Natchitoches spectator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1867-18??, 1868-06-16
Proclamation by the Board Of Regis
Board Of Registration,
State of Louisiana.
New Orleans. June 5. 1868.


this Board, passed February 10, 1868,
this Board is empowered, and it is by
said ordinance made the duty of this
Board to take control of call matters of
execution or of detail not fully provided
for in said reconstruction acts (of Con-
gress) and Constitution {of Louisiana),
and in case of the nOn-action of any
officer of the State or District Comman-
der, or any omission in carrying said
law, regulations, or ordinances, or de-
tails necessary to carry into effect the
purposes of said act according to their
letter and spirit" and
Whereas, The District Commander of
the Fifth Military District in his Special !
Order No. 121, promulgating the election
of civil officers in Louisiana, dated June
3, 1868, has failed to recognize the re-
quirements of said Constitution, which
provides
FIRST, That 'all civil officers thus cleo
ted shall enter upon the discharge, of
their duties on the second Monday after
the return Of their election shall haUe been
officially promulgated, or us soon as quail
| flied according to law, and shall continue
in office for the terms of their respective
offices herein prescribed, said terms to
date from the first Monday in November
following the election. (See article lbs
of Constitution.)
9. 1.-THE General Assembly elected I'M
der this Constitution shall hold its first
session in the city of New Orleans on
the third Monday after the o6tcidt prommt-
cation aforesaid, and proceed, immedi-
ateIy upon its organization, to vote upon
the adoption of the fourteenth amend
men to the Constitution of the United
States, proposed by Congress, and pass
ed June 13, 1866" etc. (See article 159
of ConStitutiOn.l
He, the said District Commander, hav-
ing refused to recognize the require
meDts of the Constitution as above
shown, in his said order, in the following
language: 1.-THE General Assembly will
NOT convene until the Commanding
General shall have been officially mott
fed of the acceptance by Congress OF
the new State Constitution. Immedi-
ately after receipt of this information a
day will be appointed for the meeting of
the General Assembly to take action
upon the amendment to the Constitution
of the United States, known as article
fourteen, and to define By lao the pOacers
and duties pertaining to the Offices netoty
created by this Constitution"
ARTICLE 15S of the new Constitution
of the State provides that the terms OF
= all civil officers elected under it shall
date mot begin) from the first Monday
in November following the election.
Therefore the officers whose election is
herein announced will only enter upon
and hold their offices from that date;'
and
Whereas, The failure to inaugurate
the State officers elected under the new
= Constitution at the time appointed by
the Constitution would necessarily pre-
IS vent the General Assembly's legal exis
ID tence, as we'll as action upon the four
teenth proposed amendment to the Con
stitution of the United States 1.-THE pre-
sent acting Governor being constitution
ally unable to approve any act OF salC
General Assembly, and without the ap
= proval of the Governor 1T being lmpos
=, sible for any legislative enactment tt
~ become a law, and thus effectually pre-
tv vent reconstruction in accordance witt
IS the laws of Congress, which provide
lis that "the Legislature elected under tn
Constitution shall have adopted tn
u amendment to the Constitution of tn
&C United States proposed by the thirty
ninth Congress, and known as artiet
fourteen" (see section ., law passe'
March 2, 1867 prior to admission INT
the Union, the adoption of said consul
tutional amendment by the Leglslatur
of Louisiana being thus rendered utterl
impossible: and
a Whereas, The Commanding Genera
Is. is not above the laws of Congress, NO
- is he above the Convention that frame
the Constitution ander which these OH
GERS are to be inaugurated, both beln
the creatures of Congressional Will, IL
dependent of each other, yet both su9leC
to the paramount authority of the Coz
nv gress of the United States; and
~ Whereas, The reconstruction law
fully empowered the Constitutional Coz
yentiOn to govern all matters of deta
insrecard to the Inauguration of the ne
government authorized by Congress
- and -
whereas, Said Constitutional Coz
vention has delegated its full powers J
the premises to this Board, which is u
legal representative of said Conventlol
Now. therefore, 1, S. b. Packard, Char
l. man of the Board of Registration afor
!. said. in obedience to the duty impose
Inv said Constitutional Convention upo
and by virtue of the authority thus We
ted in this Board, do hereby notify
is, civil officers elected under said Cons'
}. tution that said Constitution requir
that they qualify and take possession
their respective offices on Monday, Jul
r A ri .