LOUISIANA 



477 



The inauguratioa of Mr. Halin, as Governor, 

 took place on March 4th. The ceremonies on 

 the occasion are thus described : 



The dawn of yesterday was ushered in by the 

 clano-or of the ifon-tongued bells, and the roar of 

 artillery, waking the slumberous echoes from their 

 lairs, and proclaiming to a disenthralled people the 

 glad tidings of the re establishment of civil Liberty. 

 The earlv Sawn was unpromising for the comfortable 

 carrying" out of the programme of inauguration, but 

 the "sun came out and chased away ttfe mists and 

 clouds like the scattered remnants of a broken battle 

 host, and by eight o'clock the anxious multitude 

 were assured of as bright and fair a day for the in- 

 teresting ceremony as could be desired. 



At an early hour, the multitude began to assemble 

 in the region of Lafayette Square. Sentinels and 

 policemen~were posted'at the entrance, to keep back 

 the crowd until the scholars had entered, and anxious 

 committee-men ran hither and thither, perfecting ar- 

 rangements and taking a general supervision of 

 affair?, looking all the time considerably worried and 

 flurried, and red in the face with excitement and 

 heat. Then the school children began to arrive from 

 all directions, marching in two ranlts, marshalled by 

 their teachers. They Vere of all sizes, from the 

 lisping five year old to the radiant maiden of sixteen, 

 just blooming into glorious womanhood, with a 

 proper proportion of young American manhood, in 

 short jackets and saucy-looking hats, their bosoms 

 swelling with the mingle'd pride of statesmen and 

 warriors. Neatly dressed, and their cheeks flushed 

 with excitement, they made a beautiful and imposing 

 appearance. 



Entering the Square through the St. Charles Street 

 gate, beneath a painted bust of Washington, over 

 which was the inscription, " A Free Government 

 the dearest object of my heart," a grand and mag- 

 nificent coup (Tail burst upon the enraptured vision. 

 There was the immense amphitheatre, in which were 

 seated six thousand gaily dressed children. Around 

 the back of the amphitheatre had been erected a 

 frame-work.which was covered with flags stretched 

 around, forming a silken wall of red, white, and blue, 

 from which shone the bright silver stars of American 

 freedom a "joy forever" to the heart of every 

 American freeman which has not been blighted and 

 blasted by the canker of treason. At intervals 

 around this wall of bunting, handsomely emblazoned 

 on heraldic shields, were 'displayed the "coats of arms 

 of the thirty-four different States South Carolina in 

 loving proximity to Massachusetts. In the centre of 

 the amphitheatre was a large painted banner, repre- 

 senting a prolific pelican feeding a brood of fledge- 

 lings from her torn and bteeding breast, and just 

 above, a patient phoenix sitting upon its funeral 

 pyre, gazing proudly and fearlessly into eternal space, 

 and only awaiting the slow process of combustion to 

 "rise from its asties." Underneath the pelican was 

 the inscription, " All Hail to the Chief," and on 

 either side the inscriptions, " The Star of Louisiana 

 as she was in 1860, and " So stands she now in 

 the Bright Galaxy of 1864." Around the flag wall 

 were displayed the following inscriptions, in large 

 letters: "Admiral Farragut, the Bravest of the 

 Brave ;" " Major-Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks, the Noble 

 Citizen and Dutiful Soldier;" "Michael Hahu, the 

 First Free State Governor of Louisiana ;" " Major- 

 Gen. X. P. Banks, the Hero of Port Hudson, and of 

 Freedom in Louisiana." 



Immediately in front of the amphitheatre were 

 seated the members of the immense orchestra, com- 

 posed of nearly three hundred instruments, and the 

 forty anvils to be used in beating out the metallic 

 accompaniment to the " Anvil Chorus." In front 

 of the orchestra was a circular raised platform, from 

 the centre of which arose a tall flag-staff, held to its 

 perpendicular by numerous ropes, trimmed with 

 evergreens, which radiated in all directions from the 



common centre, and found attachments to the neigh- 

 boring trees in the square. From the sustaining 

 ropesTiundreds of signal flags of all shapes, sizes, and 

 colors, waved in undulating grace and beauty. This 

 platform was dedicated to the solemn and impressive 

 ceremony of administering the oath to the newly 

 elected officers of the Free State of Louisiaaa. In 

 front of the platform hung suspended a banner 

 fringed with arbor-vitae-sprigs, with the words 

 "Michael Hahn, our Governor," tastefully wrought 

 in evergreens. 



About 11 o'clock Gen. Banks, accompanied by a 

 number of distinguished warriors and civilians,and the 

 officers of the new Government, arrived and took his 

 seat on the platform. Among those present we re- 

 cognized Gen. Reynolds, commander of New Orleans 

 defences; Gen. Hamilton, Military Governor, of 

 Texas; Gens. Stone, Arnold, Ransom, Cameron and 

 Bowen ; Hon. Christian Roselius, Judges Peabody, 

 Hiestand, and Howell ; Captains Hoyt, McClure, and 

 others. All seemed properly impressed with the 

 solemnity of the occasion. The Governor, arrayed 

 in a suit'rf black, with white vest and soft, mouse- 

 colored felt hat, looked grave and thoughtful, but 

 self-possessed and dignified. 



The oath of office was. after some preliminary 

 ceremonies, administered as follows : 



I. Michael Hahn, do solemnly swear, in the pres- 

 ence of Almighty God, that I will henceforward 

 faithfully support, protect, and defend the Constitu- 

 tion of the United States, and the Union of States 

 thereunder, and that I will in like manner abide by 

 and faithfully support all Acts of Congress passed 

 during the existing rebellion with reference to slaves, 

 so long and so far as not repealed, modified, or held 

 void by Congress, or by decree of the Supreme 

 Court, "and that I will in like manner abide by and 

 faithfully support all proclamations of the President 

 made during the existing rebellion, having reference 

 to slaves, so long and so far as not modified or de- 

 clared void by the Supreme Court. t 



And I do further solemnly swear, that I am quali- 

 fied according to the Constitution of the State to 

 hold the office to which I have been elected, and that 

 I will faithfully and impartially discharge and per- 

 form all the duties incumbent on me as Governor of 

 the State of Louisiana, according to the best of znv 

 abilities and understanding, agreeably to the Consti- 

 tution and Laws of the United States, and in sup- 

 port of and according to the Constitution and laws 

 of this State, so far as they are consistent with the 

 necessary military occupation of the State by the 

 troops of the United States for the suppression of 

 the rebellion, and the full restoration of the authority 

 of the United States. So help me God. 



MICHAEL HAEN. 



Addresses were made by the Governor and 

 Gen. Banks, and the city was illuminated in 

 the evening, and an inauguration ball closed 

 the day. 



On March loth the following letter was ad- 

 dressed to Governor Hahn : 



EXECUTIVE MANSION. WASIII.VGTOS, March 15, 1564. 

 Hi? Excdltncy, Michad Hahn, Governor of Louisiana: 

 Until further orders, you are hereby invested with 

 the powers exercised hitherto by the Military Gov- 

 ernor of Louisiana. Tours, trulv, 



ABRAHAM LINCOLN. 



On March llth, Major-Gen. Banks issued an 

 order relative to the election of delegates to the 

 State Convention. The conditions were such 

 as had been previously recommended by a com- 

 mittee to whom the General had referred the 

 subject. One of the most important provisions 



