Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-03-23

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the presidents plan of reconstruction. stated
in the amnesty proclamation. ',is wholly outside
Of and unknown 10 the constitution /" and found
its justification only in the war power and in the
theory Of military conquest.
"If proposed 10 treat tie rebel territory "a
conqueror alone would treat IT," To the princi.
pie of the plan, that is, the right to treat the
southern as foreign and conquered people, the
gentleman from Pennsylvania sssenied, flor that
was a favorite theory Of his own, but TO the de-
tails he did not agree, and / doubt not that one
object Of the gentleman from Pennsylvania, as
well as the gentleman from MARYLAND, Mr. Da-
Wis in conformity moving the resolution for a
SPECIAL committee was to take from the usurping
hand of the executive and to exercise through
congress the legislation that might be deemed
necessary TO restore the relations of the southern
states TO the federal government.
Mr.. Speaker, the love of power, like the love
of fame,
aHeSe'er coucealsd by arr,
Reigus less N every human heart"
II is not an idle passion in the breast of the
constitutional president of the United States. /
is there restless, active aggressive, and grows by
what it feeds on.
The president. as the author of the emancipa-
ton proclamation, on which Though not origin
al with him and forced on him by pressure) he
had planted his hope of historic fame, was deter
mined by the work of his own hand 10 carry il
out to its logical results. He had formed his
plan of reconstruction, he had proclaimed it 10
the world, and in the same spirit in which he ad-
hered 70 his plans OF military campaigns, though
bafled and butchered union armies, driven like
bullocks into the slaughterpen," attested his un-
wisdom, he would admit no rival near his throne
to share his honor as the great emancipator.
Therefore, without waiting for the legislative
-.
plated BY tn terms of the resolution appointing
the special committee of nine, the president
moved straight forward to his purpose of reor-
sanizing Louisiana, Arkansas, and / nav say
Florida, in his own way.
Whether the sagacious mind Of the president
was even at that early period of the presidential
campain, looking forward to the possible con-
lingency of the need Of electoral votes from those
lhree states and others he might reconstruct,
will not undertake to say. | leave that question
to gentlemen who know the president better than
do; but, sir my charities are not large for a
magistrate whose public career has been marked
by the grossest Inconsistencies OF principle, and
Dv usurpalion, Of power that have time and again
cemor~elessly and without apology or atonement
stricken down the liberties OF innocent men and
almost bloued out constitutional limitations so
ain that he who runs may read and understand.
need not 20 into Specifications of the truth OF
what | say, for the history Of the country Is full
Of the testimony and the living witnesses are all
around us
On the IIth ofJanuary, 1864, General Banks,
commanding at New Orleans issued prOclama-
ton 10 the people of Louisiana, in pursuance
Of authority vested in him by the president of the
United States" proposing by the action OF not
esS than one tenth of the voiing population OF
he state 80 hold an election for state officers on
fha I,Nf Col Ia nd
posing an election on the first Monday in April
following for delegates t. a constitutional con
vention t. revise the constitution of Louisiana
and declaring that the basis of representation,
the number of delegates and the details Of cleo
ion viii he announced in subsequent orders
On the 18th Of February, 1864, Gen. Banks
issued his general order No "a defining the quail
lticatiOns of voters at the election for state Off
GERS on the 22d of February, and prescribing
other rules for the election. As in the procla-
nation of the Ith of January preceding the tax
ing of ''the oath prescribed by the president in
ais proclamation of the sth of December, 1868, >"
was made essential to "the right to vote in the
election of state officers on the 22d day Feb
ruary, 1864 but il did not reiterate as part of
uch qualification 'the condition affixed 10 the
elective franchise BY the constitution of Louisi
ana"
On the lth of March, 1864, Gen Banks, by
bis general order No IS, fixed the 2Sth dav OF
March instead of the lst Monday in April as the
day of election of delegates to the convention,
and prescribed the time of their meeting, the ba-
is OF representation, numbers of delegates and
other details of election.
The proclamation of January ii, among other
things, declared imperative and void so much Of
the constitution and laws of Louisiana as related
TO slavery 1t made the oath of allegiance OF
amnesty oath prescribed by President Lincoln,
with the condition affixed TO the elective franchise
by the constitution of Louisiana, qualification
Of suffrage. Ii confirmed and approved regis
tration of vote s. not incon is ent withthe orders
and proclamations of the president, which had
been effected through the military governor and
the several union associations" 1t declared the
fundamental law of the STATE of Louisiana TO be
martial law
II is needless, sir, 10 state further the terms
and character of this proclamation. To the
members of this House at least it is q familiar
paper. and it ought TO be in the hands of every
man in the United States as q memento of the
times. to remind him how easy and swift may be
The transition from q free constitutional govern
ment to military despotism; and how simple
thing IL is for public magistrate who does not
comprehend or regard constitutional obligations
10 Oyerturn and hold for naught the plainest
mandates of free constitution. Under this
proclamation of General Banks, state govern
ment and constitution were ordered TO be made
for Louisiana, resting upon martial law as the
fundamental law of the state. Under this pro-
cess and influence of martial law, elections have
been held in Loui- lana, state officers chosen an
ostenSible state government established, new
constitution adopted and put in operation, and
senators and Representatives elected TO congress.
Can such ihingS be-
And Overc0ni- Us Se summers ciola