“P.  H. Sheridan,
“Major-General Commanding.”

On receiving the telegram, General Grant immediately submitted. it to the President.  Much clamor being made at the North for the publication of the despatch, Mr. Johnson pretended to give it to the newspapers.  It appeared in the issues of August 4, but with this paragraph omitted, viz.: 

“I had made up my mind to arrest the head men, if the proceedings of the convention were calculated to disturb the tranquility of the Department, but I had no cause for action until they committed the overt act.  In the mean time official duty called me to Texas, and the mayor of the city, during my absence, suppressed the convention by the use of the police force, and in so doing attacked the members of the convention, and a party of two hundred negroes, with fire-arms, clubs, and knives, in a manner so unnecessary and atrocious as to compel me to say it was murder.”

Against this garbling of my report—­done by the President’s own order —­I strongly demurred; and this emphatic protest marks the beginning of Mr. Johnson’s well-known personal hostility toward me.  In the mean time I received (on August 3) the following despatch from General Grant approving my course: 

“Headquarters armies of the united states, “War Dept., Washington, D. C., “August 3, 1866—­5 p.m.

“Major-general P. H. Sheridan,
“Commanding Mil.  Div. of the Gulf,
“New Orleans, La.

“Continue to enforce martial law, so far as may be necessary to preserve the peace; and do not allow any of the civil authorities to act, if you deem such action dangerous to the public safety.  Lose no time in investigating and reporting the causes that led to the riot, and the facts which occurred.

“U.  S. Grant,
“Lieutenant-General.”

In obedience to the President’s directions, My report of August 1 was followed by another, more in detail, which I give in full, since it tells the whole story of the riot: 

“Headquarters military division of the Gulf, “New Orleans, La., August 6, 1866.

“His excellency Andrew Johnson,
“President United States

“I have the honor to make the following reply to your despatch of August 4.  A very large number of colored people marched in procession on Friday night, July twenty-seven (27), and were addressed from the steps of the City Hall by Dr. Dostie, ex-Governor Hahn, and others.  The speech of Dostie was intemperate in language and sentiment.  The speeches of the others, so far as I can learn, were characterized by moderation.  I have not given you the words of Dostie’s speech, as the version published was denied; but from what I have learned of the man, I believe they were intemperate.