The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-08-28
The Louisiana Convention.

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Below we give the text Of Gen. sherldan's manda-
mus ordering an election in this State on the 2Ith and
2Sth of September for members of State convention
to form radical constitution. Convention or no con
rention will be voted for at the same time We omit
the enumeration Of the parishes and their number Of
apportoned representation except Caddo, which IS en-
titled to three Booster to two, Benvie to one, Ga
borne to two and Desoto and Sabine to two:
HEADoUa gTERs FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
New Orleans, La, August II, 1867. !,
Special Orders No 49,
/. In compliance with section 9, of the act of Con
gress, published in General Orders No. 80, War De,
partment Adutant Generals Office, current series,
notice is hereby given that election will be held in
the Stptc of Louisiana the 9th and 2Sth days OF
| September next to determine whether convention
shall be held and for delegates thereto for the pur
pose of establishing constitution and civil govern
ment for the State loyal to the Union"
I. The convention will be composed of ninety-eght
members, that being the number of the most numer-
Gus branch Of the State Legislature in the year 1860.
The total number of registered voters in the State is
l27 63a which being divided by the number of dele
gates gives 1902 the number of voters entitled to
one delegate
II. Commencing fourteen DAYS before the election
boards of registers will, after having given reasonable
public notice of the time and place thereof revise for
period of five days the registration lists, and upon
being satisfied that any person not entitled thereto has
been registered, will strike the of such person
from the list and such person shall not be allowed to
vote. The boards will also, during the period,
add to the registry the names OF all persons who at
that time possess the qualifications required by law,
who have not been already registered. No person
shall be entitled to be registered to vote by
of any executive pardon amnesty for any act or
thing which, without such pardon amnesty, would
disquaiy him for registration or voting.
" The election will be by ballot, and will be con-
Quoted in the and according the rules gov
erning ordinary elections Of similar character. Each
ballot bearing the of the delegate voted for will
have written printed upon it the words: =" For a
convention" or Against a convention" Two days
will be given for voting.
V. The board of registrars within their respective
parishes will see that all the necessary preparations
are made for properly conducting the eecton-that
the commissioners Of elections i'll all the voting pre-
cincs properly qualified and instructed in the per-
Torrance of their duties-that due and sufficient
tce is given of the time and object of the election,
proper ballot-boxes prepared, etc
Each board will designate some point within its par
ish convenient of access preferably the courthouse
to which the baot-boxes of all the precincts of the
parish Shall be brought Immediately after the election.
The board will then carefully count and make dupi-
cate returns of the cast and will whether the
returns of each precinct correspond with the record of
the commissioners. Each member of the board will
make affidavit to the correctness of the returns
copy of which will then be brought by some member
of the board to these headquarters the other copy be-
ing retained by the Board until further orders
VI. Commissioners of elections will be responsible
for the preservation Of order at the polls during the
election they will see that full and fair opportunity
is given for depostng his ballot to every man emit
tied to vote and will generally do everything that is
requisite to secure full and impartial expression of
the opinions and wishes of the people through the bal
otbox.
To this end they are hereby authorised and empow-
cred to make arrests, and clothed during the DAYS
Of election, with all the functions of civil executive Of
fcers. All civil officers will promptly and fully obey
every demand made upon their official services by the
commissioners of elections in the furtherance of these
Objects during the days of election under penalty of
dismissal from their Offices and such other punishment
may be inflicted by military commission
At the close of the election, the commissioners will
carefully count the votes and record the result in dup
cate the ballots will then be replaced in the ballot
boxes, which will be sealed and carried together with
one copy OF the record made by the commissioners to
the place designated ard there turned over to the
board ofregSters.
VII. Should violence fraud be perpetrated at
any of the voting precincts the days of election the
offenders will be punished in the scyerest manner and
the election within these precincts will be held over
again under the protection Of United States troops
When all the returns reach these HEADQUARTERS the
result of the election will be published and if major
ity of the votes, according to the law of Congress-
have been in favor of convention, the names of the
delegates elected will be officially announced and the
led together
By command of Mai. Gen. P H. Sheridan:
GEO. l.. HARrsUFF,
Assistant Adjutant General
Official: GEORGE LEE, Bvt Lieut.. Col. U. S. A., Act
ing Assistant Adjutant General.