The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-03-27
The MILITARY BILL.
opinion Of Another Distinguished Son
Of the South.
LETTER OF HON. VIM. YEReER
JACKSON, MARCH IL, 1867.

Msssrs. John w. Robinson, VIM. II. Allen
Thomas E. Helm, and others:
Gentlemen-I have just received yoil]
communication of the 9th inst, adj
dressed to myself and others, request.
inc "an expression of our opinions as tt
the wisest course to be pursued" il
view of the heavy responsibilities rest.
inc upon the Southern people, since the
passage of the act of Congress estab.
fishing military governments overthem
1t would be presumptuous in me te
Indicate any as the wisest course to be
taken, in the present condition of af.
fairs, yet as my all is involved in the
issue, feel that when called upon te
speak, I have no right to withhold from
my old friends and neighbors a candid
expression of my opinions.
The question should be decided by
our reason. 1t is too vital in its char.
acter to be determined under the influ-
ence of passion or to be controlled by
the dictates of prejudice. The South
needs quiet and repose. Our situation
demands relief from further political
agitation. Our people long for the res
toration of permanent constitutional
government. Four years of disastrous
war have been followed by eighteen
months of agitation, uncertainty and
doubt.
TO add to our political ills, deficient
haryests in every portion of the South,
have reduced many families to destitu-
ton; and that the last drop might not
be wanting, necessary to cause the cup
Of bitterness to overflow, the acts of the
dominant party in Congress have Gull
minated in the passage of the "Milita-
fy Bill;0 striking down at ore blow all
constitutional freedom, abolishing the
right of trial by jury, suspending the
writ OF habeds corpus, and placing our
people under martial law, administered
by a military commander, with the alb
sOlute and unlimited powers of an i'm
perial despot. The execution of this
law we are powerless to resist by force.
No one advises or contemplates such a
course.
Under these circumstances, the cues
ton for our consideration is, not what
we would do, it left to free and untram-
meled action, but what can we do to
mitigate the evils that environ us and
to save from the wreck Unconstitutional
government few fragments, which in
amore suspicious day, may enable our
children to regain some of the bless
ings of civil and political liberty, which
their fathers have lost. Before pro-
ceeding to express any opinion, as to
the course which the people should now
take, it is well to ascertain and if pos
sible to realize our actual, situation.
The close of the war found our PEG
pie in almost actual anarchy. The
State governments existing during the
war had been Overthr0Wn. Most of the
Governors had been arrested and i'm
prisoned. The Legislatures were dis
persed or forbidden to assemble, and
the civil officers were everywhere pro-
hibited the exercise of any official func-
TONS, The reign of the soldier was
substituted for the rule OF law, and the
arbitrary will of irresponsible Iofficers,
measured our rights of person and pro-
perty. in this state of things, the
President issued his proclamation au-
thorizing Convention of the people to
re-organize the government. Our peo-
pie, in order to escape from o condition
Of intolerable evil, gladly availed them
selves of the offer, assembled in con-
yention, amended the Constitution and
established the State government. We
had we'll hoped that everything had
thus been done, requisite and necessary
to entitle our State to its equal repre-
sentation in Congress, and to its proper
share in the legislation of the General
Government. But from the first, Con-
gress refused to recognize the State
governments organized under the Pres
idents proclamation. Our Senators
and members of Congress were refused
their seats, their elections were ignored
and the legislation of Congress proceed
cd IN utter disregard Of any right on
our part to representation in that body.
inns anomalous state of things cannot
long continue. The President had used |
all his influence in our behalf; but the
elections last fall demonstrated that he
was poWerless to carry his policy into
eIeet; and in the military Bill"
which has just passed, Congress has
prescribed the only terms and condi-
uols upon which that body will con-
sent to the reorganization of the State
governments and the restoration ofour
people to the right of participation in
ame general legislation of the country.
These conditions are harsh, ungenerous
and humiliating. They are such as the
ceohqueror in civil war, most generally
imposes on his conquered foe. They +
eylnee determination to retain politi-
cal power at all hazards and conclu-
Slsely demonstrate that triumphant
power, speaking in the name of the
american Congress, has left to the
vhlte people of the South, no escape
nom the conditions thus imposed, I'M
less they are prepared successfully to
-'slot tilein Dy force OIL arms.
Inc military Bill" does not destroy the
esisting State governments, but to recog-
Z. al1e them only as provisional" and places
lhem under the control of the military
commander.
The Sd section confers upon tho military
commanders, the issues Of life and death,
me trial and punishment of offenders and
me protection Of person and property. In
mort the whole executive judicial and
legislative functions of government are
placed in the hands Of a soldier, whose will
y y absolute, and whose power is supreme.
inls is unmitigated despotism, only less
sOlerable than anarchy.
The fifth section of the bill provides for
the termination of this military rule and
ior representation in Congress, only when
the people of any of the said rebel States,
shall have formed Constitution by a
Convention of delegates elected by the
male citizens of said States, 81 years old,
and upward, of whatever race, color or
Previous condition, who have been resi-
dents in said States, for one year previous
70 the day Of such election, except such as
may be DISTINGUISHED for participation in
me rebellion or for felony at common
NV aW,' This Constitution must provide,
saat the elective franchise shall be enjoyed +
y all such persons, as are qualified to elect ,
fap 30 H. 4