personal memoirs-2-第40章
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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