LOUISIANA. 



protending to bo on guard dutv for any purpose, or 

 . uly authorised by law. 



:.. JOSK1MI A. Mow: 

 Vth Inf., A. A. Adj.-Gon. 



The order announcing the. result of tho eloc- 

 t'ntii, mid appointing the day for tin- assembling 

 of the convention, was published on tho 21st 

 i !' Octniicr. Tin- delegates chosen, a complete, 

 list of \vliom was given in the order, were no- 

 tified to aMttnbto at Mechanics' Institute Hall, 

 \i-\\ i thc-j:;d of November, 1867. 



Various " iinpcdiiuents to reconstruction " 

 were removed ly General Mower in Novem- 

 ber, tin.- most prominent of which are desig- 

 nated in the following special order : 



HKAIXJCABTKES FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT, ) 

 November 21, 1ST. > 



Tho present incumbents being impediments to re- 

 construction under the laws of Congress, the following 

 removals and appointments of civil officers in Loui- 

 Mana arc hereby made : Albert Voorlies } Lieutenant- 

 uor, is removed, and Jacob Hawkins appointed 

 in his place ; II. II. Hardy, Secretary of State, is re- 

 moved, and J. R. 6. Pitkin appointed in his place ; 

 Adam Griffin, State Treasurer, is removed, and E. J. 

 Jenkins appointed in bis place; Hypolite Peralter, 

 Au.litor ot Public Accounts, is removed, and J. H. 

 S-. ]>ln-r is appointed in his place ; E. M. Larker, Su- 

 perintendent of Public Education is removed, and 

 John MeNair is appointed in his place ; Henry Ben- 

 sel, State Tax-Collector for the Fourth District, is re- 

 moved, and Geo. W. Kendall is appointed in his place. 

 By command of Gen. JOSEPH A. MOWER. 



Besides these, several local officers in the 

 parish of Orleans, including a number of dis- 

 trict judges, were removed, and their successors 

 appointed. The nature of the influences brought 

 to bear upon General Mower in order to effect 

 removals, at least in one case, may be 

 seen in the following resolution : 



Whereas, By a law of Congress, Harry T. Hays has 

 been and is disfranchised for disloyalty to the Gov- 

 ernment of the United States j and 



'<.<, Tin- said Hays is now exercising the 

 functions of sheriflf of the parish of Orleans, contra- 

 ry to the expressed will of the American people in 

 Congress represented ; and 



Whereas, The retention of said office by said Har- 

 ry T. Hays is a reproach to the dignity of the loyal 

 people ot the United States ; and 



Whereas, Tho law of Congress aforesaid makes it 

 the duty of the district commander to remove from 

 office disloyal men ; therefore 



Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed 

 by this central executive committee of the Radical 

 Republican party of Louisiana, to wait upon General 

 Joseph A. Mower, and respectfully request him to 

 remove from office said Harry T. Hays. 



Mr. Hays was removed. General Mower 

 was directed by General Grant to suspend his 

 removals until tlio arrival of General Hancock; 

 and accordingly an order of November 22d, 

 revoking previous orders, retained in office no 

 ian thirteen persons who had been super- 

 -iK (!, among whom were the Lieutenant-Gov- 

 ernor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, 

 and Superintendent of Public Education. 



General Hancock arrived at New Orleans on 

 the 28th of November. On assuming command 

 of the district, ho issued the following order : 



8peial Ordtrt, No. 40. 

 IlKADqcARTRiui Firru MILITARY Dirrwcr. i 



NW OKLK4KH. No: .7. f 



'. In accordance with General Order*, N 



i-ailiiiiarter* of tin- Army, Adjutant-General'! Of- 

 1 .'igunt 27, IKIJT, Major- 

 1 \V. s. Hancock In-ruby assumes command of 

 li Military District the department composed 

 of the States of Louisiana and Texas. 



Second. Tho General Commanding is gratified to 

 Irani that peace and quiet rei^n in thii department, 

 and it will be his purpose to preserve tliir, condition 

 of tilings. As a means to thus great end, lie regards 

 the maintenance of the civil authorities in the faith- 

 ful execution of the laws as the most efficient under 

 existing circumstances. In war it is indispensable to 

 repel force by force, and overthrow and destroy op- 

 position to lawful authority ; but when insurr 

 ary force has been overthrown, peace established, 

 and the civil authorities arc ready am' willing to per- 

 form their duties, the military power should cease to 

 lead, and the civil administration resume its natural 

 and rightful dominion. 



Solemnly impressed with these views, the General 

 announces that the great principles of American lib- 

 erty still are the lawful inheritance of this people, 

 and ever should be. The- right of trial by jury, the 

 habeas corpus, the liberty of the press, th'e freedom 

 of speech, ana the natural rights or persons, and the 

 rights of property, must be preserved. Free institu- 

 tionsj whfle they are essential to the prosperity and 

 happiness of the people, always furnish the strongest 

 inducements to peace and order. Crimes and offences 

 committed in this district must be referred to the 

 consideration and judgment of the regular civil au- 

 thorities, and these tribunals will be supported in 

 their lawful jurisdiction. 



Should there be violations of existing laws which 

 are not inquired into by the civil magistrates, or 

 should failures in the administration of justice by the 

 courts be complained of, the cases will be reported 

 to these headquarters, when such orders will be 

 made as may be deemed necessary. While the Gen- 

 eral thus indicates his purpose to respect the liberties 

 of the people, he wishes all to understand that armed 

 insurrections or forcible resistance to the laws will be 

 instantly suppressed by arms. 



By command of Maj.-Gen. W. 8. HANCOCK. 



Some of the important changes instituted by 

 General Hancock in the policy of his predeces- 

 sor are indicated in the following orders : 

 Special Orders, No. 203. 



SEC. 2. The true and proper use of military power, 

 besides defending the national honor against foreign 

 nations, is to uphold tho laws and civil government, 

 and to secure to every person residing among us the 

 enjoyment of life, liberty, and property. 



It is accordingly made, by act of Congress, the 

 duty of the -commander of this district to protect all 

 persons in their rights ; to suppress disorder and 

 violence, and to punish, or cause to be punished, all 

 disturbers of the public peace and criminals. ' The 

 Commanding General has been officially informed 

 that the administration of justice, and especially 

 criminal justice, in the courts is clogged, if not entire- 

 ly frustrated, by the enforcement of paragraph No. 2 

 of the military order numbered Special Order 125, 

 current series, from these headquarters, issued on 

 August 24, 1S67, relative to tho qualifications of per- 

 sons to be placed on the jury lists of tho State of 

 Louisiana. To determine who shall and who shall 

 not be iurors appertains to tho legislative power, and 

 until tlio laws m existence regulating this subject 

 shall he amended or changed by that OWputBMni of 

 the civil government which, the constitutions of_all 

 the States undet our republican system vests with 

 that power, it is deemed best to carry out the will of 

 tho people as expressed in the last legislative act 

 upon this subject. 



