions which would ultimately come before the Convention. They were called by parties friendly to the objects of the Convention, and the speakers were well known as identified with the Union or radical party in Louisiana.

"The following is substantially the testimony as to the character of these meetings:

"John Heistand: 'On the Friday night previous to the Convention there were public meetings in the city of New Orleans. Nothing was said or done at either place which, in my estimation, would authorize a magistrate to bind the party over to keep the peace. I

know of no disturbance during that night.' swer 8."

An

Rufus Waples: "In the Hall on Friday night everything was well-behaved; no disturbence whatever, and no unusual excitement." Answers 285 and 292.

66

S. S. Fish: "I never heard of any armed aid (to the Convention,) but had heard it spoken of that caution should be used, not to have armed men there; and I know too that Dr. Dostie, who nearly always carried a revolver with him, that he took it from his person, and left it with a barber in this city, by whom he was accustomed to be shaved." Answer 442. I heard the speaking inside, and nearly all outside the hall on the 27th of July. I heard no request for any one to come armed as has been asserted. I was present when the meeting was dissolved, and afterwards went with the procession in front of the City Hall, and was there when Dr. Dostie made the speech that is said to be inflammatory. The meeting was orderly so far as any thing I saw. Nothing was said by Dr. Dostie as to the employment of force.

Charles S. Souvinet: "All the time I was up stairs (Friday night) the meeting was orderly. I heard several speeches. As well as I can remember the purport of those speeches, were that the Convention would be supported when it should meet. It was composed, the speakers said, of loyal men, and they would extend the right of suffrage to the loyal men, the colored people." Answer 534.

Judge Howell testifies: "On Saturday evening preceding the meeting of the Convention, several gentlemen came into my house and told me that the general

effect of the meeting of Friday evening was favorable to quiet." Answer 575.

"Charles W. Gibbons called on Dr. Dostie and warned him on Monday morning (July 30) that 'I had heard one policeman say to another, in a little grocery on the corner of Custom-house street, on Sunday night, that 'By G-d, we are going to hang Dostie and Hahn.' Dr. Dostie made the remark to me, 'I am going unarmed; I know they want to take my life, but I think it a good cause to die in; if they want to take my life they can do so.' Said I, 'you can do as you please. I thought it my duty to call and tell you, as, in your remarks at the meeting on Friday night, you told the people to come out and attend the Convention.' He said on that night, 'Go home-go quietly-go orderly-behave yourselves, and if there is anybody, white or black, that disturbs you, protect yourselves."" Answer 1789.

"Mr. Richard L. Shelley, an intelligent witness, makes this conclusive statement:

"I went out to the meeting held in front of the Mechanics' Institute, and after Rev. Mr. Horton had delivered his speech, standing on the platform, within a few feet of Dr. Dostie, I listened attentively to the speech he made. There was nothing whatever in the remarks of Dr. Dostie which could be said to excite or invite in any way acts of hostility upon the part of the colored people against any of the white citizens of New Orleans. After the meeting had adjourned at the Mechanics' Institute a procession was formed with torch-lights and a band of music, and proceeded down Canal street to St. Charles, and then into Camp street and up to the City Hall. On the route to the City Hall some of the men comprising the procession were attacked by some white persons and maltreated. On arriving at the City Hall a