The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-09-02

dered to be 6nrOHeu 6uu serve III sur nii.'o'
lsAbosAAhis time M, kineoln wse4AAeA let.s
in which he suggested the idea Of negro suf.
rage. He modestly, and in friendly spirit
suggested that it might be well ia Inakipg .
new Constitution to extend sutersge n least
to such colored men as had fought gallantly
in our ranks, or we're intelligent. The mem
bers OF the Convention were not feadyt to thus
extend suffrage. They had been educated
in the idea that negro was q beast OF bur-
deu, that slavery was . divine institution, and
. they felt that they were already making gieat
progress in declaring for emancipation. They
felt it new question which had not been
raised by their constituents, and they feared
that 80 great , step in advance would defeat
the Constitution. They however gave Con-
stitutional power to any future legislature to
extend the right of suffrage to colored men.
If Mr.. LINCOLN had not been killed, or il An
drew johnson had continued faithful to his
pledges, we would, by out own Legislative
action, have impartial legislation in Louisiana
to>day.' [Applause.l
Mr. LINCOLN ives sssassinated, Mr.JoHNsoS
succeeded him and the "my policy" machine
was put in motion. Gov. HAHs showed at
length how it had worked ia Louisiana, how
Union men had gradually been put under.
aud bitter rebels lifted into place.
The speaker said:
When had held Office one year, Iresign
ed, and peace was supposed to be at hand,
and Gov Wells who succeeded me, went to
Washington TO learn the intention and policy
of the President. He returned great iriead
of Johnson, supporter of his policy, and he
Immediately made favorable endorssw euts on
all applications for pardons, appointed rebels
to office, and encouraged them In every way
to enter the service of the State, and treated
them with most extraordinary kindness. The
evil influences to which he had subjected
| himself while at Washington were evident
When these rebels came back, whom, when
we had the power, we had not DISTINGUISHED,
they took the power into their own hands,
by virtue of the pardons which Andrew John
son had given them. They turned out of
office all loyal nen, and elected men on &C
count of their persistent and conspicuous
services in the rebel cause. Almost every
man elected to the Legislature was eldcted on
this ground. The same rule was observed in
regard to the election of officers ofthS Legis
lature The State Ser ate turned out And ex,
PEELED several members who held over from
the previous loyal session, and gave as
reason for so doing that they had been elect.
ed in the absence ofthe rebels, while the lat
ter were lighting the battles of their COUNTRY.
daughter. At the beginning OF the session
a Senator, friend Of mine, offered gesolu-
ton declaring that, whereas the Government
of the United States was the best on earth,
the American flag should be hung over the
desk of the presiding officer. This resolution
was Indignantly laid on the table. They voted
money out of the State Treasury which had
been materially contributed and raised by
Union men, to establish homes for rebel sol
diers. Andrew johnson he'd told them not
to assume the rebel debt. So they DID not,
but they 80 framed the laws as to exclude all
Union soldiers from the benefit OF their ap>
preparations. They took the money of the
state Treasury TO rebuild leeves for rich
planters. 1t had before been the rule for
planters to build their own fences and leeves,
and make their own repairs, hns nov il B6s
done with money which Union men had paid
into the Treasury while the planters were
fighting to destroy the Government They
invited Mrs. .Ieif. Davis within the bar OF the
House and received her with great demon
stratton. Also Gen. Hood who was badly
whipped by Gems. Sherman and Thomas, IS
received with marked attention. Union Cen
erals, Scott and others, thea in the neighbor-
hood Of the Legislative Hall were never ins
vited.
Referring to the Louisiana rebels, Cos.
HAHN said
They then next proposed to call q Con-
vention 10 frame a new Constitutions; but it
was hunted that Andrew johnson might not
ike it. A delegation was appointed to go to
Washington. to consult with the President
and present him resolutions denouncing the
radicals. dc. They were prominent rebels,
and they, of course, could satisfy the Presi-
dent of their loyalty. They told him they
~ - IL -
calling a new Convention, and doine away
with the Constitution of 1864, which Lincoln
had approved and which they commended was
act OF fraud and usurpatioD, as they were
absent when 1t was adopted, fighting tor the
Contederacy. They had not been consulted
III the making of this Constitution. Jphn>
son, however, did not for political reasons
deem 1t proper time for opening q discus
sion on that subject In Louisiana, and re-
memberiDg the singular manner IN which he
had caused Constitution to be . AIMED aud
adopted in Tennessee, advised them to desist
for the present. You will remember thst a
Military Governor he called mass meeting
OF Union men in Tennessee to frame new
Constitution, aud then he proclaimed the
Constitution thus formed, adopted and fati,
fed, before he had received the returns Of |
the election. BY the time the Legislature |
had adjourned, the Governor of the State had |
discovered that the policy which Mr.. johnson |
had followed and incucated, AS to the treat
ment OF the rebels, had proved failure in |
stead OF a success. He found that a spirit of I
friendship and Cancellation on the part of |
Union men towards rebels was wasted. He /
saw OF his own sad experience that the reb-
els, instead OF properly approaching such |
treatment, were renewing their old and bitter |
hatred OF Union men, and were doing al IN |
their power to again get political control of /
the southern States. All their public and
private acts, evinced spirit OF harshness
toward those who had refused to leave their
homes and engage IN the rebellion He /
found that 1t was necessary to do something,
and thai immediately, to retrace his steps and |
abandon the policy Of President johnson in
order torender it possible for Union men to
live in Louisiana. He was also DESTROYS
that his State should be brought into her
former relations toward the Union, and be
permitted to have representation in Con-
gress. He remembered that the Convention
of 1874 had adjourned subject to be re,coh-
vened by the call of the President ..for any
cause On consultation with Union men,
to whom be again allied himself, to whom he
frankly acknowledged his errors, it WAS
deemed best to have the Convention Of 1864
re -assembled, aud make such a Constitution
as was demanded by the loyal people Of the
North, and as would prove acceptable to
Congress. Before carrying this plan into ex.
ecation, he wrote 70 the President, express
ing his intentions on the subject 10 this
the President made no particular reply, but
simply acknowledged the receipt Of the Gov.
ernor 5 letter. This Information have from
the Governor himself
Mr.. Wilson, of this State tIowa) offered
and carried through the House of Represen-
tatves, at my Instance, resolution calling
upon the President for this correspondence.
The President never responded to this resolu
ton. The course of the President led the
Governor and Union men to believe that he
did not wish to give any advice. or take any
side IN this Convention movement, sad that
he doubtless considered that Louisiana ac.s
cordiug to his policy, was a sovereign State,
and that he had no right to interfere with her
internal affairs About two months after
ward the call for the re assembling of the