LOUISIANA. 



591 



ducted by Mr. Durant, approving of the plan of call- 

 ing a State Convention instead of a State election un- 

 der the old Constitution, and expressing the hope that 

 the work of the Convention might be completed in 

 season to hold the elections before the next session of 

 Congress. The Free State Committee, being apprised 

 of this letter, gave to the President the reasons, which 

 none but those on the ground could understand, of the 

 difficulty, indeed of the impossibility of so expediting 

 the registration outside of New Orleans as to be ready 

 for the election at so early a date. 



In October, 1863, Mr. B. F. Flanders, returning from 

 Washington, reported that the President had com- 

 plained that the work was too slow, and that, on his 

 pointing out to the President that there was not a suf- 

 licicnt amount of territory and of the population of 

 Louisiana under the occupation and protection of the 

 forces of the United States to justify an election, ac- 

 cording to the views of the President himself, as for- 

 merly expressed, in attempting to organize a State 

 Government, the President immediately said he 

 would modify his previous opinion, and would then 

 say that so great was, in his view, the necessity for 

 immediate action, that he would recognize and sustain 

 a State Government organized by anv part of the pop- 

 ulation we then had control of, and that he wished Mr. 

 Flanders to say so on his return to Louisiana. 



On the 27th of October, the papers of New- 

 Orleans contained an address " To the Citizens 

 of Louisiana," signed W. P. Pugh, president, 

 E. Ames, vice-president of the Executive Cen- 

 tral Committee of Louisiana. The citizens were 

 addressed "as citizens loyal to the Govern- 

 ment of the United States," and the address 

 proceeds : 



The want of civil government in our State can, by a 

 proper effort on your part, soon be supplied, under 

 laws and a constitution formed and adopted by your- 

 selves in a time of profound peace. It is made your 

 duty, as well as your right, to meet at the usual 

 places, and cast your rotes for State and parish 

 officers, members of Congress, and of the State Legis- 

 lature. 



****** 



The day, as fixed by our laws, is Monday, the 2d day 

 of November next, 1863. There is nothing to prevent 

 your meeting on the day fixed by law, and selecting 

 your agents to carry on the affairs of government in 

 our own State. The military will not interfere 'with 

 you in the exercise of your civil rights and duties, and 

 we think we can assure you that your action in this 

 respect will meet the approval of the National Govern- 

 ment. Even now, the day of election in every rebel- 

 lious State has passed, with the exception of Louisiana, 

 and should you suffer that to pass, the whole country 

 will be in a state of anarchy, without any civil govern- 

 ment of the people's own choosing, and subject to the 

 danger of being thrown as "vacated" territory, into 

 the hands of Congress, where the wish of many is, that 

 our State, with others, shall be thrown. We charge 

 this design upon a certain faction here and at the 

 North, the result of whose action, in our minds, 

 threatens to destroy republican liberty and republican 

 institutions. 



Louisiana has always been at heart loyal to the 

 United States. She never seceded by a majority vote. 

 The true interests of her citizens_ comported only with 

 her remaining loyally in the Union. She was juggled 

 and forced into the position of seeming rebellion, but 

 in our opinion she was and is still one of the United 

 States. Now that it is practicable thanks to the gal- 

 lant army and navy of the United States her citizens 

 desire to assume forthwith their old status, and to re- 

 place the star of their State, with lustre bright as ever, 

 on the glorious flag of our common country. We 

 raise no minor points. Our objects are to restore the 

 Union and preserre the National Constitution. 



A correspondence took place between thia 



committee and the Free State Committee, in 

 which the latter were invited to cooperate in 

 the movement. This the latter declined, on 

 the ground that the movement was illegal and 

 unjust. They further say : 



There is no law in existence, as stated by you, di- 

 recting elections to be held on the first Monday of 

 November. 



The Constitution of 1852, as amended by the Conven- 

 tion of 1861, was overthrown and destroyed by the 

 rebellion of the people of Louisiana, and the subse- 

 quent conquest by the arms of the United States, does 

 not restore our political institutions. 



But not only is your movement illegal, but unjust ; 

 you are only a party. What principles of State policy 

 you may entertain, you have not referred to in your 

 communication. As a party, then, without the consent 

 and against the wishes of the only lawful authority here, 

 the military governor and the commanding general, 

 you undertake to appoint your own commissioners of 

 election ; hold the polls at such places as you may se- 

 lect ; admit such electors as you may deem proper, and 

 on such proceeding you propose to declare yourselves 

 (for who could be chosen but yourselves?) officers of 

 the State of Louisiana, and to assume the functions of 

 a State Government here ; while in all these proceed- 

 ings, the plan of which is known only to yourselves, 

 your opponents have no opportunity of participating. 

 We beg you to reflect how unjust such a course would 

 be, could it be carried out. 



We look upon the result of such an attempt as a 

 nullity, producing no legal effect. 



No general election took place in response 

 to this address. An announcement was 

 made that the intention of holding an election 

 was abandoned. It was claimed that an elec- 

 tion was held in some parishes, and certain 

 persons were chosen as members of Congress. 

 At the commencement of the session in De- 

 cember, 1863, persons appeared in "Washington, 

 claiming to be members of Congress under this 

 election. Their claims were rejected. 



Meantime, the registration proceeded, and 

 the Free State Committee, in order to hasten 

 forward their plan, conferred with the Military 

 Governor for the purpose of holding an election 

 about January 25th, 1864, for delegates to a 

 State Convention. It was then anticipated that 

 the election would be held at that time. 



On the 5th of November, the free colored 

 population of New Orleans held a meeting, and 

 resolved to address the Military Governor, 

 Shepley, for the liberty of being registered as 

 voters, to the right of which they considered 

 themselves as entitled. The following address 

 was adopted at the meeting : 



To His Excellency Brig. -Gen. G. F. Shepley, Military 

 Governor of Louisiana : 



The undersigned respectfully submit the following 

 to his Excellency ; 



That they are natives ot Louisiana and citizens of 

 the United States, that they are loyal citizens, sin- 

 cerely attached to the country and the Constitution, 

 and ardently desire the maintenance of the national 

 unity, for which they are ready to sacrifice their for- 

 tunes and their lives. 



That a large portion of them are owners of real 

 estate, and alt of them are owners of personal prop- 

 erty ; that many of them are engaged in the pursuits 

 of commerce and industry, while others are employed 

 as artisans in various trades ; that they are all fitted to 

 enjoy the privileges and immunities belonging to the 

 condition of citizens of the United States, and among 



