The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-05-04

cd parts Of Virginia and Louisiana;
that | should drop the suggestion
about apprenticeship for the freed
and that | should omit the protest
fgainst my own power in regard to
the admission OF members Of Congress.
But even he approved every part and
parcel Of the plan which has since
been employed or touched by the ac-
ton Of Louisiana.
The new Constitution Of Louisiana,
declaring emancipation for the whole
State, pactically applies the proclamu-
ton TO the part previously exempted.
1t does not adopt apprenticeship for
the freed people, and is silent, as it
could not well be otherwise. about the
admission of members to Congress; so
that, as it applied to Louisiana, every
member of the Cabinet fully approved
the plan. The message went to Con-
gress, and / read many commenda-
tions Of the plan, written and verbal;
and not single objection to it from
any professed emancipationsts came
to my knowledge. until after the news
was received at Washington that the
people Of Louisiana had begun u move
ment in accordance with it.
From about July, 1862, | had cor
responded with different persons sup
posed to be interested in seeking q
reconstruction of the State Govern
mcnt of Louisiana. When the mes
sage of 1863, with the plan beforemen-
toned, reached New Orleans, General
Banks wrote to me that he was conf
dent that the people. with the aid Of
his military cooperation, would con-
struct substantially on that plan. l
wrote him and some Of them to try it.
They tried it, and the result is known.
Such has been my only agency in the
Louisiana movement.
My promise is made as I have frc-
quently stated, but AS bad promises
are better broken than kept, ! shall
treat this as bad promise and break
it whenever | shall be convinced that
keeping it is aversc to the public in
terest. But | have not yet been so
convinced.
/ have been shown letters on this
subject, supposed to be able ones, in
which the writer expresses q regret
that my mind has not seemed to be
definitely fixed on the question wheth-
cr seeded States, so called, are in the
Union or out of it. 1t would have ad.
ded astonishment to his regret we're
he TO learn that since ] have found
prOtesscd Union men endeavoring to
answer that question, have purpose
ly forborno any public expression up.
on it. 1t appears to me that the ques-
tion has not been, and is not yet a
practically material one, and the dis
cussion OF it while it remains practic-
ally immaterial could have no effect
other than the mischievous one OF
dividing our friends. As yet, whatev-
er it may become, that question is a
bad base of dispute, and good for
nothing at all. We all agree that the
seeded States, SO called, arc out OF
their proper practical relations with
the Union, and that the sole object
of the Government, civil and military
in regard to those States, is to again
get them into that proper relation -
| beleye that it is not only possible
but in fact easier to do this without
deciding, or even considering whcth
cr these States have ever been out o
tho Union, for when finding them
, selves safely at home, it would be ut
terly immaterial whether they haG
been abroad or not. Let us all iOir
in doing the acts necessary TO restore
the proper practical relations between
those States and the Union, and cact
forever after innocently indulge in hi'
own opinion, whether in doing The
acts he brought States from without in
to the Union, or only gave them prop
or assistance, they meyer having beer
: out of it.
T The amount of constituency, so tC
speak, on which the Louisiana gov
ernment rests would be more salts
factory to all if it contained 10000
or 10000, or even 10000, instead Of
10000, as it does. 1t is also satisfac.
tory TO some to know that the elective
franchise is not given to the colored
man. ] would myself prefer it were
now conferred on very intelligent col
ored men, and on those who serve our
cause as soldiers. Still, the question
is not whether the Louisiana govern
ment, as it stands, is quite all that is
desirable.
The question is, will it be wiser to
take it as it is, and help to improve
it, or to reject and disperse it. Can
Louisiana be brought into proper prac-
sical relation with the Union sooner
by sustaining or discarding the new
Government? Some twelve thousand
voters in the heretofore slave State OF
Louisiana have sworn allegiance to
the Union, assumed to be the rightful
political power of the State, held elec,
tions, organized a State Government,
adopted free State Constitution, Civ
ing the benefit Of the public schools
equally to black and white, and en-
powcring the Legislature to confer to
elective franchise upon the colored
man.
The Legislature has already voted
to ratify the Constitutional Amend.
ment recently passed by Congress,
aholishing slavery throughout the Un,
ion. There 10000 persons are thus
fully committed to the Union and to
perpetuato freedom in the State-com.
mitted to the very things and nearly