The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-02-17
Letter from Con. Banks.

from It6 W. " LtUbc5J OQiEs Oh
At meeting of the Free-State Gene
raj Committee. held on Friday evening,
Jan. 20, the following communication
was received from Msj.-Gen. n. P.
Banks, commanding Department of the
Gulf; and by : vote of the committee,
it was ordered to be published in the
loyal papers of New Orleans:
HEADo'Rs. DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF)
New Orleans, Jan. 20, 1864.
Tothe Free State Central Com. ~ o., La. {:
GENTLEMEN-I have the honor TO &C
knowledge the receipt Of your letter Of
the 25th INST, relating to the election of
State officers, ordered for the 22d of
February, and to submit to you the fol-
lowing suggestions in answer thereto:
Frra-As to the qualification Of vo-
ters The Presidents Proclamation Of
the 9Th December, authorizing Govern
ments in the rebel States, provides that
all persons having taken the oath pre-
scribed therein, who are voters by the
law of the State in which they vote, and
excluding all others, may participate in
elections for this purpose.
This Proclamation, taken by itself
does not Justify any other Interpretation
than that the persons voting in the cleo
ton to which it refers, must qualify BY
taking the oath prescribed therein. Bat
it is we'll known to you that q very large
number of citizens had renewed their
allegiance, and been restored to their
rights as citizens so far as the elective
franchise is concerned, under the Proc
lGmation, and other orders of the Presi-
dent affecting the rights Of voters in this
State. The general rule of construction
would require that such Interpretation
should be given to those different pa
pers IS would render them consistent with
each other; so that persons who have
been restored to their rights under one
should not be deprived of the exercise of
there rights In consequence of the tech
meal provisions of expressions of another
Considering al these papers, I believe it
not TO have been the intention of the
President to deprive those citizens quail
fed under bis previous proclamation
and orders, of the right guaranteed
to them upon their compliance
with the conditions contained there
in and if it shall meet the gen.
eral approval of the friends of the
Government In this State, shall be will
ing to give it this Interpretation, and to
allow all persons 10 vote in the election
of the I'D of February, or in subsequent
elections necessary to the complete Or
gsnization of = State Government. who
have registered IS voters under the Pres
ident's Proclamation Of the 18th Of July,
1862. and his subsequent orders upon
this subject. If that Interpretation
should prove to be unsatisfactory to the
friends Of the Government, I prefer to
await the decision of the President him
self as to the proper Interpretation to be
given to these several acts. II, in your
opinion, those who are now registered
voters should be allowed to vote, al Or
der will be issued removing al apparent
conflict between the proclamation Of the
9Th of December and the Sd article of my
proclamation, which approves and con-
firms the registration effected under the
orders of the Military Governor Of this
State. It is Of the highest public i'm
portance that such Interpretation should
be given 70 these several acts 80 viii en-
able the largest number Of loyal citizens
to participate in this election.
ssc0ld.-In relation to the designation
Of officers for the performance Of duties
of Commissioners of Elections, have
the honor to suggest that the provisions
Of the statute to which you refer are in
applicable 10 this election, in consequence
Of vacancies existing in these Offices. I
shall be glad, upon conference with the
Military Governor Of the State, to desig-
nate proper persons for this duty and to
receive your counsel and advice IS to the
selection Of proper persons for the Su-
pervision Of the Election.
These Commissioners OF other persons
that may be designated for this purpose
will be authorized 70 administer the
proper oath of allegiance 70 persons who
are otherwise qualified 70 vote BY the
General Election law Of this State. I
shall be glad to receive any suggestions
from your committee upon this subject.
Third in reference 70 the subject Of
registration, / would suggest that the
osth of allegiance viii be Of itself q suf-
fcient register Of the votes cast in the
election The ordinary purpose Of reg
istration is to enable parties interested %
sift the claims Of voters who participate
therein, and to reject the votes Of al per-
sous not legally qualified
The certiicats Of the officer admins
tsring the oath, and the record thereof,
is complete register for the purpose Of
detecting and correcting frauds that may
occur in such election; 90 that any per-
son who takes the oath on the day OF
election, whsn administered By properly
qualified odicers, although his name may
not have been previously registered,
should be allowed 70 vote.
In this view, those persons who have
registered under the orders Of the Presi-
dent Issued 10 the Military Governor Of
the State for the election Of Congress-