Year: 1867

Important Charge OF Judge Aben TO the


GiERnd Jury.


NEW ORLEANS, January 9.-The following is
synopsis of Judge Abelps important charge to
the Grand Jury to-day


conference.-the prevalence Of crime among
ne is a source Of regret to all lovers of good
order; but considering the changed condition
Of things, the disbanding Of the two powerful
armies fresh from the fields of conflict and
strife now intermingling, the. vast influx of
negroes just released from bondage, intoxicated
with the idea of freedom, which many of them
look upon as tantamount to idleness, do not
hesitate to say that the general good order that
government, in September, 1864, has been
remarkably favorable. The frequency of fires
IN the city,. many of them occurring
strong indication that the hand of the incendiary
Is busy. The meeting of the 30th of July last,
TO subvert the fundamental law OF the State,
wac IN open violation of the l47th article OF
the Constitution, and the decisions of Court
of Record unreversed. The large body of
negroes that assembled at their call to defend
it shows the ease with which our cOlored people,
in the simplicity of their nature, are guiled
into the most Illegal acts by men who are
ready to tOrsake them upon the first alarm OF
danger. The Conventionists and their contede-
rates induced these unfortunate people TO
believe that they were true Union men, and
intended to give them the right to vote, hold
office, etc. The Conventionists, with their con-
federates, having failed to usurp the franchise
of the State, appear not only to disregard her
rights, but her honor and interest, and have
arrayed themselves as defamers and lbellers of
the State and people. Some OF these defamers are
dependent and destitute place-hunters, more
to be pitied than blamed; others desirous of
making fame abroad have preferred the ele-
ments of passion and prejudice to the more
enduring foundation of virtue, truth, and JUS
tice; others who have been honored with i'm
portant trusts, appear not to havesscrupled to
use official character committed to them as
sacred trust to injure and dishonor the State,
and insult the people who elevated them. With
out. in any manner wishing to impugn the
motives or desiring to interfere with the
political opinion OF Governor Wells, / most
frankly say that the language used in his
letters under official signature, is OF dan
gerous tendency to the peace, interest and
things to the State. Our fields devastated, our
property gone, and the state unrepresented,
and our Executive officially offers to Congress
= the sovereignty, independence, and honor OF
the State, and invited more soldiers. This is
not the desire Of the people of Louisiana. She
will never willingly part with her legitimate
rights and sovereignty. The Constitution under
which the Government of the State is now ad-
ministered has been accepted by the people of
the whole State until it be their pleasure TO
amend it. The Legislature under it, in spirit
of rational Cancellation, has ratified the amend
ment of the Constitution of the United States,
emancipating all slaves, thereby parting with
more than half the wealth of the State. Hard
as this may be, l entertain no doubt that the
people of the state, through their General AS
semby, will go as far in this spirit Of concilia-
tion as is consistent with the honor of the





best and wisest citizens. The 900 Northern
ballots cast for immediate reconstruction in
the face of a storm of passion and prejudice,
eand famed and kept alive by misrepresen tation
of Northern missionaries, indicates that as
~ soon as passion has exhausted itself, and states
men of large and liberal understanding con-
troll the country, a friendly intercourse will be
restored between the two sections of our great
country. The Convention of 1864 appeared 10
be blind 10 everything but the interest of the
negro, happy as he then was. / now say to
my cOuntIymen who clamor for an equality
which can never be realized, they will have
to look the thIrty-two millions of white people
in the face. Christianity philanthropy, and
philosophy demand Justice to the colOred people,
yet stern policy and the claim of civilization
forbid the extension OF the right of franchise
10 the people as dangerous to the interest and
the public veal while they remain part of this
great Republic.


10 attract attention, but it is to be hoped that
careful reflection, and the record of the untortu.
nate affair, will soon take the place OF eXagge'
rated statements OF interested persons. The
Congressional excursion who recently visited
the city of New Orleans, fOreshadows O better
understanding between the two sections of the
country, and under the guidance of enlightened
and comprehensive statesmen, mayprove means
OF speedy restoration of the Union. The difficulty
III such tumults of feeling, the acts of violence
u[On ary individual, the danger of involving the
innocent with the guilty, has usually prevented
grand iuries from iudicting and petit iurieS
from coHvicIng the actual offenders. Every
element calculated to excite the popular miuC
should be treated in a spirit of cancellation
moderation, and bfmness. You have beer
selected from the body of the parish, most o
you born upon the soil, and chosen for your in
telligence. Ycu will, no doubt, discharge you
important functions in manner satisfactory
TO the most populous city and commercial poin
of the South, and which will be in strict accord
ance with the laws OF the State.


CANADA.