The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-07-30
ORDINANCE Of
SECESSION TO
Be RETURNED.
To Its Native Archives in State
of Louisiana by the Federal
War Department.

q
WASHINGTON. D. c.. July 30
When the pending bill passes Con-
gress, providing for the return OF
the ordinance OF secession Of the
state of Louisiana to its native arch
ives, the files OF the War Department
will lose one Of their most curious
possessions.
Simple Legend.
No one remembers exactly how the
old Zinc tube containing the record
of the convention which voted TO
leave the Union. reached the depart
ment. The case bears the simple
legend painted on its covers.
Il STATE OF LOUISIANA,
Ordinance Of Secession.
January 20, 1851. 4
This is the only one OF the ten
other similar documents that the gov
eminent possesses. Different stories
exist as to the means by which the
RELIC reached the capitol. It Is said
that General Butler, when he took
New Orleans, seigEd all the official
papers he could find and sent them
to Washington. 1t is possible the
old brown tube containing its mes
sage came North with other trophies
Of war.
Yellow Parchment.
AS far as the record shows the or
dtnapee first game to light In q
drawer OF Lieutepant- Colonel Cor
bins desk in the adjutant generals
department. II was delivered to Ma
jor General Davis, now retired, in
1895, and from him 1t went to the
secretary Of war. wig ordered It
PLACED on the files:
The parchment is yellow with age
hut In excellent condition and per-
feetly legihle though some Of the sig
natures are bit faded, Tho text IS
divided into two parts. in English on
the left, and French ON the right.
Antiquarians and students of history
have frequently sought perMlion To-
copy the quaint old doement, which
reads as follows:
IAN ORDINANCE to dissolve the
union hetweep the state Of Louisiana
and other states united with her in
the cpmpact entitled The Gonstitu-
ton of the United States Of America
4 1--WE, the people Of the state Of
Louisiana in convention assembled, do
DECLARE and ordain, and It is hereby
declared and ordained, That the ordi-
nance passed by us In convention on
the twenty-second day of November,
in tho year 1911, whereby the consti-
tuition Of the United States Of Amer
lea and the amendments of said con-
stitution were adopted, and all laws
and ordinances by which the state Of
Louisiana became a member Of the
federal union, be, and the same are
hereby, repealed and abrogated; and
that the union now subsistipg between
Louisiana under the name Of The
United States Of America is hereby
dissolved.
Free State,
Eve do further declare and ordain,
That the state of Louisiana hereby re-
sumes all rights and powers hereto
fore delegated to the government OF
the United States ~ America; that
her citizens are absolved from all al
legiance to said government, and that
she is in full possession and exercise
OF all those rights Of sovereignty
which appertain to free and indie
pendent state.
I'VE do further DECLARE and ordain, !
That all rights acquired and vested
under the Constitution of the United
States, or any act of Congress or
treaty, or under any law of the state,
and not Incompatible with this ordt-
nance shall remain in force and have
the same effect as III this ordinance
had not been passed."