按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 preliminary
authorization by Congress。 In fact； it was not only hoped； but
expected； that things were presently to go on just as if there had
been no war。
In the State of Texas there were in 1865 about 200；000 of the colored
race…roughly； a third of the entire populationwhile in Louisiana
there were not less than 350；000； or more than one…half of all the
people in the State。 Until the enactment of the Reconstruction laws
these negroes were without rights； and though they had been liberated
by the war； Mr。 Johnson's policy now proposed that they should have
no political status at all； and consequently be at the mercy of a
people who； recently their masters； now seemed to look upon them as
the authors of all the misfortunes that had come upon the land。
Under these circumstances the blacks naturally turned for protection
to those who had been the means of their liberation； and it would
have been little less than inhuman to deny them sympathy。 Their
freedom had been given them； and it was the plain duty of those in
authority to make it secure； and screen them from the bitter
political resentment that beset them； and to see that they had a fair
chance in the battle of life。 Therefore； when outrages and murders
grew frequent； and the aid of the military power was an absolute
necessity for the protection of life； I employed it unhesitatingly
the guilty parties being brought to trial before military
commissionsand for a time； at least； there occurred a halt in the
march of terrorism inaugurated by the people whom Mr。 Johnson had
deluded。
The first； Military Commission was convened to try the case of John
W。 Walker； charged with shooting a negro in the parish of St。 John。
The proper civil authorities had made no effort to arrest Walker； and
even connived at his escape； so I had him taken into custody in New
Orleans； and ordered him tried； the commission finding him guilty；
and sentencing him to confinement in the penitentiary for six months。
This shooting was the third occurrence of the kind that had taken
place in St。 John's parish； a negro being wounded in each case； and
it was plain that the intention was to institute there a practice of
intimidation which should be effective to subject the freedmen to the
will of their late masters； whether in making labor contracts； or in
case these newly enfranchised negroes should evince a disposition to
avail themselves of the privilege to vote。
The trial and conviction of Walker； and of one or two others for
similiar outrages； soon put a stop to every kind of 〃bull…dozing 〃 in
the country parishes； but about this time I discovered that many
members of the police force in New Orleans were covertly intimidating
the freedmen there； and preventing their appearance at the
registration offices； using milder methods than had obtained in the
country； it is true； but none the less effective。
Early in 1866 the Legislature had passed an act which created for the
police of New Orleans a residence qualification； the object of which
was to discharge and exclude from the force ex…Union soldiers。 This
of course would make room for the appointment of ex…Confederates； and
Mayor Monroe had not been slow in enforcing the provisions of the
law。 It was； in fact； a result of this enactment that the police was
so reorganized as to become the willing and efficient tool which it
proved to be in the riot of 1866； and having still the same
personnel； it was now in shape to prevent registration by threats；
unwarranted arrests； and by various other influences； all operating
to keep the timid blacks away from the registration places。
That the police were taking a hand in this practice of repression； I
first discovered by the conduct of the assistant to the chief of the
body； and at once removed the offender； but finding this ineffectual
I annulled that part of the State law fixing the five years'
residence restri