Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-03-22
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Gazette. Repub-
lican.l 800
WLsHINGTON March "a


Correspondence Of the Cincinnati Gazette. Repub-
lican.l .r
WASHINGTON, March ls.
If the men who are complaining of the
progress Of reconstruction in Louisiana
were our enemies, If they were men of
doubtful loyalty, or men whobefore Buffers
arrival were among the blatant tsecessionists
few would be disposed to heed the remon-
strances they continue to send up. But it
Is unfortunate that they are the most
% thorough, uncompromising and uncondi-
tional Union men there. That our system
of reconstruction works so little to their
o satisfaction furnishes some food for refec-
ton. g .ei.lI tt.o.
Here is a petition to be presented in the
House to-day. The petitioner is personally
known to some of our Administration mem-
bers as an Episcopal clergyman of New
o Orleans, of high standing and unquestioned
loyalty: a. .a ytr.ia,
Your petitioner, a loyal citizen of the
United States, and of the State of Louisiana,
represents to your honorable body, that
under what claims to be the authority of
the United States, a pretended election of
officers of the State of Louisiana has been
held in violation of the Constitution of that
State, and without pretense of any law of
the United States, and that the military
power of the nation Is to be used to force
this usurped State Government upon him
and his fellow citizens. As there are no
courts of law to which they can apply for
redress, he now appeals to you as the grand
inquest Of the nation, and prays that you
will forbid this usurpation and oppression.
He represents more particularly that on
the 1lth of January, 1854, Major General
Banks issued proclamation, copy of
o which Is herewith annexed, containing
among other things the extraordinary state
ment that "the fundamental law of the
State is martial law" in which proclama-
tion he DEGREES that on the 22d of February
IAN election shall be held of certain Stateof-
fcers, and sets forth rules for that election
at variance with the laws and Constitution
. of Louisiana; whereas, if the State of Lou
isiana still exists with its Constitution as
before the rebellion, he has no imaginable
right to alter this organic law by proclama-
tion, or otherwise; and, on the other hand,
If that Constitution Is no longer in force, he
has no authority to donate new one to the
people of Louisiana by proclamation, or
general orders.i1 ..at-stiiaT
General Banks did, on the Sd day Of Febru-
ary, publish certain general orders concern
ing plantation labor, In which he inserted
commands and threats to the people of this
J State in regard to the proposed election,
b which were serious evasions Of natural free
dom; and on the 14th of February certain
other general orders containing new viola
tious of the Constitution of this State in its
provisions and safeguards for the purity of
elections, supposing 1t still in force, or fur
ther provisions of the new Constitution
which he DEGREES for Louisiana If that al
Tentative be supposed. There were also in
direct contradiction of his former public
assurances in q letter 10 certain citizens da-
ted as published, Jan. 3lst, and being pro-
claimed only eight days before the election,
were in effect a serious dlscouragement I'd
the lawful electors. dasG ~
q Your petitioner further represents that
Maj. Gen. Banks, so far from observing
delicate impartiality between the candi-
dates presented to the voters, which was
the more binding on him inasmuch as he
appointed all the judges Of elections, and
returning officers, did notoriously take the
part of certain of these, allowing it and
causing 1t to be made known that he was
very desirous of their election; that he held
long and frequent consultations with one of
them concerning the policy to be pursued
that he vigorously used the absolute power
In his hands to effect this end, forcing the
police officers, and all who aspired to such
appointments, the laborers employed In the |
Quartermaster's and other branches of the
military service, and the very large number |
Of other persons dependent for their living
upon the employment OF the Government |
to vote and to influence others to vote for |
his candidates; and that no newspaper |
dared to advocate any other candidate, and
your petitioner believes that In one case a |
loyal Journal was threatened with suppress
sion for no other reason, and so forced to
-. a
as your petitioner believes, makes the pre-
tended election q nullity-in fact, an out
rage upon civil liberty. .s,
Your petitioner further represents, that
IN direct violation of the Constitution Of |
Louisiana, soldiers mustered into the SER
vice of the United States aud many OF them
volunteers from other States, and likewise
many other citizens Of other States tran
silently residents here, were allowed and