The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-08-21
VOLUME 10, NUMBER IS.

that constitution Is this Amer the compromise
measures Of 1880 were passed, there was great
dissatisfaction In the minds Of the dominant
class who had been accustomed to control the
legislation OF the South. Conventions were
4 called In many parts Of the Southern States 10
discuss what they termed the grievances OF the
South. In Louisiana o convention was called
to revise the State constitution. This conven-
ton formed the constitution Of 1852. The OBJ
| ject and purpose Of this constitution was to
place irrevocably In the hands Of the large
slaveholding parishes the entire political power
| OF the State, % that when they deemed Il ne
cessary or expedient they could push the State
into rebellion or revolution. They accom-
plished this result BY two important modl6ca.
I tions Of the old constitution. A basis Of repre-
sentation was established founded upon popu.
lation, counting oil whites. free colorcd and
slaves, while whites alone voted. Practically,
though not literally, about $4,000 Shareholders
voted for about 33l 900 slaves. According to
an apportionmcnt upon this basis, one parish
with less than 1900 whites, and an aggregate
population Of 10000, was entitled to larger
representation in the legislature than another
parish with about l0. 600 whites and an aggrc-
| gate population Of $1,000. Fifteen hundred
white population In Tcnsas or Rapides parishes
had more political power than ten thousand
white population In the parish OF Jefferson, or
nearly double that number In the city Of New
| Orleans
The constitution Of 1882, and the apportion.
ment made under II, also reduced the reprcsen-
tation Of the city of New Orleans, 30 that with
Il sent only 20 representatives, while the rest
Of the State sent 6S. In this way they sup
pressed the voice Of the commercial population
Of New Orleans, and Of the laboring and mid
die classes In the State, which would otherwise
have been heard in thunder tones In favor OF
the Union.
The Convention which framed the ordinance
of secession was called upon this basis. Aeon
vention called upon any basis Of equal repre-
scntaton would never have passed the ordi.
nance or plunged the State into revolution
This convention, in many material points, re-
modelled and reconstructed the constitution OF
1882, and made or assumed to make substan-
TALLY new constitution OF lS6i-not In con-
formity with or In allegiance to the constitution
Of the United States, but to that Of the Con-
federate States. After the people Of Louisiana
had for short time enjoyed the benefits OF this
revolution. II camo to pass that Admiral Farri-
gut, with his indomitable faith In his gallant
navy, and firm belief that no rebel projectile
would ever sink his wooden ships, sailed by
front OF Now Orleans Cheers.l II came to
pass that Gen. B. +. Butler, with the gallant
little army to which have before alluded ,land-
ed upon the soil Of Louisiana and rescued the
city of New Orleans from the possession Of tho
armies Of the rebellion. prolonged checrsfor
Butler
dition Of New Orleans before the arrival Of the
federal troops, and stated the condition Of IN.
archy and disorder which Gen. Butler found
upon his arrival, and contrasted tho orders
which were issued by the rebel military author.
tiles before the arrival Of tho federal troops
with the orders issued by Gen. Butler upon
similar subjects. Alluson was made to the
fact that tho rebel authorities required every
man to take the oath Of allegiance to the con-
fedcracy or to be Immediately expelled from Its
| borders; that every alien resident was required
| 10 prove his friendship and substantially av0w
| an allegiance 70 the confcderacy under penalty
| Of Punishment; and these orders OF the rebel
Provost Marshal were contrasted with the or.
ders OF Gems. Butler and Banks, which had
suffered ayowed and registered enemies to 70.
main In New Orleans nearly year, protected
and fed by the government, while they were
constantly aiiording aid and comfort and infor-
nation to the enemy, and even after this time
but few were sent away, after every h0po had
failed Of winning them hack to allegiance. He
then went on TO show how In place Of the anar-
chy, disorder and destruction which Gen. But.
Ter found there, he had restored law, order, and
almost prosperity, aud asserted that Gen. But
Ter and Gen. Banks and the military authorities
had left no means untricd to welcome Louisiana
back to tho Union
Before the arrival Of the federal troops In
Louisiana, all property OF the citizens OF the
non.slayeholding States had been Oquestered
or confscatel to the use Of tho rebel authori.
ties. Every debt due to . Northern man bsd
been seQuestered The nero fact of residence
in q nor. slayeholding State, made the resident
an alien enemy, and his property liable to con-
fscation. When tho navy and tho army OF tho
United States arrived In New Orleans, their
A. i..ks II tko a., -
erty thus seized, which, as the rebels could not
defend. they had determined to destroy. Thus
consigned to the flames were some largo and
valuable ships belonging TO citizens OF Maine
aud Portland. I don't think these facts could
have been known to those who ore 80 much
troubled about the Con6scation act, yet have
no word Of condemnation for the Wholesale con-
ascstion by the Coniederscy. Our confsca,ion
law acts only on the property OF man In re-
bellion, who has committed an act OF treason
by taking up arms himself, or adhering or
giving aid and comfort to those In armed re-
bellion. al.
Even then II keeps within tho limit Of treason
rs defined In the Constitution and oy the dcci.
sions of our highest tribunal. and gives to tho
traitor all the benefit OF tho limitations ir that
Constitution he Is trying 10 subvert, and oil the
safeguards OF judicial Investigation. II is the
miIdest punishment Of treason known TO the
legislation Of any civilized country; yet men
dcclaim md make resolutions against this law,
who have no word Of condemnation for the
wholesale confscaton OF Northern vessels and
other property, and of debts due Northern
men.
Amer the occupation of Louisiana by our
troops. after It's commercial aud It's political
capital werc In our possession, every public Of.
fcer Ia Louisiana under tho State and municipal
governments, might have continued to exercise
the functions Of his Office had he submitted to
do so In obedience and allegiance to the Consti-
tuition and laws of the United States. Had the
constituted authorities of the State then sub
mitted to what they could not avoid. and re-
turned to their allegiance. the State would have
been back In the Union without struggle, and
would have known mono of the desolations OF
war on It's own soil. All overfures made TO
them at that time, looking " o return 70 tho
Union, were rejected. .
,h.;r own hands Union associations exist
there. embracing large numbers Of citizens de-
yoted 10 the work Of reorganiIng State gov
ernment loyal TO the Union. These assocla-
lions. through Joint committee representing
them all, have applied 10 the Military Governor
of Louisiana, and asked to call convention Of
the people Of Louisiana. They asked mo to
call that convention upon basis upon which
every white man should have equal rights with
every other white man. They asked me to
make q registry of all the loyal citiscns Of Lou
isiana, and then TO call this convention. With
out determining myself To act upon that sppli-
cation, I so far listened to u rs 90 order reg
istrstion Of every loyal citizen Of Louisiana, of
every man who would take the oath Of allegi-
sncc TO the United States, and repudiats oil al.
legiance TO the Confedcracy, and who would
declare that he took that oath freely and vol.
ANITA r,Iv aud 6nr the ,rnoso NJ roor0n nuixing