The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1865-07-19

Ielective franchise !; but you cannot be
,lsurprised if I cannot come to your
conclusions SO speedily as You have
done, recollecting, as. I do, the elo-
Iquent letter1of your President, Nj.
IT.J. Durant, who 50 late as 1862, in
a memorable letter to President Lin
lcoln. protested against the taking Of
slaves from their owners and the
|iniqnities Of the blockade Of the ports
lot tie States in rebellion.
Where gentlemen who claim to
represent an organization SO sonorons
III name as the central Executive
I Committee OF the Friends Of Universal
J; Suffrage" have exhibited SO much
! versatility of opinion ii So short .
time, and have pfophecied SO often
lin defiance Of the logic,of history and
;1experience, they cannot be astonished
'1if | should cling to the laws and the
/ Constitution as my guides rather than
Ito their predictions, however conf.
1 IDENTIFY and egotistically pronounced
1.-THE latter may be.
!. ] cannot either accept, however
anxious to do so | might be, your
conclusion that the endowment Of the
negro !. with the franchise would
strengthen the Union cause OF the
i National. Government.
| dissent ihstoto from that conclu.
sion. On the contrary, I am fully
persuaded, from my knowledge Of the
negro character, that nine out Of ten
Of the late entire slave population
would support their former masters,
personally or politically, or any. way
lin preference to all strangers-and I
regard all as strangers in this con.
Inection who did not stand in this
domestic relation towards them. Nay,
more, ! believe,in my heart that with:
lin twelve months from the time the
negro would obtain the suffrage.
Ineithef the unfaltering Southern
| Union man, nor the Union man whose
loyalty dates from his attainment Of
Federal Office, could live otherwise
than on sufprance in the States where
the privilege was given, if the indi.
|viduals lately IN rebellion were dis.
posed to countenance such proceed.
]ings.
In kindly and good feeling for the
African, I yield to none, even among
i the oldestor newest of his friends
land while no man, North or South, is
more willing to accept the situation
las produced by the war, both IS res
Ipects him and all other issues deter
mined by the conflict, I neither deem
liz wise or expedient to clothe him
Withithe suffrage, nor can see aught
but danger and difficulties in the agi-
Itation and discussion of such topics.
The -emancipated slave has much to .
LEARN !. He has obtained rights, and
they are universally frankly recog-
]nized he has duties to discharge
(which it is incumbent upon us all to
instruct him to appreciate and per-
form. /, Should il please Providence to
fit him intellectually, for an equal
place in the. body polite with tile
white citizens Of the Republic, at q
period much sooner than isanow antic.
ipatcd, have no doubt all will Fer
]joice meanwhile it is obligatory Vi.
on all to obey the laws aud submit
without repining to the popular
Iaybitrament en- this and all other
subjects.
! I have full faith in the National
Administration. The distinguished
patriot now discharing the pnerous
duties Of President Of the Republic
has enunciated his policy of recon-
struction; that policy has my cordial
approval and support, and no means
| at my disposal, BY which Ean right
fully strengthen. and sustain his Ad.
ministration. will be left unemployed
ltoathat end. On the other hand, nv
duty. as Governor Of the. State, is
lfaithfullyNto execute the laws, and
this, with the Help Of God and the
generous cooperation Of my fellow
citizens, ! hope to do satisfactorily,
limpartially and justly. / do not in,
tend, under any circumstances, to
substitute my own will for tho
written law, nor to arrogate to MY
! self powers unusual or improper to
be exercised by an elective officer in
a republican Government.
/ remain, gentlemen,
Your obedient servant,
j. MADISON Wells,
| Governor of Louisiana.
p0rAmong the curiosities Of the CHI.
Ecage Fair was a grotto, composed Of
d variety Of rare minerals. partially
oveflaid withmoss. Around it were
/ planted small pine and fir trees, with