everything opposed to the reforms of the age. Among the most prominent of that organization, were Dostie, Waples, Flanders, Hahn, Heath, Graham, Goldman, Durell, Lynch, Hire, Howell, Heistend and Durant. Then there was a class composed of men of the status of Roselius, Rozier, Fellows, Barker, Kennedy, Burk, men of conservative ideas, who had combatted the advance of reform, and attempted by every means in their power to preserve the flickering life of their beloved institution, Slavery. A third party consisted of the strong advocates of the rebellion. Their names were Legion. They kept themselves not openly defiant, but ever on the alert, watching with sleepless eye the movements of the other parties.

The dominant party were the radicals, whose political creed was based upon three prominent objects of Lincoln's Administration, viz.-the preservation of the Union; the abolition of Slavery, and the crushing of the great Rebellion.

Conspiracies, however, external and internal caused dissention in the radical Republican party of Louisiana. The loyal portion of the State began to agitate the question of a Free-State Government.

At a Union meeting in New Orleans, March 6th, 1863, Thomas J. Durant said: "I have something practical to bring before the people. It is now ten months since the federal forces came to Louisiana, and no effort has been made to establish a State Government. The proposition I would make is, that this Association, as the only representative of the views of Union men of New Orleans, take steps towards the formation of such a Government. The city contains more than one-half

the voting population of the State, and as loyal citizens are entitled to a government of their own choice, that portion of the country in the hands of the rebels containing but a minority of the white population. He submitted this resolution to the Association :

Resolved, "That the President of this meeting appoint a committee of three to prepare a plan for calling a convention of the people of Louisiana to be submitted to this meeting on Saturday evening next."

Said he: "If ten loyal men can be found in each parish to send a representative, they will be sufficient to save their parishes."

Durant's resolution was unanimously adopted by the Association. Among those who voted for the resolution were Dostie, Graham, and Waples. At a meeting of the Union Association in Lyceum Hall, April 12th, 1863, Durant read a letter from Hahn, which stated that in a conversation Hahn had held with President Lincoln upon the subject of organizing a civil government for Louisiana, the President heartily approved of the plan, and promised to send instructions to the military leaders in Louisiana to favor the movement. On motion of Dr. Dostie, the vote was taken, when the resolutions favoring the Convention were passed by 95 to 73.

The following letter from President Lincoln to General Banks in relation to Louisiana affairs is interesting as connected with affairs at that time.

66 While I very well know what I would be glad for Louisiana to do, it is quite a different thing for me to

assume direction of the matter. I would be glad for her to make a new constitution, recognizing the emancipation proclamation, and adopting emancipation in those parts of the State to which the proclamation does not apply. And while she is at it, I think it would not be objectionable for her to adopt some practical system by which the two races could gradually live themselves out of their old relation to each other, and both come out better prepared for the new. Education

for young blacks should be included in the plan. After all, the power or element of contract' may be sufficient for this probationary period, and by its simplicity and flexibility may be the better.

"As an anti-slavery man, I have a motive to desire emancipation which pro-slavery men do not have; but even they have strong enough reason to thus place themselves again under the shield of the Union; and to thus perpetually hedge against the recurrence of the scenes through which we are now passing.

"Governor Shepley has informed me that Mr. Durant is now taking a registry, with a view to the election of a Constitutional Convention in Louisiana. This, to me, appears proper. If such convention was to ask my views, I could present little else than what I now say to you, think the thing should be pushed forward, so that, if possible, its mature work may reach here by the meeting of Congress.

66 For my own part, I think I shall not, in any event, retract the Emancipation Proclamation; nor, as Executive, ever return to slavery any person who is free by the terms of that proclamation, or by any of the acts of Congress.

66

If Louisiana shall send members to Congress, their admission to seats will depend, as you know, upon the respective houses, and not upon the President.

January 9th, 1864, the Union people of New Orleans assembled to endorse the action of the committe, and to give sanction to the request of Governor Shepley to order an election for delegates to the Constitutional Convention, with a view to making Louisiana a State, in accordance with the principles suggested by the proclamation of the President issued on the 8th of December, 1863. The President of that meeting was R. F. Flanders, Esq. Among the Vice-Presidents were Dostie, Shupert, Hire, Graham, Heath, Duncan, Howell, Waples, Shaw and Heistend. Mr. Flanders, in addressing the meeting said, "he thought the time had arrived for organizing a State Government in Louisiana. Six months before, a plan had been prepared by the Union men of the city for that purpose and presented to Governor Shepley. It was by him forwarded to the President, considered in a Cabinet meeting, approved and returned to Governor Shepley with the approval of the Administration endorsed upon it. Now it was necessary to appoint a committee to present resolutions to further the proposed plan." The following were the resolutions adopted:

"Resolved, That the future slavery of persons of African descent in Louisiana is a moral, legal and physical impossibility, and the proposed new constitution in declaring its non-existence within the borders of the State, will only assert a fact within the knowledge of all her loyal

men.

"Resolved, That we cordially approve of all the proclamations of the President of the United States in regard to slavery in the insurrectionary districts, but more particularly the one recently issued under date of 8th December, 1863; that the means pointed out by him for the rebellious States to return to the Union are, in

our opinion, eminently just and wise; and that the loyal men of Louisiana are now ready and willing to adopt them, and have nearly the required number of registered loyal citizens, good men and true, to bring back the State into the great nationality our fathers founded.

66

Resolved, That the action of the "Free State Committee, in calling upon Brigadier-General Shepley, Military Governor of Louisiana, soliciting him to order, in the name of the people, an election for delegates to a Convention to form a State Constitution, is approved and ratified, and he is hereby authorized and requested to take all necessary steps to have such an election at an early day."

At that meeting Mr. Durant said, "It will be a glorious thing if we can make Louisiana the first State that declares for freedom among the late rebellious States." Jan. 11th, the following proclamation by General Banks was issued:

"HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,

New Orleans, Jan. 11, 1864. "To the people of Louisiana :

"I. In pursuance of authority vested in me by the President of the United States, and upon consultation with many representative men of different interests, being fully assured that more than a tenth of the population desire the earliest possible restoration of Louisiana to the Union, I invite the loyal citizens of the State qualified to vote in public affairs, as hereinafter prescribed, to assemble in the election precincts designated by law, or at such places as may hereafter be established, on the 22d day of February, 1864, to cast their votes for the election of State officers herein named, viz:

"I. Governor. II. Lieutenant Governor. III. Secretary of State. IV. Treasurer. V. Attorney General. VI. Superintendent of Public Instruction. VII. Auditor of Public Accounts; who shall when elected, for the time being, and until others are appointed by competent