The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-02-06
VHE GOVERNORS MESSAGE.
SITE OF LOUISIANA, EXECUTIVE DEPT,
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. %, 1867.
.be General Assembly:

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 70, 1867.
10 The General Assembly:
In compliance with a constitutional
auty imposed on the Governor of the State
RESPECTFULLY submit this, my message
Conveying information respecting the stu
zion of the State, and embodying my
laws on various subjects pertaining to the
nublic welfare.
regret / cannot congratulate you on
,,s auspices of your assembling. The veal
tbat has Just closed, while bountiful in its
blessiugs Of peace, and compared to other
.setions of country, also in health, was not
fruitful to us in its rewards to industry -
large extent of our most fertile lands
have been submerged by the breaking Of
tbe leyees; families have been driven from
their homes horses, cattle and crops have
been destroyed, and the iberality Of the
National Government had to be invoked
to supply food to the starving Upon this
disaster came the excessive rains and the
army worm, which cut off more than one
third of the cotton crop, so that few, il
any, of those engaged in planting have
cleared expenses, while the large majority
have lost heavily. These calamities, re
heated in two successive years, combined
with the arrangement of labor, could not
otherwise than operate as q discourage
ment to the agricultural interests of the
State. Depressing as was their tendency
however, I cannot believe that our people
will permit their energies to be paralized
We have the most fertile lands OIL the
globe, q genial climate, and the seasons
cannot always prove unpropitious. Gloomy
as the prospects may appear, see no cause
for despair. One good yield of crops would
repair our losses, and sooner or later, the
tide Of immigration must find its way
hither. attracted by the advantages of oul
unparalleled soil, our climate, and facilities
Of market, and with it, will come capital
enterprise and intelligence, that have made
the Northern and Western States wha,
they are.
POLITICAL RELATIONS.
In political matters, the past year has
been charged with greatevehts, particular
" to the people of the late rebel States
General elections have been held in all the
States not engaged in the rebellion, foy
members to compose the fortieth Congress
of the United States. The questions at
issue and decided in that contest, were of
the gravest and most important character
On full aud deliberate consideration, the
people have pronounced in favor of the
power of Congress to reconstruct these
States. They have gone further and de.
clared their purpose that these States shall
not be restored to their former participa'
ton in the Government, until suitable con.
stitutional guarantees are provided against
present disloyalty and. future rebellion
One of these guarantees, adopted by the
present Congress at the last session, is en-.
bodied in the proposed amendment to the
Constitution of the United States. / have
received, through the Secretary of State, a
certified copy of said amendment, with the
request that the same be submitted to you
for ratification, and it is transmitted here
with accordingly. In view of the diverse
opinions well known to exist between the
members of the General Assembly and my.
self, on all matters connected with the re-
construction of the State, / shall not take
mp your time by entering into an extended
discussion of the features of the proposed
amendment. l believe your minds to be
made up how you shall vote on it, and
nothing that could say would have any
weight with you, for or against. That !
may not be misunderstood, however, be.
fore the country, in my views on so impor.
tant a measure, desire to say, that con-
slider the amendment as just and proper,
adjusting and settling, asst does, the rights
Of citizenship to all persons, without refer.
ence to race or color; recognizes the valid
ity of the public debt; repudiates the pay.
ment or assumption of any debt or obliga-
ton incurred In aid of insurrectien or re.
bellion against the United States, or any
claim for the loss or emancipation of any
slave; and imposes disfranchisement from
holding office under the United States and
State Governments to certain class OF
persons who have engaged in insurrection
or rebellion against the Government of the
United States. These provisions meet my
full approval, but am not willing to &C.
cept the amendment as finality for the
admission and restoration of the late rebel
States. consider it to be within the pro.
vince and to be the duty of Congress to
require of these States, as additional guar.
antees, that they shall, by constitutional
enactments, recognize and establish equal
political rights in the privilege of the bal.
lot, tc all men. / believe such to be the
fixed will and intention of Congress, and
do not consider your ratification Of the
amendment would exercise any influence
Ia changing or altering thatdeterminatiou
The idea and hope of readmission as a
State on any other terms, / regard rs illu.
sorry, and the sooner the honest, well-mean
ing mass of the people realize the fact, and
make up their minds to submit and act
accordingly, will they assist in adjusting
nnd settling our political relations with the
Federal Government on peaceful and
permanent basis.
THE RIOTS OR MASSACRE IN NEW ORLEANS.
though confined to a certain locality, is an
event which may be said to concern the
people of the whole State, as We'll as the
United States, and for me to pass over it
IN silence in this document, weuld proba-
bly, be attributed to motives of fear, in
view of the fact that an attempt has been
:. made to hold me responsible for their orr
gin, in giving my sanction to the meeting
Of the Convention: So far rs my official
acts and private conduct in that matter is
concerned, ! do not fear to court any inves-
tigstion the General Assembly may think
proper to institute. have and shall con-
tinue to denounce the killing and outrages
committed on that occasion as an unpro-
yoked massacre Of loyal citizens, headed
by the police and assisted by mob, to
crafty their hatred of every man who re-
manned true to the Government during the
rebellion, or abandoned its cause.
FTNANcFs
The reports of the State Treasurer and
Auditor will place you in possession, in
detail, of the workings of the Treasury for
me past year, and it's condition at the
close.
The Treasurer shows the following ex-.
Mbit of receipts and expenditures:
Total receipts. 81 200 AGO 43
Total expenditures. ...... 2,615,705 IL
oaiance $500. ..-............ l,674, 755 81
represented by the following funds and
securities:
In Confederate notes. s47I.2ll 81
In State levee bonds, bearing
sper cent. interest, exchang- II
cd for State notes. ....... 100000 90
In State notes, redeemed for
cancellation ..-...... 425,0 600 90
In State notes, issued, but not
! paid out 1850. 63,2s5 90
10 U. s. Treasury and city notes l5,30S "a
IL