The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-09

nj. Ltncoinb amnesty proclamation OF |
December 8. 1868. Under Its provisions the
authority of the United States was declared
restored over portions OF the State of Louisi-
ana, and "a loyal State government was
reinaugurated.n 50, - s-fs
Mr. Blaine SAYS, .ssIt was reserved for
Louisiana to Guido both South Carolina and
Mississippi in this horrible legislation, q and
he specifies that, the contract once made,
the negro laborer was not allowed to leave
his place OF employment during the year,
except upon prescribed conditions; deduc-
tions might be made from wages for injuries
done to animals and implements committed
| to his care; and for bad or negligent work
and impudence, swearing and indecent
Language, and quarreling and fighting with
one another, were prohibited and punished.
/ What think you of this charge
! against the States, that it is an abridgment
of the freedom of the negro that he is for
| hidden to indulge in impudence, swearing
and indecent language in the presence OF the
| family where he is employed?
Why were such regulations required or
| permitted? At that time the agricultural
laborers of that State were exclusively col
ored. They constituted majority OF the
(. entire population. At once and without
preparation, they were transferred from q
condition of servitude to one of freedom. No
one could predict what would follow. 1t
was soon apparent that their tendency was
| to abandon the country, and crowd the
| cities, and follow the camps Men of both
/ sections contemplated the possible results
/ with anxiety. Was freedom to mean ex-
emption from labor only? Congregating in
4 large numbers, and unemployed, were they
/ to sink into vice, and to degenerate into va
erancy? The benevolent and the humane
were anxious about the result for the sake
of the colored people themselves. Men In
responsible and public positions had also to
consider the possible effect upon the material
ton to remain without labor? Were the
| lands to lie without cultivation?
Should we become the purchasers
from other lands, and not the producers of
| the great staples OF the South? Mr.. Lincoln
| seems to have considered all these questions;
for in his amnesty proclamation, to which 1
have referred, there is this remarkable para
graph: II do further proclaim, declare and
make known that any provision which may
be adopted by such State Government in re-
latlon 10 the freed people of such State,
which shall recognize and declare their per-
manent freedom, provide for their education
and which may yet be consistent as a tempo
rary arrangement with their present condi-
ton as a laboring, landless and homeless
class, will not be objected to by the National
executive"
A State constitution was soon thereafter
adopted. 1t established the permanent free
dom and provided for the education of the
freed people," To carry out Mr.. Lincoln's
suggestion in the paragraph which l have
quoted, 1t only remained to adopt such reg
uiations as were necessary and proper for the
freed people," as a 'laboring, landless and
homeless class"
General Banks was then IN command in
Louisiana. He gave construction to the par
agraph in the orders he issued and II the
| regulation he adopted. In his general order
No. 25, February 3, 1864, he based his regu
lations of labor upon the assumption that
labor is a public duty, and idleness and
vagrancy crime" and that this law oflabor
should be enforced He fixed the prices to
be paid at from So to S. per month. He
provided that wages should be deducted in
case of the sickness of the laborer and that,
if the laborer feigned sickness, food also
might be withheld. 1t was also provided
that ''indoience. insolence, disobedience of
orders, and crime should be suppressed by
forfeiture of pay, and such punishments as
are provided for similar offenses by army
regulations" Under that order the colored
laborer of Louisiana was placed under
military rule; and, if insolent or disobedient
to his employer, would suffer loss OF pay.
and other punishment such as would be in
flicted upon soldier guilty of disobeying
the orders of his commanding officer. By
other regulations, mo hand could leave the
place without written license" and leach
hand will be responsible for the loss or care
less damage of tools, stock, or any other
| property"
Mr. Blaine denounces these provisions as
horrible, ard as "causeless and cruel OPP
preston of q whole race" They are the
/ product of a provisional Government,
which rested for its authority upon
Mr.. Lincoln's proclamation. And
neither in their origin, their spirit,
nor their purpose can they truthfully be laid
to the charge of the Democrats The fact
that they may have passed into the SUISSE
, lquent legislation of the State can not change
! any responsb ility that did attach to their
origin or purpose. And If any one were to
/ repeat that the enactment of such regula
, tons of labor looks to its REINSTATEMENT,
, would find the complete vindication from
, such charge of the provisional Government
and its administration in the fact that the
adoption of the State constitution was con-
, current, and thatlt provided for the imme-
, date and unconditional emancipation of the
slaves In the year 1865 provisional govern
, meuts were established over most of the
, other Southern States. The proclamations
issued by Mr.. Johnson Ted upon and were
, very similar in their provisions to the pro-
! ciamation issued by Mr.. Lincoln. The latter
proposed Ito reinaugurate loyal State gov
ernments within and for their respective
States" while the former proposed to restore
, the States to their constitutional relations
| to the Federal Government" At that time
Mr.. johnson was in harmony with the party
! that had elected him. 1t can not be truth
folly said that for his conduct in 1865, or for
the action of the governments which he es
ii tablished, the Democratic party is in any
, way responsible. In many respects the
/ Democrats opposed the policy of 1865.
In 1867 the Republican party became so
2 powerful III CoDSfeSS as 10 De aole tC uely
i the presidential veto. 1t overthrow the pro-
visional State Governments, and substituted
I its iron policy OF reconstruction That pol
icy was embodied IN the act of March, 1867,
, and the two acts supplementary thereto.
) The rebel States were declared to be without
5 legal governments. They were divided into
, military districts, and placed under the alb
solute authority of military commanders.
The commanders were authorized 20 take
) steps for the restoration of civil authority
: and the establishment of State Governments
The work was supervised by the military.
,, The negroes were admitted to full partlci-
patron, while many of the whites we're ex-
cluded. The military and the negroes con.
: trolied the Government. The effect was to
|, excite strlfe and create bad blood between
the races. This was the beginning of the