The Portland daily press., 1863-08-13

loyal men - 10 determine lllS QucstlOn lDT
themselves. L am willing to trust it in their
hands.
Now, fellow citizens, much has been said
about Louisiana. We have heard much of
late from the papers that Louisiana has offered
to come back TO the Union that the State of
Louisiana had sent a committee to the Presi-
dent profiering return to the Union upon
the basis that he would withdraw his emanci-
patton proclamation, and order the military
government of the State TO convene the legis-
lature of Louisiana upon the basis OF the con-
stitution of 80. There is no question about
which there has been so much Ignorance and
misconception in the public mind as this. |
approach the discussion of this question with
some degree of hesitation, with some reluc-
lance because the gentleman who composed
that committee are some of them my friends
and acquaintances men who in private life
respect men whose character and motives
do not intend to assai And 1t is but justice
to these men TO say the misrepresentation that
has been made with regard 10 the authority
and objects of their mission, have not proceed
ed from them. There has been no effort made
by the State of Louisiana as a State TO return
to the Union. There has been no public meet
ing in Louisiana, or any meeting known TO the
citizens of Louisiana, or even to me when 1t
took place, although was at that time at the
head Of the civil government ofthe State which
delegated this committee. There has never
been a meeting that these men attended to ac-
complish any object that embraced over TWEEN
fy individuals, and these coming from not over
three or four out of the forty eight parishes in
the State. They state that they came as a
committee Of planters. Twenty planters hap
pened to be, "a am informed. at the 81. Charles
hotel. They being dissatisfied with the mode
which some of the loyal people of Louisiana
had undertaken TO inaugurate civil govern
ment, went upon their motion. as mere repre-
sentatives of one cltss of citizens, having just
as much authority as two members Of the
British Parliament had when they undertook
that amateur mission to Louis Napoleon for
which they were SO much rldieuled on the
floor of the House of Commons.
The planters they represented wanted the
legislature of Louisiana assembled on the ba-
sis of the constitution of 1852. The history
Of that constitutions this: After the compro-
mise measures of 1850 were passed there was
great dissatisfaction In the minds of the domi-
nant class who had been accustomed TO con-
troll the legislation of the South. Conven-
tons were called in many parts of the South
ern States to discuss what they termed the
grievances of the South. In Louisiana con-
vention was called to revise the State constitu-
ton. This convention formed the constitu-
ton of 1882. The object and purpose Of this
constitution was to place irreyocably in the
hands Of the large slaveholding parishes the
entire political powerofthe State, 50 that when
they deemed 1t necessary or expedient they
could push the State into rebellion or revolu-
ton. They accomplished this result by two
important notifications OF the old constitution.
A basis OF representation was established
founded upon population, counting all whites
free colored and slaves, while whites alone vot-
ed. Practically thoughnot literally about H.
900 shareholders voted for about 33l 900 slaves.
According TO an apporiionment upon this ba-
sis, 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 10000 whites
and an aggregate population of~i5.000. Fif-
teen hundred white population in Tensas 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 1852 and the apportion-
ment made under IT, also reduced the repre-
sentation Of the city OF New Orleans. 50 that
with nearly half Of the white population Of
the State il sent only twenty representatives.
while the rest of the State sent sixty-eight.
In this way they suppressed the voice Of the
commercial population OF New Orleans and of
the laboring and middle 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 ~his basis A
convention called upon any basis of equal
representation would never have passed the
ordinance or plunged the State into revolution.
This convention, in many material points, n,-
modelled and reconstructed the constitution
of 1852, and made or assumed 10 make sub
stantially new constitution of lS6l-not in
conformity with or In allegiance to the Con-
stitution of the United States, but to that of
the Confederate States After the people of
Louisiana had for short time enjoyed the
benefits OF this revolution, il came 20 pass that
Admiral Farragut, with his indomitable faith
In his gallant navy and firm belief that no re-
bel projectle would eyer sink his wooden
ships, sailed by Forts jackson and ST. Philip,
and anchored in front of New Orleans
lCheers 1t came TO pass that General ID. +.
Butler, with the gallant little army to which
have before alluded, landed upon the soil of
Louisiana and rescued the city of New Or
leans from the possession of the armies OF the
rebellion. Prolonged cheers for Butlcr.l
THE speaker then briefly reviewed the con-
dition OF New Orleans before the arrival of
the federal troops, and stated the condition of
anarchy and disorder which General Butler
found ION his arrival, aud co ntrasied the or
ders which were issued by the rebel military
authorities before the arrival of the federal
troops with the orders issued By General But
Ter upon similar subjects. Allnsion was made
to the fact that the rebel authorities required
every man I'd lake tne Oatn OF allegiance 10 the
coniederacy or TO he Immediately expelled
from its borders; that every alien resident
was required To prove his friendship and sub
stantially avow an allegiance TO the confedera-
cy under penalty. of banishmcnt; and these
orders OF the rebel Provost Marshal were
contrasted with The orders of Generals Butler
and Banks, which had suffered avowed and
registered enemies to remain in New Orleans
nearly year, protected and fed by the gov
xrbi lxr
aid and comfort and Information TO the enemy,
and even after this time but few wee sent
away aiter every hope had failed of winning
them back to allegiance. lie then went on to
show how In place Of the anarchy disorder
and destruction which Gen. Butler found
there, he had restored law, order and almost
prosperity, and asserted that General Bntler
and General Banks and the military author-
ties had left no means untrled to welcome
Louisiana back to the Unon
Before the arrival of the Federal troops in
Louisiana, all property of the citizens OF the
non-slaveholding States had been sequestered
or confiscated to the use of the rebel authori-
ties. Every debt due TO Northern man had
been sequestered. The mere fact of residence
In non-slaveholdng State, made the resident
an alien enemy, and his property liable to con-
dscation. When the Navy aud the Army of
the United States arrived In New Orleans
their pathway was lighted with the flames OF
property thus seized, which. as the rebels could
not defend, they had determined TO destroy
Thus consigned to the flames were some large