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LOUISIANA. 



his seat, the chairman proceeded to say that he 

 would be false to himself and his country if he 

 were not to say that this was the proudest mo- 

 ment of his life. He saw upon the walls the 

 device of "Welcome all" forget all differ- 

 ences, all past animosities, and assemble once 

 more under the Constitution of the United 

 States. The temporary chairman was duly ap- 

 pointed permanent chairman. Twenty-one 

 parishes were not represented. Governor J. 

 M. Wells was unanimously nominated by the 

 convention, and the following series of resolu- 

 tions adopted : 



Whereas, The National Democratic party of the 

 State of Louisiana, in general convention assembled, 

 fully recognizing the fact that the issue, which for 

 the last four years has tried the strength of the 

 United States Government, was made openly, man- 

 fully, and honorably, and that the decision having 

 gone against them, and, 



Whereas, We have now come forward in the same 

 spirit of frankness and honor to support the Federal 

 Government under the Constitution. Therefore, 



Resolved, That we give our unqualified adhesion to 

 the National Democracy of the United States, and 

 that we recognize that party as the only agent by 

 which radicalism can be successfully met, and this 

 Government restored to its pristine purity and 

 vigor. 



Resolved, That we emphatically approve of the 

 views of President Johnson with regard to the re- 

 organization of the State Governments of the South, 

 whereby the rights of the respective States are kept 

 unimpaired, and in consequence of which these States 

 are to regulate their institutions as freely and with 

 the same guarantees and privileges as are enjoyed by 

 any other State in the Union. 



Resolved, That we hold it to be a cardinal rule of 

 action, both under the General and State Constitu- 

 tions, to exclude from the field of politics all religious 

 questions and controversies, recognizing in each and 

 every one the right to a full and free exercise of his 

 religious opinions and tenets. 



Resolved, That we hold this to be a Government 

 of white people, made and to be perpetuated for the 

 exclusive benefit of the white race ; and in accord- 

 ance with the constant adjudication of the United 

 States Supreme Court, that people of African descent 

 cannot be considered as citizens of the United States, 

 and that there can, in no event, nor under any cir- 

 cumstances, be any equality between the white and 

 other races. 



Resolved, That while we announce emphatically 

 our opinion that the Constitution of 1864 is the crea- 

 tion of fraud, violence, and corruption, and is not in 

 any sense the expression of the sovereign will of the 

 people of Louisiana, and while we believe that it 

 should be repudiated and abolished as speedily as it 

 can be done legally, yet, as the Government organ- 

 ized under it is a de facto Government, and the only de 

 y'opo Government in the State of Louisiana ; as the 

 election about to be held is called under that Consti- 

 tution, by an officer holding his position under that 

 Constitution : as the recognition of Governor J. 

 Madison Wells by the President, Andrew Johnson, is 

 to that extent a recognition of that Constitution and 

 of the Government organized under it, and as this 

 convention has no right to make or alter constitu- 

 tions or forms of government, we, therefore, recog- 

 nize it as the existing Government, but recommend 

 the calling of a convention of the people of the State 

 at the earliest practicable period, for the purpose of 

 adopting a Constitution expressing the will of the 

 entire people of the State. 



Resolved, That the institution of slavery having 

 been effectually abolished in the Southern States, we 

 consider it our right to petition Congress for com- 



pensation for all losses sustained by the emancipa- 

 tion policy. 



Resolved, That we will use all the means in our 

 power to favor a return to the economical adminis- 

 tration of the finances of the Government and the full 

 and entire payment of its just liabilities. 



Resolved, That we advocate the repeal of all ordi- 

 nances and laws found to have been passed in Louis- 

 iana, and which are not in harmony with the Consti- 

 tution and laws of the General Government, and 

 which are not the deed of bodies constituted by the 

 people at large. 



Resolved, That we advocate a levee and labor sys- 

 tem, and recommend the immediate adoption of such 

 laws and means as will most effectually relieve the 

 planters and people at large. 



Resolved, That considering it consonant with the 

 chivalrous magnanimity of the Chief Executive at 

 Washington, and due to a large number among the 

 people in general, we most earnestly and strongly 

 appeal for an early general amnesty and prompt 

 restitution of property; assured that thereby im- 

 pending total ruin will be averted and the domestic 

 tranquillity of the Southern States successfully in- 

 sured. 



Resolved, That we invite all law-abiding citizens 

 who agree with us upon the measures and principles 

 above enumerated, without distinction of nationali- 

 ties, to join us in our opposition to the Radical Repub* 

 lican party, whose tendency and aim are to centralize 

 and consolidate a Government on the ruins of our 

 State institutions. 



Previously, on September 9th, the committee 

 of those designated as National Conservative 

 Union, issued an address, in which they say : 



There have been recently organized in this city : 

 First, a party calling itself the "National Democrat- 

 ic," which advocates the ignoring of our present 

 Constitution, and the organization of the State under 

 that of 1852; and secondly, another, assuming the 

 title of " Conservative Democratic," opposed also to 

 our present Constitution, but favoring a new Conven- 

 tion. Both of these appeal to old and deeply-rooted 

 prejudices, a yielding to which, at this time, would be 

 certain to imperil the welfare of the State, and delay 

 beyond any possibility the admission of our Repre- 

 sentatives in to the next Congress of the United States. 

 In addition to these, there is the Radical Republican 

 faction, which advocates negro suffrage and a new 

 Convention. Between these extremes stands the Na- 

 tional Conservative Union party, opposing the exten- 

 sion of the elective franchise to'the negro, the calling 

 of a new Convention as unnecessary, and recognizing 

 the existence and validity of the Constitution of 1864, 

 as the organic law of this State. This instrument, 

 though framed by a Convention, in which " the peo- 

 ple of the State were not wholly represented," is yet 

 framed in the interests of the whole State. 



The same committee called a Convention, to 

 assemble on October 9th. The Convention thus 

 called was organized by the appointment of H. 

 Fuselier as chairman, and adopted the following 

 platform : 



Whereas, The National Conservative Union party 

 of Louisiana (now assembled in Convention in ac- 

 cordance with Gov. Wells's proclamation of election), 

 believes that the opportune period has arrived when 

 it behooves the good people of this State to como 

 together in a spirit of conciliation, brotherhood, and 

 compromise for the purpose of resuming the relations 

 severed by the secession ordinance of 1861 ; 



And whereas, the National Conservative Union 

 party of Louisana desires that our State should 

 resume, as soon as possible, her relations with the 

 National Government, and accept in good faith the 

 result of the war as overthrowing all the political 

 theories which led to it; therefore, be it 



