September 12-Convention met. 21 them out, and thereby subvert the Constitution | cers hereinafter appointed for that purpose in of the United States. I do not believe the great the county where he offers to vote; and any mass of the people of the State of Georgia, when person offering to vote in violation of these rules left uninfluenced, will ever submit to the pay- or the laws of Alabama on the 11th of January, ment of a debt which was the main cause of 1861, will be punished. bringing on their past and present suffering, the result of the rebellion. Those who vested their capital in the creation of this debt must meet their fate, and take it as one of the inevitable results of the rebellion, though it may seem hard to them. It should at once be made known at home and abroad, that no debt contracted for the purpose of dissolving the Union of the States can or ever will be paid by taxes levied on the people for such purpose. ANDREW JOHNSON, Hon. W. H. SEWARD: His Excellency JAMES JOHNSON, Provisional Governor of Georgia: Your several telegrams have been received. The President of the United States cannot recognize the people of any State as having resumed the relations of loyalty to the Union that admits as legal, obligations contracted or debts created in their name, to promote the war of the rebellion. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. WASHINGTON, October 28, 1865. November 8-Convention adjourned. December 5-Legislature ratified the anti-slavery amendment. 1866, January-A convention of colored persons at Augusta advocated a proposition to give those who could write and read well, and possessed a certain property qualification, the right of suffrage. Marcli 10-Bill passed legislature, authorizing an extra tax, the amount to be fixed by the grand juries, but not to exceed two per cent. upon the State tax, for the benefit of indigent soldiers, and the indigent families of deceased soldiers of the Confederate and State troops. Artificial arms and legs to be furnished disabled soldiers. ALABAMA. 1865, June 21-Lewis E. Parsons appointed Provisional Governor. July 20-Provisional Governor Parsons issued a proclamation, fixing August 31 for an election for a Convention, under these restrictions: "But no person can vote in said election, or be a candidate for election, who is not a legal voter as the law was on that day; and if he is excepted from the benefit of annesty, under the President's proclamation of the 29th May, 1865, he must have obtained a pardon. for first Monday in November-the Provisional September 18-Election for State officers fixed Governor authorized to order an election for Representatives in Congress. stitution of slavery has been destroyed in the September 30-Convention adjourned. December 2-Anti-slavery amendment ratified in this form: 1st. That the foregoing amendment to the is hereby, ratified, to all intents and purposes, Constitution of the United States be, and the same as part of the Constitution of the United States. 2d. That this amendment to the Constitution of the United States is adopted by the Legisladoes not confer upon Congress the power to ture of Alabama with the understanding that it legislate upon the political status of freedmen in this State." is hereby, requested to forward to the President response Provisional Governor: The President congratulates you and the amendment of the Constitution of the United country upon the acceptance of the congressional being the twenty-seventh, fills up the compleStates by the State of Alabama, which vote, ment of two-thirds, and gives the amendment finishing effect as a part of the organic law of the land. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. WASHINGTON, December 5, 1865. bled. 1866, January 8-The Legislature re-assem vetoed the bill to regulate contracts with freedGov. R. M. Patton vetoed three bill's. He men, because no special law is necessary. He adds: Information from various parts of the State shows that negroes are everywhere making conentirely satisfactory to the employers. They are tracts for the present year upon terms that are the obligations contracted. There is every prosalso entering faithfully upon the discharge of pect that the engagement formed will be ob served with perfect good faith. I therefore think that special laws for regulating contracts between whites and freedmen would accomplish no good, and might result in much harm." extend the criminal laws of the State, applicable "Every person must vote in the county of his residence, and, before he is allowed to do so, must take and subscribe the oath of amr.esty pre-system of laws enacted for the government of "The bill proposes to apply to the freedmen a scribed in the President's proclamation of the free negroes residing in a community where 29th of May, 1865, before some one of the offi-slavery existed. I have carefully examined the laws which, under this bill, would be applied to September 19-Slavery declared abolished the freedmen; and I think that a mere recital "the slaves in South Carolina having been emanci of some of their provisions will show the impol-pated by the action of the United States authori icy and injustice of enforcing them upon the negroes in their new condition." Governor Patton has also vetoed "a bill entitled an act to regulate the relations of master and apprentice, as relate to freedmen, free negroes and mulattoes," because he deems the present laws amply sufficient for all purposes of apprenticeship, without operating upon a particular class of persons. The Legislature passed a tax bill, of which these are two sections: "12. To sell, or expose for sale, for one year, at any one place, any pictorial or illustrated weekly, or any monthly paper, periodical or magazine, published outside the limits of this State, and not in a foreign country, and to vend the same on the streets, or on boats or railroad cars, fifty dollars." ties." ་ September 27-Election ordered for third WASHINGTON, D. C., October 28, 1865. Your last two despatches have been received and the pardons suggested have been ordered. I hope that your Legislature will have no hesitancy in adopting the amendment to the Constitution of the United States abolishing