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But why should I accumulate the opinions of citizens, however trustworthy and honorable, when a simple statement of facts cannot but bring you to a similar opinion?
The Legislature elected its officers on account of distinguished services to the Confederacy, and the criterion of success was persistent devotion and bitterness in the rebel cause.
It refused to have the American flag about its halls until some colored ladies formally tendered it one as a present, which offer, however, was indignantly ignored.
It refused action on a resolution offered by Mr. William Brown, of Iberville, as follows:
“Whereas, In the opinion of this body, the Government of the United States is the best Government on the face of the earth, and whereas the flag of the said Government is worthy of all respect; therefore be it
Resolved, That the Sargeant-at-arms of the Senate be directed to procure a large United States flag, and to have the same properly and tastefully arranged over the President of the Senate’s chair.
Shortly after its assembling the Senate expelled Mr. Wm. Brown, the author of the foregoing resolution, and some other Union Senators, who held over in their term from the previous Legislature, on the pretext that they were elected by a small vote of Union men before the rebels had given up the Confederacy, and returned home.
The Legislature has invited Gen. Hood, (who was badly whipped by Gens. Sherman and Thomas,) and other rebel Generals to seats within the bar, &c. Gen. Sheridan, whose head-quarters are in the same city, and but a short distance from the Legislative Halls, was never invited;—neither was Gen. Scott, nor any other Union General then in New Orleans.
The Legislature attempted to do away with the ratification of the anti-slavery constitutional amendment by the previous (loyal) Legislature, by annexing conditions and giving a peculiar interpretation to the second section. But Secretary Seward was too quick. He declared the Amendment ratified and counted the vote of Louisiana before the vote could be annulled.
The Legislature has assumed the extraordinary work of repairing and making new Levees for the benefit of the wealthy planters, instead of charging it to them and their localities, as always hitherto required by custom and law, and thus compelled those who have repaired and kept in order their own levees, as required by law, or who need none, to pay for the neglect of rebel planters who refused to perform their duties and went into the war against their country. They have even obtained aid in this matter from the National Treasury through the War Department, and it has been publicly stated that negro soldiers have been compelled to work at this business.
The Senate rejected the nomination of a worthy officer as Adjutant General of the State, because he had been identified with the Union army. About forty Notaries were nominated and all were confirmed except one who in the opinion of this patriotic Senate had disgraced himself by having accepted an honorable office from Mr. Lincoln and by having been Secretary of a Freedman’s Aid Society. Only one Senator, Hon. John Purcell, of New Orleans, voted for his confirmation. If this should be suggestive to the Senate of the United States, and induce a like careful scrutiny into all Federal nominations for Louisiana, it would inaugurate a terrible clamor and complaint.
Even the ministers selected to pray for the Legislature were taken from among the most loud-mouthed and unrepentant rebel parsons. Not a loyal minister of New Orleans was ever invited to call down God’s blessings on these unforgiven rebels. That
