The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-10-10
THE SEVEN CONSTITUTIONS OF LOUISIANA.
THOSE OF 1861 AND 1864.

The mode which the Constitution
of 1916 had provided for its revision,
and which the Legislature of 1852,
and the Convention convOkpd by it,
had disregarded, but which WAS,
with some changes, re-Ortlained by
the Constitution of 1852, as the sole
mode for its revision, (tllat of sepa-
rate amendments to be recon
mended, under Constitution OF lS45
by two several Legislatures, and
under that of 1862 by one LegiSla
ture, to he separately submitted to
each voter for his adoption or re-
jeciiOn,) was even more violently
abjured by the Legislature of 1861,
and the Convention eonvOked by it.
which framed the Constitution Of
1861.
AT the ex ira session of that year,
an act was passed, approved Dec.
~, 1860, entitled IAN Act provid
ing for State Convention" In its
preamble it declared:
Whereas, In the opinion of the General
inands that o Convention of the people be
called to take such actien as the interest and
welfare Of the State may require
"TherefOre," the Legislature by
the act, orders the Governor to
Immediately issue his proclamation
for an election to be held through
out the State, ON the 9TH January,
1861, of delegates to the said Con-
vention, to meet at Baton Rouge on
the 24d of said month.
Under this act, the election of
delegates was had, the Convention
organized, and by thirty nine diff
ferent acts, in form of Resolutions
and ordinances, assumed to adopt
various amendments to the Con.
SUtutiOn of 1852.
The first ordinance declared that:
1All ordinances are to have full
effect from their adoption, except
when otherwise ordered"
The second, adopted on January
20, repealed and abrogated the Con
sIitution of the United States as no
longer obligatory on the people oil
Louisiana.
| Other ordinances amended OF
repealed nine several Articles of the
Constitution of 1852. Its ordinance
38 amended or repealed ID of tie
ordinances the Convention had
passed.
! None of the amendments were
submitted for ratification to the
voters. The form of assumed au
| thOrity was; "The people of the State
OF Louisiana do ordain," or awe
tho people of the State of Louisian,
assembled, do declare and Ordain."
Though the Legislature and thu
Convention had entirely disIe
garded the provisions of the Con
stitution of 1862, as to the mamie,
of it's revision, the Convention OF
dained that thereafter it shOult
remain the constitutional mode O
! revision.
The Convention, also, paid NJ
regard to the dogma ofOur esteemed
contemporary, the PScayune: "Tha
if II State wishes to change its @ II
stitutiOn, it must do SO in accord
Rnce with the Nations Constitution
and not in disregard thereof" Aud
doubtless, for this reason its worl
had so short all existence as til,
organic law Of this State. In fact
it had force in the City of New Or
leans and adjoining parishes onl,
till the arrival of the Federal forces
from which time the Constitution o
1852, was recognized by the Fed
eral military authorities.
: In accordance with the provisions
3 of the Constitution of 1862, exccp
as to time of election, State officer
| were chosen OH 22d February, 1S6
by such voters within the Fedora
I lines, who, previously having
e renewed their oath of allegiance t
!. the Constitution of the Unite
Q States, saw fit to cast their ballot,
: Though the number of voters WERE
Q comparatively, few, there were tire
J. separate and distinct party ticket
voted for. That headed by Hon
. Michael Hahn, for Governor, wa
y declared elected.
The Constitution of 1861 contir
:, utd to be recognized thrOugnou
\ the portion of the State within tn
i. Confederate military lines.
f The next change of the organi
D law was that by the Conventio
. convoked in conformity to Gener;
], Orders No. 50, OF 18th of Marcel
t 1864, of Gen. Banks, commandin
e the Department of the Gulf, and t
e the proclamation of Gov. Micha,
Hahn of the 18th of said month, fc
s an election to be held OH the 28th {
5 March, for delegates to q COnstitl
:. tiOnal Convention for the revisiO
/, of the Constitution of 1852.
e From the minutes of the COnveI
j. ton ninety delegates appear to hav
l been chosen; of which 81 were trol
Z the parish of Orleans, and 81 troI
fifteen country parishes borlerin