448 



LOUISIANA. 



The bill was passed, notwithstanding the veto of the 

 Governor, with the requisite two-thirds majority, and 

 onlv three votes against it. 



T"he bill was then sent to the House with a hurrah 

 from the galleries. 



In the House, a message from the Senate was re- 

 ceived, informing the House that the Governor had 

 vetoed the city election bill, and that the same had 

 passed the Senate by a vote of two-thirds of the Sen- 

 ators elected. 



Mr. Scanlan said he would vote for the bill, al- 

 though his name had been placed on a list of mem- 

 bers, said to be for sustaining the veto. 



Mr. Scanlan remarked that the Government in 

 Washington is in favor of restoring civil government, 

 and that the objections of the Governor have no 

 foundation in law or in reason. 



Mr. Austin considered the action of the Governor 

 as an attempt to deprive the people of New Orleans 

 of their rights. 



Mr. Williamson thought some of the objections as- 

 signed by the Governor absurd, but the Governor 

 would not veto a Constitutional Convention bill. 



Mr. Stille explained that he thought the bill to be 

 in violation of article 119 of the Constitution. 



The bill passed with 93 yeas, and 8 nays. 



The preamble of the act is as follows : 



WJiereas, By the laws consolidating the city of New 

 Orleans, and providing for the government of said 

 city, and the administration of its affairs, it is ex- 

 pressly provided that the Mayor, Controller, Street 

 Commissioner, Recorders, Aldermen, and Assistant 

 Aldermen, shall be elected by the people of said city ; 

 and, whereas, the present incumbents hold commis- 

 sions of a temporary nature, granted only for the 

 purposes of the time being; and, whereas, it is emi- 

 nently proper that the municipal government of said 

 city should be again committed to the people, under 

 and in accordance with the charter of said city; 

 therefore 



The sections of the act prescribed the time 

 when the election should be held, and the offi- 

 cers to be chosen, etc. 



Subsequently, on February 23d, a bill was 

 passed amending the city charter, in confor- 

 mity with this election act ; ayes, 52 ; nays, 

 23, in the House. The only objection urged 

 was, that it was like a compromise with the 

 Governor. A joint resolution was also passed 

 and signed by the Governor, expressive of 

 loyalty and the confidence of the State in Pres- 

 ident Johnson, with the unanimous pledge of 

 the members to support him. 



In the House, on February 19th, a joint reso- 

 lution was adopted for the appointment of two 

 members to deliver the following resolutions of 

 the Legislature to the President : 



WJtereas, In the debates upon the question of re- 

 construction ia the National Congress, the enemies 

 of the policy of President Johnson are endeavoring 

 to mislead public opinion by the grossest misrepre- 

 sentations of the opinions and sentiments of the peo- 

 ple of this and other Southern States; therefore, 



Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Represent- 

 atives of the State of Louisiana, in General Assem- 

 bly convened, That as Representatives recently elected 

 by the people of this State, and being fully conver- 

 sant with their opinions and sentiments, we do de- 

 clare that they have with unparalleled unanimity 

 accepted the results of the war as a final settlement 

 of the questions at issue therein ; that there does not 

 exist an intention or desire to reopen the agitation of 

 those questions ; that they acquiesce in the abolition 

 of slavery as an accomplished fact, and that they are 



ready to extend to the late slaves the protection of 

 the laws in the enjoyment of their rights; that in- 

 stead of entertaining any hostility to the negro race 

 in the Southern States, they hold for them the kindly 

 feelings which grew out of their former relation to 

 the white race, and recognizing it as their interest as 

 well as duty to do whatever is proper to advance 

 them in intelligence, morality, and religion ; that 

 the professions of the people of Louisiana, that they 

 are willing to subscribe to the national authority and 

 constitutional government of the United States, are 

 sincere and unqualified, and that any accusations 

 made in contradiction of the above statement, from 

 whatever authority, we pronounce to be without 

 foundation in fact, and are infamous attacks upon 

 the honor, courage and good faith of the people of 

 Louisiana. 



J3e it further resolved, That the statements made in 

 the foregoing resolutions are made in no spirit of 

 slavish supplication, nor of shameful contrition for 

 the past, nor of hypocritical devotion to our enemies; 

 but to vindicate the manhood and honor of our peo- 

 ple from the slanders pronounced against them by 

 their radical enemies at home and abroad, and for 

 the purpose of convincing every truthful and mag- 

 nanimous mind, that to continue to deprive Louisi- 

 ana of her constitutional right of representation in 

 Congress cannot be justified by any consideration 

 of national security, or of protection to the late 

 slaves in their rights as freedmen, but must rest 

 solely upon the spirit of revenge and lust of illicit 

 power on the part of the political charlatans and de- 

 luded fanatics who have not shared the dangers of 

 the battle-field, nor acquired the wisdom of the 

 statesman, unlearned to appreciate the virtues and 

 magnanimity of either the Northern or Southern 

 soldiers. 



In compliance with the act amending the 

 city charter above-mentioned, Governor Wells, 

 on March 6th, issued his proclamation for an 

 election, on March 12th, for Mayor, Controller, 

 Street Commissioner, Kecorder, nine Alder- 

 men, and fifteen Assistant-Aldermen. So much 

 of this proclamation as declared the qualifications 

 of voters was as follows : 



Every white male who has attained the age of twenty-one 

 years, and who has been a resident of the State tweH j months 

 next preceding the election, and the last three months there- 

 of in the parish in which ho offers to vote, and who shall be 

 a citizen of the United States, shall have the right of voting. 



In addition to the foregoing qualification, every 

 elector is required to produce the amnesty oath pre- 

 scribed in the President's proclamation, either of the 

 8th of December, 1863, or that of the 29th of May, 

 1865, sworn to and subscribed by him before com- 

 petent authority, before he can be registered. 



I do solemnly swear or affirm, in the presence of Almighty 

 God, that I will hereafter faithfully defend the Constitution 

 of the United States and the Union of the States thereunder, 

 and that I will, in like manner, abide by and faithfully sup- 

 port all laws and proclamations which have been made during 

 the existence of the rebellion with reference to the emanci- 

 pation of slaves. So help me God. 



This oath is imperative on and after the 29th day 

 of May, 1865, and will be rigidly enforced. It will 

 be understood, at the same time, that those who are 

 excluded from the benefits of this amnesty oath, by 

 any of the list of exceptions contained in the procla- 

 mation, will not be allowed to vote unless specially 

 pardoned by the President. 



In all other respects the election will be conducted 

 in accordance with law. 



The election took place on the 12th. " It was 

 quietly conducted," says the New Orleans Times, 

 " there being no disturbance to speak of in any 

 portion of the city." The National Union can- 



