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parish; or municipal officers would be held in Louisiana until the

provisions of the laws of Congress entitled 〃An act to provide for

the more efficient government of the rebel States;〃 and of the act

supplemental thereto; should have been complied with。  I also

announced that until elections were held in accordance with these

acts; the law of the Legislature of the State providing for the

holding over of those persons whose terms of office otherwise would

have expired; would govern in all cases excepting only those special

ones in which I myself might take action。  There was one parish;

Livingston; which this order did no reach in time to prevent the

election previously ordered there; and which therefore took place;

but by a supplemental order this election was declare null and void。



In April。  I began the work of administering th Supplemental Law;

which; under  certain condition of eligibility; required a

registration of the voter of the State; for the purpose of electing

delegate to a Constitutional convention。  It therefore became

necessary to appoint Boards of Registration throughout the election

districts; and on April 10 the boards for the Parish of Orleans were

given out; those for the other parishes being appointed ten days

later。  Before announcing these boards; I had asked to be advised

definitely as to what persons were disfranchised by the law; and was

directed by General Grant to act upon my own interpretation of it;

pending an opinion expected shortly from the Attorney…GeneralMr。

Henry Stanberyso; for the guidance of the boards; I gave the

following instructions:



〃HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT。

〃New Orleans; La。; April io; 1867。



〃Special Orders; No。  15。



〃。。。。In obedience to the directions contained in the first section of

the Law of Congress entitled 〃An Act supplemental to an Act entitled

'An Act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel

States'〃 the registration of the legal voters; according to that law

in the Parish of Orleans; will be commenced on the 15th instant; and

must be completed by the 15th of May。



〃The four municipal districts of the City of New Orleans and the

Parish of Orleans; right bank (Algiers); will each constitute a

Registration district。  Election precincts will remain as at present

constituted。



〃。。。。Each member of the Board of Registers; before commencing his

duties; will file in the office of the Assistant…Inspector…General at

these headquarters; the oath required in the sixth section of the Act

referred to; and be governed in the execution of his duty by the

provisions of the first section of that Act; faithfully administering

the oath therein prescribed to each person registered。



〃Boards of Registers will immediately select suitable offices within

their respective districts; having reference to convenience and

facility of registration; and will enter upon their duties on the day

designated。  Each Board will be entitled to two clerks。  Office…hours

for registration will be from 8 o'clock till 12 A。  M。; and from 4

till 7 P。  m。



〃When elections are ordered; the Board of Registers for each district

will designate the number of polls and the places where they shall be

opened in the election precincts within its district; appoint the

commissioners and other officers necessary for properly conducting

the elections; and will superintend the same。



〃They will also receive from the commissioners of elections of the

different precincts the result of the vote; consolidate the same; and

forward it to the commanding general。



〃Registers and all officers connected with elections will be held to

a rigid accountability and will be subject to trial by military

commission for fraud; or unlawful or improper conduct in the

performance of their duties。  Their rate of compensation and manner

of payment will be in accordance with the provisions of sections six

and seven of the supplemental act。



〃。。。。Every male citizen of the United States; twenty…one years old

and upward; of whatever race; color; or previous condition; who has

been resident in the State of Louisiana for one year and Parish of

Orleans for three months previous to the date at which he presents

himself for registration; and who has not been disfranchised by act

of Congress or for felony at common law; shall; after having taken

and subscribed the oath prescribed in the first section of the act

herein referred to; be entitled to be; and shall be; registered as a

legal voter in the Parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana。



〃Pending the decision of the Attorney…General of the United States on

the question as to who are disfranchised by law; registers will give

the most rigid interpretation to the law; and exclude from

registration every person about whose right to vote there may be a

doubt。  Any person so excluded who may; under the decision of the

Attorney…General; be entitled to vote; shall be permitted to register

after that decision is received; due notice of which will be given。



〃By command of Major…General P。 H。 SHERIDAN;



〃GEO。 L。 HARTSUFF;

〃Assistant Adjutant…General。〃





The parish Boards of Registration were composed of three members

each。  Ability to take what was known as the 〃ironclad oath〃 was the

qualification exacted of the members; and they were prohibited from

becoming candidates for office。  In the execution of their duties

they were to be governed by the provisions of the supplemental act。

It was also made one of their functions to designate the number and

location of the polling…places in the several districts; to appoint

commissioners for receiving the votes and in general to attend to

such other matters as were necessary; in order properly to conduct

the voting; and afterward to receive from the commissioners the

result of the vote and forward it to my headquarters。  These

registers; and all other officers having to do with elections; were

to be held to a rigid accountability; and be subject to trial by

military commission for fraud or unlawful or improper conduct in the

performance of their duties; and in order to be certain that the

Registration Boards performed their work faithfully and

intelligently; officers of the army were appointed as supervisors。

To this end the parishes were grouped together conveniently in

temporary districts; each officer having from three to five parishes

to supervise。  The programme thus mapped out for carrying out the law

in Louisiana was likewise adhered to in Texas; and indeed was

followed as a model in some of the other military districts。



Although Military Commissions were fully authorized by the

Reconstruction acts; yet I did not favor their use in governing the

district; and probably would never have convened one had these acts

been observed in good faith。  I much preferred that the civil courts;

and the State and municipal authorities already in existence; should

perform their functions without military control or interference; but

occasionally; because the civil authorities neglected their duty; I

was obliged to resort to this means to ensure the punishment Of

offenders。  At this time the condition of the negroes in Texas and

Louisiana was lamentable; though; in fact; not worse than that of the

few white loyalists who had been true to the Union during the war。

These last were singled out as special objects of attack; and were;

therefore; obliged at all times to be on the alert for the protection

of their lives and property。  This was the natural outcome of Mr。

Johnson's defiance of Congress; coupled with the sudden conversion to

his cause of persons in the Northwho but a short time before had

been his bitterest enemies; for all this had aroused among the

disaffected element new hopes of power and place; hopes of being at

once put in political control again; with a resumption of their

functions in State and National matters without any prelimin

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