Presidential Race Riots-1867 New Orleans

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Immediately following the end of the Civil War race relations in the South deteriorated to such a degree that Congress was forced to pass the Reconstruction Act in which the South was divided into military controlled districts. Louisiana and Texas were put into the 5th Military District and by the time this letter was written General Lovell H. Rousseau had replaced Phil Sheridan as commander of the district. In July 1868 Republican Henry C. Warmouth (1842-1931) was elected governor of Louisiana along with Lieutenant Governor Oscar Dunn, a leading African-American businessman. With the coming 1868 presidential election both political and racial tensions grew to a fevered pitch with rioting and murder becoming commonplace. Fueled by the rise of the Ku Klux Kan hundreds of people were killed in the rioting that followed in New Orleans and the surrounding parishes during the summer and fall of 1868 and the effect it had on the presidential election resulted in Democrat Horatio Seymour carrying Louisiana while Ulysses S. Grant carried the country. The following is a great Reconstruction era Louisiana clerk's letter, 4pp. 8vo., written by a certain "J. Wong", as 1st Clerk to Judge Fletcher, New Orleans, La., Oct. 27, 1868 concerning the instability caused by these riots in New Orleans on the eve of the presidential election reading, in part: "…have been up Red River as far as Shreveport…the political excitement is too great for business to be prosperous. Great excitement in the city and has been for several days past. Quite a riot on Canal Street Saturday night. And quite a number of negroes killed, and also several white men. We were expecting a riot again last evening, but it did not come off although several persons were killed. Not a day or night passes now but what several negroes and whites are killed, and no one is arrested. Such a state of things never existed in this country before. As now no security for life or property in this city. The military are out in full force patrolling the city…this morning Gov. [Henry C.] Warmoth and Lt. Gov. Oscar J. Dunn called on Genl. [Lovell H.] Rousseau [U. S. military commander of the Department of Louisiana] and desired to turn the state over to military power…we are having riots all over the state and will continue to have them until something desperate is done. You must not be surprised to hear at any time of one of the biggest and most bloody riots occurring in this city…the negroes are insolent and armed. Ready for it and carpet baggers are urging them onward…no quarter will be given to the negroes and carpet baggers when it commences. I cannot advise you to come to this country…". The original transmittal cover addressed to James E. Middleton, Charleston, West Virginia is included. Near fine.

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