The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-08-04
LOUISIANA.
Governor Wells on the Right Of Suffrage
TO the Negroes.

~ bL4o 4tOSAOCcf
The New Orleans papers publish a correspon-
dence between Z. J. Durant, president, Antho-
ny Fernandez, vice-president, and others OF the
Central Executive Committee of the Friends
of Universal Suffrage" and Gov. Wells. The
former gentlemen say:
We ask that before you shall order any gen.
eral State election, or for members of Congress,
you shall cause a complete registration TO be
made, in every parish of the State, of all 10y
al citizens, without distinction of race or orr
gin, who have resided twelve months in Loui-
siania.
This will introduce to the ballot-box the 10y
al element of the black race hitherto disfran-
chised, but who have acquired by emancipation
the title of citizens, and who have earned by
| their devotion to the country, and possess by
natural justice, the right to participate in gov
ernment.
Such an act, sir, will make you forever loved
and respected in Louisiana and throughout our
country. 1t will insure the tranquility of the
State; it will establish the logical consequence
of emancipation it will put an end to the pow
er of that aristocrscy which organized the re-
! bellion and still ambitiously aims at the power
| of the government it will neutralze and over
power the rebel elements which cannot be sue
cessfully excluded from the polls; it will speed
| our State On a new and unknown career Of
wealth and honor.
| We respectfully ask reply in writing to this
| communication and that you will be pleased to
name an early day on which to give it.
Gov Wells replied as follows, under date Of
July 10:
| In answer to your address, so dictatorial and
presumptive, I would say that the elective fran
chise is defined by law, and its exercise must be
| in accordance Herewith.
| do not believe that the constitution and civ
! il government of Louisiana has been oTartarown
| by the rebellion, and the creation Of a new gov
| ernment is not within my province, If l admit
| ted the necessity.
| DO profess, and do hold, however, contrary
| to your confdently-expressed opinion, by the
! form of election which took place in February,
| 1864 and in no respect act ''independent OF the
| formal organic law" as you affect to balIeve.
! 1t is true the exceptional condition OF our
political affairs compels recourse to military au-
| thority to supplement, momentarily, the deli-
! ciencies of the law, when my powers, as de-
manded by statute, are unequal to the emergen-
cv. This resource, however, | have sparngy
invoked, and only against persons IN office whose
| shameless abuse of their places, or venal con-
! duet, compelled it.
Neither have |, as you enormously assert,
| transcended the requirements of law IN defining
sethe qualifications of those who may be admit
| ted to the registration as voters in New Or
| leans" All persons legally entitled to vote, and
none others, can register So too, do you mis-
state the fact when you say that 81 permitted
a different rule in the county" In both IN
otopoas INV conduct il controlled by the law
No registry that am aware of has ever eXls-
ted in any State of the Union in rural districts.
| None certainly ever has in Louisiana. see no
reason now for any departure from the usual
course and if did do not claim any compe-
tence tp direct it to be done.
When you ask, therefore, that shall, pc
fore any genera! State election, order complete
registration in every parish of the State OF all
Ioyal citizeps, without distinction OF race or O.
riGip.n for the reasons already advanced, de-
cline to comply.
! In coming to this conclusion | have no other
difficulty than is presented by your conhden'
predictions of the evils that must follow non
compliance with your demands. Political proph
! esying, however, has long ceased 20 alarm man
kind. / recollect political prophesies made BY
the chief sieners of this address within the pas
twenty wears, which have been SO falsifed BY
events that the apprehensions their present one'
MIGHT otherwise inspire are blunted or dlssipa
, ted completely. Both in the Native American
| and Know Nothing eras their vatlclnatlons Wer'
as boldly made that the naturalization OF Tor
, egners would as certainly destroy the nation
as they now are, unless the negro, ignorant, IN