592 



LOUISIANA. 



them may be found many of the descendants of those 

 men whom the illustrious Jackson styled " his fellow 

 citizens," when he called upon them to take up arms 

 to repel the enemies of the country. 



Your petitioners" further respectfully represent that 

 over and above the right which, in the language of the 

 Declaration of Independence, they possess to liberty 

 and the pursuit of happiness, they are supported by the 

 opinion of just and loyal men, especially by that of 

 Edward Bates, Attorney General, in the claim to the 

 right of enjoying the privileges and immunities per- 

 taining to the condition of citizens of the United States ; 

 and to support the legitimacy of this claim, they be- 

 lieve it simply necessary to submit to your Excellency 

 the following considerations, which they beg of you to 

 weigh in the balance of law and justice. 



Notwithstanding their forefathers served in the army 

 of the United States in 1814 and 1815, and aided in re- 

 pelling from the soil of Louisiana a haughty enemy, 

 over confident of success, yet these and their de- 

 scendants have ever since, and until the era of the pres- 

 ent rebellion, been estranged and even repulsed, ex- 

 cluded from all rights, from all franchises, even the 

 smallest, when their brave fathers offered their bo- 

 soms to the enemy to preserve the territorial integrity 

 of the republic. 



During this period of forty-nine years they have 

 never ceased to be peaceable citizens, paying their 

 taxes on assessments of more than nine millions of 

 dollars. 



At the call of Qen. Butler they hastened to rally un- 

 der the banner of Union and Liberty, they have spilled 

 their blood and are still pouring it out for the main- 

 tenance of the Constitution of the United States; in a 

 word, they are soldiers of the Union, and they will de- 

 fend it so long as their hands have strength to hold a 

 musket. 



While Gen. Banks was at the siege of Port Hudson, 

 and the city threatened by the enemy, your Excellency 

 called for troops for the defence of ttie city, and they 

 were foremost in responding to the call, having raised 

 the first regiment m the short space of forty-eight 

 hours. 



In consideration of this fact, as true and as clear as 

 the sun which lights this great continent ; in consider- 

 ation of the services already performed, and still to be 

 rendered by them to their common country, they hum- 

 bly beseech your Excellency to cast your eyes upon a 

 loyal population, awaiting with confidence and dignity 

 the proclamation of those inalienable rights which be- 

 long to the condition of citizens of the great American 

 republic. 



Theirs is but a feeble voice claiming attention in the 

 midst of the grave questions raised by this terrible 

 conflict, yet confident of the justice which guides the 

 action of the Government, they have no hesitation in 

 speaking what is prompted by their hearts. " We are 

 men, treat us as such." 



General, the petitioners refer to your wisdom the 

 task of deciding whether they, loyal and devoted men, 

 who are ready to make every sacrifice for the support 

 of the best Government which man has been permitted 

 to create, are to be deprived of the right to assist in 

 establishing in the new Convention a Civil Govern- 

 ment in our beloved State of Louisiana, and also in 

 choosing their representatives, both for the Legisla- 

 ture of the State, and for the Congress of the nation. 



The prayer of the petitioners does not appear 

 to have been granted. 



On the 24th of December, nn order was is- 

 sued by the Military Governor, directing the 

 several registers to keep a book of the names 

 of persons taking the oath issued with the am- 

 nesty proclamation accompanying the message 

 to Congress. The registration for voters was 

 likewise continued. On the 8th of January, 

 1864, Gen. Banks announced that he should 

 issue a proclamation ordering an election of 



State officers. A crisis had come with the Free 

 State Committee. The plan they had proposed 

 to pursue would be a failure unless the general 

 commanding would accede to their wishes. 

 Entreaties to allow the convention election to go 

 on were made to Gen. Banks, aided by the de- 

 monstration of an immense public meeting as- 

 sembled in its favor. He was, however, unyield- 

 ing, and on the llth of January issued the fol- 

 lowing proclamation : 



HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THB GULF, ) 

 N*w OBLBA.NS, Jan. 11th, 1S64. $ 

 To the People of Louisiana : 



I. In pursuance of authority vested in me by the 

 President of the United States, and upon consultation 

 with many representative men of different interests, 

 being fully assured that more than a tenth of the pop- 

 ulation desire the earliest possible restoration of Louisi- 

 ana to the Union, I invite the loyal citizens of tho 

 State qualified to vote in public affairs, as hereinafter 

 prescribed, to assemble in the election precincts desig- 

 nated by law, or at such places as may hereafter be es- 

 tablished, on the 22d of February, 1864, to cast their 

 votes for the election of State officers herein named, 

 viz. : Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of 

 State, Treasurer, Attorney General, Superintendent of 

 Public Instruction, and Auditor of Public Accounts 

 who shall when elected, for the time being, and until 

 others are appointed by competent authority, consti- 

 tute the civil Government of the State, under the Con- 

 stitution and laws of Louisiana, except so much of the 

 said Constitution and laws as recognize, regulate, or 

 relate to slavery, which, being inconsistent with the 

 present condition of public affairs, and plainly inap- 

 plicable to any class of persons now existing wfthm 

 its limits, must be suspended, and they are therefore 

 and hereby declared to be inoperative and void. This 

 proceeding is not intended to ignore the right of prop- 

 erty existing prior to the rebellion, nor to preclude 

 the claim for compensation of loyal citizens for losses 

 sustained by enlistment or other authorized acts of Gov- 

 ernment. 



II. The oath of allegiance prescribed by the Pres- 

 ident's proclamation, with the condition affixed to the 

 elective franchise, by the Constitution of Louisiana, 

 will constitute the qualification of voters in this elec- 

 tion. Officers elected by them will be duly installed 

 in their offices on the 4th day of March, 1864. 



III. The registration of voters, effected under the 

 direction of the Military Governor and the several 

 Union Associations, not inconsistent with the procla- 

 mation or other orders of the President, are confirmed 

 and approved. 



IV. In order that the organic law of the State may 

 be made to conform to the will of the people, and har- 

 monize with the spirit of the age, ns well as to main- 

 tain and preserve the ancient landmarks of civil and 

 religious liberty, an election of delegates to a conven- 

 tion for the revision of the Constitution, will be held 

 on the first Monday of April, 1864. The basis of rep- 

 resentation, the number of delegates and the details 

 of election will be announced in subsequent orders. 



V. Arrangements will be made for the early election 

 of members of Congress for the State. 



VI. The fundamental lawof the State is martial law. 

 It is competent and just for the Government to sur- 

 render to the people, at the earliest possible moment, 

 so much of military power as may be consistent witi 

 the success of military operations ; to prepare the way, 

 by prompt and wise measures, for the full restoration 

 of the State to the Union and its power to the people; 

 to restore their ancient and unsurpassed prosperity ; 

 to enlarge the scope of agricultural and commercial in- 

 dustry, and to extend and confirm the dominion of ra- 

 tional liberty. It is not within human power to ac- 

 complish these results without some sacrifice of ind - 

 vidual prejudices and interests. Problems of State, too 

 complicate for the human mind, have been solved by 



