The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-04-08
- -.77--777'-1-11--
Orders fol. the Election.
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DIS.
Now ORLEANS Ia. March II. Il

3 Whereas convention recently assembled at
New Orleans, Louisiana, in compliance with special or
ders No 1856 from these headquarters, dated October
81 1897 did in pursuance of the acts OF Congress men
toned in said order, proceed to frame constitution
and civil government for the State OF louisiana aud
Whereas The acts of Congress provide that the cleo
ton for the ratification of said constitution shall be
conducted By the officers persons appointed or to be
appointed by the commanding general sand election
will be held in the State of Louisiana, from AM to
PM. on the seventeenth and eighteenth days of April
1s6s at which the registered voters of said State may
vote for or against the constitution submitted to them
by the convention
boards of registrars WILL after having given reasonable
public notice. revise, at the places where the ooaros
are in session. for period of five days, the regstra
top lists and upon being satisfied that any person not
entitled thereto has been registered, Will strike the
name of such person from the list The boards VIII
also during the same period add to the registry the
names of ali persons who that time possess the quail
fcatons required by law, and who have not already
been registered. (See section seven supplementary
act of July 10, 1850 q, .
ITpon completion of the revision of the
boards of registrars will Immediately proceed to make
I'D their precinct poll books For this purpose theF
use precincts books used at the last eeeuon' 'iahs
the necessary corrections They Will also forward 70
these Headquarters a tabular statement giving the
number of persons registered white and coored dur
ing the revision the number rejected, (whte ana col,
ored), the names Of persons refused registration anu
stricken from the rolls will be gwen with statement
showing the causes therefor
H. The polls will be opened at every voting precinct
in each parish at the places designated by Law" NO
nerson will be allowed to vote whose name does not
annear on the registry list The election will be by
ballot "Those voting in favor OF the constitution
shall have written printed on the ballots by which
they vote as aforesaid the words For the constitution
and those voting against the constitution shall have
written or printed on such ballots the words Against
the constitution" Each ballot presented by coored
voter will be marked "coored" by of the judges
Of election Poll books will be kept of the of the
voters as at ordinary elections in the State AS each
voter presents his certificate one of the judges VIII IN
dorse on it Voted. with the date, and signed py one
of the commissioners.
Ill The board of registration of each parish will be
superintendent of, and will conduct the election, ana
will see that all the necessary preparations are mage
for properly conducting the same; that due and sul-
Gent notice is given of the time and bect of the cleo
ton commissioners appointed proper ballot boxes pre-
pared If, from cause any of the registrars OF
a parish fail TO perform the duty incumbent upon them
either at the revision directed paragraph one, or at
the election their places will be filled by the clerk OF
the district court recorder of the parish, assessor
of the parish court in the order named provided they
can qualify according to law If vacancies cannot be
thus filled the remaining portion of the registration
board will fill them with persons, who can duly quail
ifv notifying this Office of the same.
". The election at each precinct will be presided
over by the three commissioners, who will be sworn
in the same manner the registrars.
Should only two of the commissioners be present they
shall appoint third should only be present he
shall appoint another and they together shall appoint
a third
To carry this out commissioners are authorised to adj
minis the required oath.
v At the close of the election the commissioners
will carefully count and make duplicate returns of the
result of the election stating aso in four separate
lists respectively, the number OF white voters for the
number of coored voters for, and the number of each
gainst the constitution The ballots will then be
placed in the ballot boxes, watch will be sealed, and
together with the gstratlon and election records will
be carried by of the commissioners to the court
house, place designated, and turned over to the
board Of registrars.
The board will then carefully count and make dupli
cate of the votes cast in the prescribed
for commissioners of elections and will whether
the vote of each precinct corresponds with the record
of the commissioners.
The ballots will then replaced in the ballot boxes
which will be sealed, and together with the registration
and election records will be turned over to such parish
officer member OF the registration board as SAID
board select who will receipt therefor, and will be
held responsible for the same. Each member Of the
board will make affidavit to the correctness of the
turns one copy of which will then be brought by some
member of the board to the commanding general OF the
fifth military district, at New Orleans, the other copy
will be retained by the board until further orders
VI. The boards of registrars and commissioners will
that full and fair opportunity is given for depos
ting his ballot to every entitled to vote, and will
generally do everything that is requisite to secure
full and impartial expression of the opinions and wishes
of the registered voters
VII If from any cause the elections in any of the
precincts cannot be held for instance the inability
procure properly qualified commissioners the boards
of gisrars will give timely notice to the voters there
of to where they shall vote in an adjoining precinct
in their own parishes.
rars under this order who candidates at the cleo
lion for any office
N The sheriff of each parish is made responsible
for the preservation of good order and the perfect free
dom the ballot the various election precincts in
his parish To this end he will appoint depuy-who
shall be duly qualified under the laws of the Stae-or
each precinct in the parish who will be required to be
present at the place of voting during the whole time
he election is being held. The said deputies will
promptly and fully obey every demand made upon their
official in preserving the peace and good order
by the commissioners of election Deputies appointed
IN accordance with the foregoing will be paid the same
commits stoners on accounts approved by the regis
trar, out of the reconstruction fund.
AS additional measure to the purity of the
election each commissioner and registrar is hereby
clothed during the election with authority call upon
The civil officers of the parish to make arrests and in
of failure Of the aforesaid civil officers are en-
powered to perform their duties during the election
They will make full report of such failures the part
Of civil officers to the commanding general fifth mill
AIRY district.
X All places where Intoxicating liquors are retailed
will be closed the days of election and such sale of
liquors is prohibited during said election days
ri. Military interference with elections "unless it
shall be necessary to keep the peace at the polls is
prohibited by law and no soldiers will be allowed to
State they stored voters. and then only for
he purpose of voting; but the commanders of posts
will be prepared to act promptly the civil authorities
fail to preserve the peace.
XII When the returns shall have been received at
headquarters OF fifth military district the result of the
election will be published by the commander thereof
ALL PERSONS VINO convey returns to the headuuar-
of the fifth military district will be paid in New
Orleans, reasonable expenses incurred in making the
Quincy and returning.
NV. In case of questions arising as to the right of
my individual to be registered, the person deemng
himself aggrieved is entitled to his appeal from the de-
son of the board and the boards are directed to make
full statement of the facts in such cases. and to for
ward the same to these headquarters without unneces
ary delay.
XIV. Should Congress enact hereafter that at the an
preaching election votes shall also be cast for State
md other officers the registrars and commission
will act under this order for the election of said Of
cers In such an event orders will issue from these
headquarters notifying the qualified voters that such
N election is authorised
By command of Major General Hancock:
GEO L. HARTsUFF Asst. Adit Gen
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DIsTR1cr |
New Orleans March %, 1868. |
special Orders No. 63
l. By an act of Congress, which became law March
1868, it is enacted, "That hereafter any election
authorized by the act passed March twenty three,
eighteen hundred and sxty-seven, entitled An act
supplementary to An act to provide for the more eff
cient government of the rebel States passed March
wo, eighteen hundred aud sxy-seven and to facili-
ate their restoration shall be decided by majority
# the votes actually and at the election IN which
he question of the adoption or rejection OF any con-
titution is submitted any person duly registered in the
tate may vote in the election district where he offers
vote when be has resided therein for ten days next
receding such election upon presentation of his GER
Grae of REGISTRATION his affidavit or other satsfao