Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet., 1865-08-12
CIRCULAR.
State Central Executive COmMit-
tee OF the Conservative Cite
Zens OF louisiana. u


We have the honor of announcing to
the people of Louisiana that the Conserva-
tive Citizens of this State at an invitation
meeting held IN this city, on the 2lst day
Of July last, at the Mechanics Institute
have appointed temporary State Central
Committee, with full power to suggest
some plan of organization of the Conserv-
atives throughout this State.
We respectfully suggest the following
principles and objects as the platform Of
this new political organization, to-wit:
|. To support the Union of the States
and the Administration of President An
drew johnson, and the policy pursued by
our present Governor, j. Madison Wells,
in reorganizing our State Government.
2. To maintain the right of suffrage as it
is now established by the Constitution of
Louisiana, and particularly to oppose any
and all attempts on the part of Congress to
dictate to us, or in any manner control the
right of suffrage in our State, or impose
upon US any conditions not warranted by
the Constitution Of the United States. We
are emphatlcally, at this time, opposed to
the extension of the right of suffrage to
those who have so recently emerged from
bondage, and who, being wholly ignorant
of our laws, and the nature of our Govern
ment, would become in the hands of po-
lltical dernagogues, dangerous to the peace
and harmony Of our country.
Q. To claim and sustain all the rights
and privileges of the State of Louisiana, us
they existed before the war, with the ex-
ception OF slavery, which is forever abol-
ished, and should be acquiesced in by ali
those who desire to see peace and harmony
again speedily restored.
4. To keep off from the field Of politics
all religious questions and controversies,
recognizing in each and every one the
right to q full exercise of his religious
opinions and tenets, and to oppose oil &c.
cret political organizations throughout the
United States, or in this State.
5. Full and complete amnesty for all
offences relative to the late secession.
Pursuant to the powers in them vested,
the State Central Executive Committee
have met and adopted the following plan,
which we respectfully submit, VIZ
In each Representative District of the
city of New Orleans, and in each parish of
the country, the Conservative citizens are
invited to organize clubs to be known as
conservative Clubs" Said clubs, after
their final organization, and when they
will have number of at least fifty mem
bers, shall elect their delegates to the State
Central Executive Committee. each Repre-
sentative District or parish to be entitled
to as many delegates as they are now en-
titled to representatives in the House Of
representatives.. In all elections, either
for officers or members Of the clubs, or for
delegates to the State Central Executive
Committee, mono but regularly admitted
members of the clubs, or those who are
friends of our cause should be admitted to
vote. Whenever the delegates to this
committee shall be elected as aforesaid
they shall Immediately present themselves
and be admitted to participate in all its
proceedings. The first fifteen members,
whose credentials shall have been ap-
proved, shall constitute quorum to pro-
ceed at once to business, in order to take
the necessary measures for the success of
our party.
Consequently we invite all the law
abiding citizens who agree with us upon
the measures and principles above enumer-
ated, without distinction of nationality, to
join us in organizing the Conservative
party, in opposition to the Radical Repub-
lican party; and we recommend that in
each Representative District of this city,
and in each parish of the country, the citi-
zens favoring the above principles proceed
as early as practicable to elect their dele
gates to the permanent State Central Ex-
ecutive Committee OF the Conservative
party, to whom we shall Immediately sur
render the power which has been tempo
rarily entrusted to our hands.
Respectfully,
.fl l.. DUVIGNEAUD, President.
S. G.. HAMILTON, Sec'y. pro tenn.