Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-01-19
The Free State Movement in Louisiana

The Free State Movement In Louisiana
A meeting Of prominent gentlemen Of Boston
and its vicinity was hold on Wednesday to hear
statement from Alfred JARVIS, agent Of tie
" Free State General Committee Of Louisiana"
and to consider what action should Be taken in
aid Of the efforts Of that committee 10 restore
Louisiana to the Union az Tree state by the
acton OF her people fheophilus Persons was
chosen president, and John $. Blalchi1rd, Sec
rotary
"Mr. Jarvis began BY referring 70 theanomA-
lous coalition OF New Orleans when General
Butler arrived at that ny. There was great
Union feeling, but it had been suppressed.
Prominent Union men had been escorted across
the lines while those Of less influence Who dared
TO express their opinions we're imprisoned or
hanged He knew only thirteen Union mon at
that time upon whom be could raIg TIE re-
IN Under OF the Union strength did uot dare To
show itself. Under these circumstance .he I'M
ion associations were formed and Che members
were necessarily s.Fangafl b. ONE another
:" These associations sproai ysry apdy in
New Orleans, through OF! the municipalities.
tn sixty days the members numbered t#u thou
sand five hundred But The question 81 anti
slavery was not mo9ted II soon began d Be
found that the rebellion could mott Ne destroyed
without Grad lcatIng slavery and tt. LOUISIANA
could be restored to The Union only as q lrao
state. Accordingly, The speaker, with a few
Others, set about rem deug die ass5ta tl0us up.
on the anti slavery and free st#te Itsis This
movement met with grel, success s. dat in
two months mo;e thaa thtea fhauslnl mon
were upon the rolls. Those Union min WHO
went for ree0nsrucun1 the Loiaa 4 slavery
formed new association, ana had .seiI head
quarters in Canal street They wen. fob, and
consisted chiefly OF planters
g ! e Free State associations ata increasing
IN other parts OF Louisiana Agents ire sent
from New Orleans, and .ecre, meetings ara first
held IN different parishes, aud Wher BIZ orgau-
lzaiion is sufficiently strong, tie cloak d stcre.
cy is thrown of Elsh ass5gati0ou. after reaeh-
ing certain strength Is entitled to delegate
in the Free State Committee If Louisiana This
has now sixty-iour members The intention IF
the committee (aftey Itfairiy represents f.e pop.
ular voice Of the Satf) is D call u Couyeutljn
Tor the formation Of d constitution IrahI6tnr
slavery forever. Mr. Jefyis stated, subsequent
y, IL rely to question put by Collector J
q. Goodfch, that # The means could le pro-
cured thai were Necessary, L0uisiaHa W0tld Be
IN the Union a free state belJr, aue hunIiel and
twenty days from the fire, Of die present month.
Everything that The Free State associations
do Is done through the military government
General Banks carefully examined the canstiu-
ton OF the organization anu said that it met
his entire approval. President Lincoln bad urged
Immediate and vigorous action b, these sOgIe-
'ieS' and Secretary Chase hsd written p letter,
warmly approving OF Their course.
&" The vote OF Louisiana ia 1860 vas about so.
OO0 thirty one regiments lett the state before
GENERAL Butler me, and ,lnce that ame rig-
ID rebel eonscrlpuon as been enforced 10 some
ecIions OF the state. fherl are not probably
y, 100 voter. u louisiana az the PRESENT time
lhe Tree state associations already have more
than 0ne-lenth OF the number OF votes east in
looU, ana from one quarter 70 one thtd II The
whole number OF voters now residing within the
ilmils OF Louisiana
. But II Is the oblec Of the free STAGE men a.
make their movement popular one. embracing
large majority Of the people lhe planters
TOOK the state out Of the Union without the rer.
mission Of the mass OF voters, an is soon as
GENERAL Banks assumed sway, a lew uf them
met az u hotl 10 New orleans, and, pretending
% speak Tor the whole community, auieayored
70 take lhe state back again into the Union
with slayeholding constitution. hey sent
representatives TO Washington to instead Presi.
ithl Lincoln as to the real opinion o TIE white
'itizens OF Louisiana
:" Mr. Jeryis gayoa very interestiu. account
u the means used By tbs Free State associations
% ndoetrnate the poJr whites with ant.slayery
entlments With regard to the women Of New
)rleans-whom General Butler taught such
wholesome ietson-lhe tide 81 feeling among
hem Is now strongly Tor the lulou and anti,
lavery.
" ihe singular tacls were mentioned that
here are two Thousand three hundred and forty
egslered enemies Of the United States m New
orleans TwenV-oue htndrad liremca OF that
NY ere on tleir patole and lac head of The fire
apartment Is registered enemy OF the country
-an vowed secessionist