Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-16

~ connection with the question u the gentleman
iFon heutucky, aud also 10 continuation 81 my
answer 70 the gentleman from OHIO General
Shepiey, Bugadier GeueTai exc cised all tbo
poser Shich resulted IN these elections tie. IN
su0osd n itiOu 70 General Better md the Exeeg-
tive, moved everything Without him nothing
was. lie spoke this election INTO exsience " tn
out this military power, supplanting ami nssem-
Ing 10 act tor the civil power In LOUISIANA uoEh-
ing Sould have been done Eyers one knows
this 20 BE true In evidence of IL, let me call the
attention OF the House to the proclamation OF the
Military Governor:
A PROCLAMATION
By BrlSqdier General George >. t1eEley. Naatry
VOoeraOr Of hse STATE o. Louisiana
Whereas, the State Of louisiana is now snd has been
wihea ~ Representative in t.ae Thirty seventh Con
gres q The United Of America; and whereas very
large majority 81 the etzens OF the frst aud Second Con-
gressional Districts ia hs STATE. BY taking The oath 81
allegiance have given evidence Of iher loyalty and obe
dience % the Constitution and laws Of the United states
Now. therefore l. George l. Shepley, lary Governor
Of the Of louisiana the purpose of securing to
the loya electors the Parishes composing these two
Congressional Districts Their appropriate and lawful repe
OF America and Of enabling them avail fseni
lves Of the benefits secured by the Exclamation of the
Predeit OF the United States the people OF any state
part Of State who shall on the LIST day OF January
be IL good faith represented IN the Congress OF the
United states by members chosen thereto at elections
wherein majority OF the quallned voters ~ sueh state
have paftciI aed have iii 10 issue this my procla
mson appointing an election to be neld on Wednesday
the Sd day 81 December next TO i said vacancies n tue
ngreSs o. the United States of America
in the following Districts, namely:
Then comes an enumeration of the election
precincts, &c.
Now. what Is the law of that State on this
point! The power TO issue proclamation calling
special election is vested in the Governor of
Louisiana, chosen bv her own people, and not in
an instrument OF the Executive. How does the
gentleman from Kentucky answer thatl How
does the gentleman from Ohio answer itl You
say she military had nothing To do with these
elections. Yet you see they had their origin in
p ain and absolute military usurpation. They
commenced in military proclamation, and the
only certificates OF election which the claimants
present here titles to their seats signed 10y
Brigader General oi the army.
Mr. Harrison: ask the gentleman fro~Jnd
ana whether the legal principle, that subsequent
ratification Is equivalent 10 antecedent authority
does not apply 10 this of the electors of Lou
isana.
Mr Voorhees,: Has the gentleman from Ohio
any evidence of subsequent FathcationI 1t he
has, have none. | see influences surrounding
these elections which, 10 ms mind indicate any
thing rather than the Tree, untramme Ell voice OF
the people, acting independent oi military coer
cion aud executive dictation On the very face
of this proclamation, what do We seel One in
ducement held out to the citizens oil New Orleans
to participate in these elections is, that they may
IN that Way escape the effects of the Presidential
proclamation of the lSt OF January last; thar
they may escape being robbed OF their property
by going Ia the polls and voting; may escape
having their slaves taken from them 10y the Pres
dent OF the United States. il they elected mem
bers of Congress One inducement held IN
the body OF this proclamation was the right OF
representation. II Is true; but the other the
argument and inducement OF the highway man:
Effect. anu your property will be savedl' Re
fuse to elect, aud the COMMANDMENT Chief OF the
Army, the President of the United States, will
strip YOU naked. and ROB YOU Of your planest
rights OF property" This * the language. plain
ami distinct addressed To The citizens OF the first
and second Congressional Districts of Louisiana
by the proclamation under which these elections
were held. l. this Il free eectlunl Vino II
dare say soI To my mind 1t l. the gro-sest and
most outra geoHs assault osI the freedom OF the
elective franchise ever known in a republican
Government.
Nj Harrison: | submit to the gentleman from
INDIANA, that II The statement of facts made by
the Chairman Of the Committee of Elections i
true--namely. tia: the loyal and qualified elec
tors of the two Congressional districts OF which
the claimants are citizens exercised an untTam
meed choice at the elections under which t5ey
claim setts-whether the attendance bv the elect
ors on the day named in the proclamation OF the
Military Governor for that purpose, and actually
holding the elections, emphatic ana
conclusive ratification OF his act by The people so
voting, thereby making the elections as vadlid n
il they had themselves taken the Initiative?
Mr.. Voorhees,: Now, will the gentleman from
ONO tell me bow many voters cast their votes on
the day of that election because they desired to
be represented in this Congress- and how many
because they wanted To their slaves under
the proclaim ttiOn of the Presidentl Ii he eau
give me this Information, | can tell hm how
much tie ratification Ut which he speaks was
worth. Both inducements were he'd out; and it
the gentleman eau inform me how many persons
voted because they desired To prevent their prop
erty being taken from them, and how many be
cause they desired To send these claimants here,
answer how far this act oil tie VI ,li,ary Coy
ernor WAS ratified by the people. The induce
meut IN regard 10 their slaves was deemed a. OF
sufficient importance 20 insert in the bo.y of the
proclamatOn, and L have no doubt II brought
many cIiZslS TO the polls.
The gentleman asks me whether the people
there did all they could. | expect they did 10
avoid Injury to their rights and the plumber OF
their property
Mr Menzies: | will repeat my question. in
order that the gentleman may understand the
point upon which my mind turns. | would like
to know il the people OF these districts complied
with the law of the State OF Louisiana except in
Committee OF Elections; that ii the day hot
the one prescribed by law as an election day for
this purpose. and that the Drocl m alton vs. not,
id that event. issued by the legal Governor Oh
LouSiansY | ask the gentleman whether he be
heve~. the rebellion having deprived them of the
power TO comply with the law in these respects,
the people mi ght not have themselves assembled
on day they might name and elected persons
to reHe ent them IN COngreSsi
NJ Voorhees, | answer the gentleman by re-
pest N that when the fOi ms ct regular govern
ment are lost, The ,eop.e must begin again de
moro. The, must begin down At the very iOun
d.riun OF c.vi' government. Tuey must again
n their vacant off ces, commencing with that o,
Go' erllor, and then by his aid proceed according
to their own laws to give motion and vitality Ia
every department. This may be done 10y virtue
OF ne pence secured anu miiut s.ned by the III ms
ct the ii0verament Let the people OF Louisiana
90 this II their condition will ,ernnt it, and then
they m.y .rp eei under the Constitution of that
Stiie and obedience 10 their own laws. IN that
WAY avoid tin INDUSTRIOUS constitutional
stretch at power, unknown to our COu>ti' utIOu
OF lsW>. winch has been ,ciSed IN Tie appoint
meat 81 = Military Governor, by whose conduct
the LAYS have been violated.
Again. sir. come back 10 the very foundation
OF this whole proceeding. | deny that George F
ShepeS, "a Brigade General aud Military GOV
enor oi Louisiana. or in any other capacity, un,ess
the people of louisiana had OF their tree, un
trmmeled choice, made him their Govegnor IN
der the Constitution and laws ct the State bad
any right at att to the power which he has exer
cised | care not II he had exercised this powel
10