The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-05-02

SLAVE code" This oourss Of reasouing, which
sounds sngulariy in the mouth Of q Repub-
iican, seems to be a satisfactory explanation
to the Journal.
This same subject was discussed by Judge
Hall in his canvass for Congress with Col.
Miller. He sustained the old Wing doctrine
of the right of Congress to legislate for the
Territories, by citing this instance. of the
exercise of this power, with the sanction of
Thomas Jefferson. The knowledge of the
fact is not a new discovery; but it is re-
markable as an instance Of the extreme ex-
ercise of legislative power by Congress over
a territory, and it ia strange that in the re-
cent heated discussion of popular sovereign
ty, no allusion has been made to this histor-
ical fact, which was patent to the eye of
every inquirer on the political records of the
country. g'.-t - .rs Il. tir'
With the help of Mr.. Dillon, the Journal
gives the following account OF the code
framed for Louisiana: ii~ -ail .lr.
On the 26th of March, 1904, President
jefferson approved an act of Congress enti-
tied An act erecting Louisiana into tsco
Territories, and providing for the temporary
government thereof" This act organized
the "Territory of Orleans" which extended
to the thirty-third parallel of latitude, and
west Of the Mississippi to the boundary Of
the cession made to US by France, provided
Governor and other officers, Legislature,
and code of laws formed of certain Federal
laws extended to the territory, and all the
old territorial laws not inconsistent with
the Federal laws. II also, in section IL,
created the district of Louisiana" and at
tached it to Indiana by the following pro-
vision: ~ et1 l-.1F 80.
"The executive power now vested in the
Governor of the Indiana territory shall ex-
tend to, and be exercised in, the said Dis
trict of Louisiana. The Governor and Judges
of the Indiana territory shall have power to
establish in the said District Of Louisiana,
inferior courts, and to make all laws which
they may deem conducive to the good gov
eminent of the inhabitants thereof; provi-
ded, however, that no law shall be valid
which is inconsistent with the Constitution
and laws of the United States" :.
4 luiS WoS VIC W Auuioua W uS-
come guardian of Louisiana District. The
authority was soon revoked however, by an
act Of March Sd, 1905, providing for the reg
ular territorial organization of Louisiana
District--changed to Missouri in 1872. But
during the continuance of the guardianship
the Governor and Judges OF Indiana enact
ed regular code oflaws for their Louisiana
award, which is published in full in the
volume Of" District, Territorial and State
Laws Of Missouri . The following are the
titles of the different portions Of this code
"Crimes and Punishments, Justices
Courts, y Slaves, {" . Revenue p " Militia, .
Recorders, ~" Attorneys Constables, .
+" Boatmen," Defalcaiion," ssPractice, y
"Prohate Court "Courts, ~ j" Oath oil
Ofice,n aSheriff,p Marriages" All Of
the acts were approved October LIST 1904
except the last, which bears date April "a
1905, the organic act Of Louisiana territory
taking effect only on the 4th ofJuly, 1905
though approved in March. In the chapter
on "slsves" are some provisions Of more
} severity than can be found in the presen
, laws of slave States. Sections 81 and 2.
provide that any man who shall kidnap
free person, or steal q slave, shall "suffe
death" Section Is prohibits q negro, o.
other slave, from administering medicin
under any circumstan ,es, under penalty @
death, though if the intent be innocent an
!, the consequences not serious, the party shal
not be convicted. Section 8 prohibits ne
groes from meeting, except on Sundays b.
permission Of their overseers, or at mill, o
3 any lawful occasion by written permission
ofthe owners These are specimens. o.
this code are based the present slave laws {
q Missouri, and probably those Of Arkansai
: As IT is mere matter of public record, an
8 not older than men now living, it is nc
particularly creditable to the States know
ledge of her own history that it should b
80 curious, - though there is no doubt thi
il is so.