The Indianapolis journal., 1903-12-06
LETTER FROM LINCOLN
OF GREAT IMPORTANCE on ACCOUNT
OF RACE QUESTION,
EDfstIe Was Addressed 40 Governor
Michael Hahn, of Louisiana, Re
gardfng CoIored Voters.
Providence Journal.


federal occupation OF 1864. has been on ex-
hibition for the last week in the windows
OF the Tilden-Thurber Company. The let
ter IL owned by customer OF the company
living in Connecticut Its owner values it
30 highly that he has refused $1,000 for it.
II is given as one OF the important state
papers OF Lincoln in Henry J. Raymond's
Life. Public Services and State Papers OF
Abraham Lincoln" and is quoted in full
by Eicolay and Hay in their Abraham
Lincoln: A History" The letter is i'll ex-
cellent condition when its age is considered
with the fact that Ii has evidently been
carried in the pocket Of the owner for some
time. 1t has been opened so often that in
places the folds have worn through. but it
is still distinctly legible and is entirely in
the hand OF Lincoln. That 1t was regarded
as important by the President is shown by
the fact that he marked il Private in
one corner. and in the ending OF the letter
reminds Hahn, who had been inaugurated
Governor only nine days before the date
! OF the letter, and who was invested with
the powers Of a military Governor OF the
State two days after the letters date. that
the suggestion is made to him alone.
The letter reads as follows:
Private Executive Mansion,
Washington. March l3, 1854.
''Hon. Michael Hahn:
MY Dear Sir-T congratulate you on hav-
Ing nxed your name in history as the first
free-state Governor Of Louisiana. Now
among other things. will probably define the
elective franchise. L barely suggest for
your private consideration whether some of
the colored people may not be let mas
for instance, the very intelligent and espe-
cially those who have fought calamity in
our ranks. They would probably help in
some trying time to come TO keep the jewel
OF liberty within the family OF freedom
But this is only a suggestion, not To the
"A. LINCOLN"
Michael Hahn, to whom the letter was
written, was not a carpet bagger, but
had lived in New Orleans since infancy. In
ls6o-sl he was a n member OF the commIttee
and he personally exerted all his influence
TO prevent disunion. He took the oath OF
allegiance to the United States on the ar
rival OF Admiral Farragut's feet before
New Orleans. April 25, 1852. and he repre-
sented the Second congressional district OF
Louisiana In Congress as a Republican
from Feb. II to March 3. 1863 At the end
OF his term he returned to New Orleans,
advocated the reopening OF the federal
courts and advocated emancipation In the
New Orleans True Delta, which he bought
and edited.
He was elected Governor OF Louisiana
SS sS at at an e9se ELECTION Ran hsid nndea iesra
Governor. The proclamation contained an
order for an election OF state officers on
that date. to be Installed March 4, and an
other election for delegates to q convention
TO revise the Constitution of the State on
the first Monday in April General Banks
at that time suspended the laws OF the
State relating to slavery. The oath of al
legiance required by the President In his
proclamation of Dec. s. 1868. with the con-
dltion Affixed to the elective franchise by
scribed as constituting the qualifications OF
voters.
MALE CITIZENS TO VOTE.
The State Constitution provided that all
male citizens Of the United States, except
convicts. twenty-one years OF age. who
have resided In the State one year and in
the parish ten days next preceding the
election. were entitled to vote in the parish
where they resided and in the precinct
where they were registered. No property
qualification was required. A general order
by General Banks made residence for six
months in the parish where he offered to
vote, with one year In the State, Qualifi-
cation Of the voter at this election.
the State within the federal lines. which
comprised eleven parishes and parts of six
Others, S ,v,d having In lsSo Sss lsS inhabitants
Bayou Teche and along both banks of the
Misstssippi as far as Baton Rouge.
In the precincts where they happened to be-
An aggregate Of u.l1 votes was cast Hahn
the candidate OF those who approved the
measures or General Banks receiving s.1S3;
J: O. A Fellows. the candidate of the pro-
slavery conservatives. received 1885, and B.
+. Flanders, candidate OF the protesting
ceived 2.2a2. the votes for the other six
state ofncers varying somewhat from these
figures. General Banks. in letter to the
proportion Of the vote of the state given ven
at this election was nearly equal to the
territory covered by our arms.
The Inauguration OF Governor Hahn was
attended with imposing military and civic
ceremonies, intended to celebrate the re-
t, turn of Louisiana % to the Union. His posi-
letter TO the President: 1T Is under
stood BY the people that Mr.: Hahn repre-
sents a popular power entirely subordinate
70 the armed occupation OF the State for
the suppression OF the rebellion and the
full restorau ton OF authority OF the govern
msnt. This Is expressed in his oath Of
q Office. The power asked for him is that
exercised heretofore by the military Gov
ernor." The President adopted the sug-
gestion OF General Banks. and two days
after the date OF the letter here reproduced
invested Governor Hahn with the power of
military Governor OF Louisiana. Mr.. Flan-
ders, as well as Mr.. Hahn. had represented
policy opposed to slavery in the State.
Governor Hahn's faction also elected q
large majority OF the delegates TO the
convention which met in New Orleans April
&. and adopted. May IL. by vote of rs 10
10. a clause or the new Constitution, by
which slavery was forever abolished In the
Otdtc. COnStltulIOn was adopted sept
g. by a vote Of nearly six TO one. The con
vention continued in session until July %
the perfected Constitution being adopted
July 2. 1t conferred upon the Legislature
the power to grant the right of suffrage
TO negroes and placed the negro upon ar
equal footing with the whites before the
law. General Banks said OF the action OF
the convention, In his correspondence with
the President: AT the beginning Of the
session negro suffrage was scarcely men
toned To-day IL may be regarded as Sc
WAS ELECTED SENATOR.
March 4. 1866. Governor Hahn. who had
been elected United States senator, re-
signed and was succeeded by Lieutenant
Governor Wells. who was reelected I'm the
following November. The state govern
ment later fell into the hands of the con-
servatives. who proceeded to legislate
against the freedmen. The Unionists tried
70 call together the convention OF 1854
which had been adjourned subject TO the
call OF It's chairman. asserting that its
powers had not expired. and intending 70
revise the suffrage requirements. This led
TO q riot in the streets OF New Orleans
July %. 1s66, In which nearly 200 negroes