Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-12-07
Louisiana.

The Crescent Of New Orleans, speaking
of the meeting of the Legislature; says: =,
The Legislature which meets to-day is
the first assemblage of the kind, represent
ing the whole State of Louisiana, which
has convened for nearly four years. Since
the capture of this city by the Federal forces
in April, 1868, the people of New Orleans
and the contiguous parishes, and of the
river parishes likewise, have been under
military rule. varied at times by a specious,
but unreal restoration of civil authority
exercised by the Representatives of a minute
fragment OF the people, or of new and
strange population. From that time until
the end OF the war Louisiana was subject
to conflicting and hostile jurisdictions-one
Of them representing the State then as
snmed to be in insurrection against the
Federal Government, and the other exer-l
cised by the eXtemporized instruments of a
mythical constituency, claiming to coristl-'
tute the only government having right to,
enter into relations with the Union. The
old State Government vanished with the,
surrender of the Confederate armies, and
the downfall of the Confederate cause. But
the sovereignty of the State remained, al
though dominated for a time by the milita5
ry forces which had been engaged in restor-
ing the authority of the United States. The
advent of peace found no other form of
State government existing than that which
had been installed in New Orleans during
the pendency of the war and under pres-i
sure of military occupation. The necessi-
ties of the times dictated the acceptance of
that Government as the most convenient
instrumentality for the resumption of our
relations with the Federal Government, and
the restoration of our civil rights. "A pop,
ular election, general throughout the State,
and sanctioned by the participation of the
great mass of our voting population, has
confessed that necessity, and, at the same
time has cured, to some extent, the original
deficiencies of the basis on which the eX-
listing State Government rested. The pres
ent Legislature is not, like the last body
which assumed the name, without having
any of the character of q Legislative assem-,
bly,, composed of obscure persons crowded
suddenly into the light by the pressure Of
events, and representing only the selfish
designs of5a diminutiYei faction. 1t is, on
the contrary, a genuine Legislature of
Louisiana, representing the whole people
of the State. This great fact is, in itself, a.
conspicuous and Ineligible symptom of
the speedy return of the supremacy of law
and of right, and an evidence of the termi-
nation of the conflict which taxed SO se4
verely our energies and our resources dursl
ing the last tour years. ot Ne con graduate,
the people Of this State ont this first triumph
of the popular will over all the obstacles
which were thrown in its way by those who
presumed to discredit the Intelligence, the
patriotism, and the sincerity Of our citizens.n
econgratulate them, too, on the charac-i
Ter, OF this assembly of Representatives of
the people, Never before, In, the history of,
the State, has so large a proportion of in
telligence, education, and practical sagaclty,
beencombined in one Legislative bodys sGw