Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-08-18
GENERAL INTELLIGENCE
Address of G0y. Wells TO the sLoyap
People of the State-Hts Own Account
of his Political fareer--The CONVEX
ton of 1864.

lowing address, giving his account of
the recent bloody riot at New Orleans:
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. S.-The bloody tragedy
enacted in the city of New Orleans on the Both
day of July, 1866, in which more than 300 citi-
zens we're killed or wounded, has to the credit
of humanity, created profound sympathy in
the breast of every man throughout the length
and breadth of the country.
The remote and immediate causes of this
outrage demand a thorough investigation and
explanation, and, as chief magistrate of the
state, l feel solemn duty resting upon me to
give plain, unvarnished statement of its orr
gin and progress, In doing this it becomes
necessary for me to commence in the year
1854 at tine reorganlZ atien of civil government
in that part of Louisiana which had been
wrested from rebel authority. regret that l
shall in this connection be obliged to speak of
myself II is not to crafty feeling or vanity
that do so, for fully realize that am but an
insignificant atom in the great cause OF main
tanning and perpetusting the union ofthase
states.
The political history of the country teaches
us that under the policy of the late lamented
president, all the loyal citizens of Louisiana, OF
the parishes then within the union lines, we're
invited ami authorized ia the proclamation is
sued by the military commander of this de-
partment, TO hold an election on the 22d day Of
February, 1864, for state Offices. The election
was held. In consequence of my union senti-
ments was nominated by the free state par
", at it is called, and also by the extreme
radical party, of which this j. Burant was
the acknowledged leader, as their candidate
for the office OF lieutenant governor. The
first named ticket headed by Michael Hahn
for governor, was elected. Gov. Hahn served
until the 4th of March, 1865, when by his res
ignatiOn, | succeeded to the office Of governor.
in the meantime, aud by virtue OF military
authority, an election for delegates to the
state convention to amend and revise the con-
stitution of 1882 had taken place. The con-
ventiOn met and framed constitution declar-
ing slavery 10 be abolishe which constitution
is not the fundamental law OF the state.
1t is further well known that the convention
didnOt adjourn sine die but subject to the
call of the president for any cause.
A legislature had also been elected and was
IN session at the time of the assumption by
me of the duties of the Office of governor.
Shortly afterward the collapse of the so-called
confederate government took place, aud 10y
the surrender of the forces in the TRANSMITS
sissippi department the entire territory of the
state was restored to the lawful authority of
the United States. When this event took
place what was my conduct towards the pOpu-
latiOn of Is parishes reclaimed? Although L
had been prosecuted aud driven from home
by the rebel authorities. ! suppressed all
feeling of rancOur, 80 natural TO the human
breast under the circumstances, aud the be-
lief that "A majority had been seduced from
their allegiance to the old flag by the wles
Of aftIul uenlakOGuts VINO nfun8nb on tfle fe-
belliOn, L determined To try the effect of kind
meas and Cancellation in winning them back to
their first love. | addressed them pTOcla-
nation cOngratulating them on their restOra-
ton to the government of law and order, and
that as far as L was concerned, was willing
to forget the past i begged to submit cheer
fully and unreservedly to the new order of
things assuring them that that although
state government had been organized, vet |
was anxious that a general election for state
officers should be held in which the whole
state could participate.
fulfilled every word of my promises. APP
pointed men recommended to fulfil Offices IN
several parishes. / signed their applications
to the President of the United States for
specials paTdons. 1 persisted in my course of
reconstruction notwithstanding the warn
ings and circumstances OF Union men who
believed my policy would be unayailing in ac-
cOmphshlng the purposes intended. and who
predicted that at the very first election these
men, in every parish where they held the
power, Would prescribe every man from Office
who had not been in the rebel army and
fought for the rebel cause. These predictions
have been realized to the letter at every sub
segment election, with the exception of my
own case, and it is we'll known, for it was pub
licly avowed, that 1T was put 1T the head of
their ticket simply because 1t was thought
that / could be useful i'll securing a represent
tation of the Stat in Congress.
1t is further well known that the platform
reported by the Committee appointed for that
purpose to The Democratic Convention held
in this city was a reiteTitiOa of the doctrines
of the right of secession, and it was only
through the eXertiOns of a few OF the more
cautions and polite of the party that this
platform was made to assume the form which
was adopted at the same Convention. well
known citizen and live democrat was publicly
censured by resolution, because IN speech
before that body he said that secession was
worse than crime, it was blunder.
Notwithstanding my nomination by the
Democratic party, another candidate was put
in the field IN opposition 10 me, who had Off
ciated as Governor under the rebel rule, aud
who, had he been in the country and sgnified
his assent, l have no doubt he would have
been overwhelmingly elected
When the members of the Legislature met
in extra session in the month of November,
1865, convened by me for the purpose of rails
ing money to restore the broken levees, and to
take measures TO redeem the credit of the
state, / found them more intent upon calling
a Convention to change the Constitution of
1864 than to promote the general interests of
the people. Their objection to that instru-
ment was the character Of the men who
framed It, and the abolition of slavery.
Having failed at the extra session to pass a
bin calling the Convention, the attempb was
renewed az the regular session held i'm the
month of January, and more than half the
time of that body was spent in discussing
that question. Finally Committee was sent
20 Washington to consult the president, and
the Legislature only abandoned the measure
through his advice.
considered Convention unexpedient, and
for that reason opposed it. 1 had learned
enough of the real sentiments of the people to
convince one that, it the new Constitution was
made, 1t would be less in harmony with the
views of the President and Congress than
the Constitution of 1864, and the result would
be to lessen the chances for the admission of
our representatives.
/ urged these views on the members of both
houses of the legislature, but they no effect
with the majority.
| deprecated the city and parish elections,
for the reason that feared the result because
of the character of the men that would be
elected; because had seen enough of public
sentiment to convince me that none of those
who had served in the confederate army, or
who had gone in the confederate lines, would
be elected to office. / fOresaw that such re-
suit would be justly remarked by the people of
the loyal states, as showing a defiant spirit,
and as still glOrylng in cause that had been
by them with much fearful loss of
life and expenditure of treasure, with numer-
ons and repeated credences of the continuing
of am intOlerant and rebelliOns spirit, and the
of the persecution of all who do
not adhere 10 the fortunes of the cOnfedeTacy,
to cast, on the part OF large majority of the
citizens and with press almost unanimously
exp sting sentiments of the st. Louis tenor is
it a matter of surprise that should panse and
to reflect ON the consequence as re-
yards the future security of the government
aud the fate of the Union men in the sonth if
these men who once attempted to break up
the Union succeeded IN weakening the power
of the nation again2 1 had seen that while pro-
Tossing with its renewal allegiance to the flag
and obligations of the past, that embodied the
pacific policy of the President, they We're be-
nd