slavery. "13. To keep a news depot for one year, in any followed by the other States, and place South It will set an example which will no doubt be city, town or village, for the sale of any news- Carolina in a most favorable attitude before the paper, periodical or magazine, not including pic-nation. I trust in God that it will be done. torials provided for in the preceding paragraph, The nation and State will then be left free and ten dollars." The Legislature passed some joint resolutions on the state of the Union, of which this, the fourth, is the most important: "That Alabama will not voluntarily consent to change the adjustment of political power as fixed by the Constitution of the United States, and to constrain her to do so, in her present prostrate and helpless condition, with no voice in the councils of the nation, would be an unjustifiable breach of faith; and that her earnest thanks are due to the President for the firm stand he has taken against amendments to the Constitution forced through in the present condition of affairs." The code became operative June 1st, under a proclamation of Governor Patton. July 20-Prov. Gov. Perry issued a proclamation fixing the first Monday of September for an election for a State Convention-the qualifications of voters being thus prescribed: Every loyal citizen who had taken the amnesty oath, and not within the excepted classes in the President's proclamation, will be entitled to vote, provided he was a legal voter under the constitution as it stood prior to the secession of South Carolina. And all who are within the excepted classes must take the oath and apply for a pardon, in order to entitle them to vote or become members of the convention. untrammeled to take that course which sound policy, wisdom, and humanity may suggest. ANDREW JOHNSON, President. EXECUTIVE OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D. C., October 31, 1865. B. F. PERRY, Provisional Governor: There is a deep interest felt as to what course the Legislature will take in regard to the adoption of the amendment to the Constitution of the United States abolishing slavery, and the assumption of the debt created to aid in the rebellion against the government of the United States. If the action of the convention was in good faith, why hesitate in making it a part of the Consti tution of the United States? I trust in God that restoration of the Union will not now be defeated, and all that has so far been well done thrown away. I still have faith that all will come out right yet. This opportunity ought to be understood and appreciated by the people of the southern States. If I know my own heart and every passion which enters it, my earnest desire is to restore the blessings of the Union, and tie up and heal every bleeding wound which has been caused by this fratricidal war. Let us be guided by love and wisdom from on high, and Union and peace will once more reign throughout the land. ANDREW JOHNSON. COLUMBIA, S. C., November 1, 1865. His Excellency ANDREW JOHNSON, President United States: I will send you to-day the whole proceedings of the State Convention, properly certified, as you request. The debt contracted by South Carolina during the rebellion is very inconsiderable. Her expenditures for war purposes were paid by the confederate government. She has assumed no debt, or any part of any debt, of that government. Her whole State debt at this time is only September 13-Convention met. September 15-Secession ordinance repealed, about six millions, and that is mostly for rail107 to 3. roads and building new State-house prior to the war. The members of the Legislature say they | amendment, in conflict with the policy of the have received no official information of the President, declared in his amnesty proclamation, amendment of the Federal Constitution abolish- and with the restoration of that harmony upon ing slavery. They have no objection to adopt- which depend the vital interests of the American ing the first section of the amendment proposed; Union. but they fear that the second section may be construed to give Congress power of local legislation over the negroes, and white men, too, 'after the abolishment of slavery. In good faith South Carolina has abolished slavery, and never will wish to restore it again. The Legislature is passing a code of laws providing ample and complete protection for the negro. There is a sincere desire to do every thing necessary to a restoration of the Union, and tie up and heal every bleeding wound which has been caused by this fratricidal war. I was elected United States Senator by a very flattering vote. The other Senator will be elected to day. B. F. PERRY, Provisional Governor. WASHINGTON, November 6, 1865. His Excellency B. F. PERRY, Prov. Gov.: Your despatch to the President of November 4 has been received. He is not entirely satisfied with the explanations it contains. Ile deems necessary the passage of adequate ordinances declaring that all insurrectionary proceedings in the State were unlawful and void ab initio. Neither the Constitution nor laws direct official information to the State of amendments to the Constitution submitted by Congress. Notices of the amendment by Congress abolishing slavery were nevertheless given by the Secretary of State at the time to the States which were then in communication with this Government. Formal notice will immediately be given to those States which were then in insurrection. The objection you mention to the last clause of the constitutional amendment is regarded as querulous and unreasonable, because that clause is really restraining in its effect, instead of enlarging the powers of Congress. The President considers the acceptance of the amendment by South Carolina as indispensable to a restoration of her relations with the other States of the Union. WILLIAM H. SEWARD. November 7-Provisional Governor Perry sent a message communicating these telegrams, and recommending the ratification, and that they "place on record the construction which had been given to the amendment by the executive department of the Federal Government." November 13-The Legislature ratified the anti-slavery amendment, in this form: 1. Resolved, &c., That the aforesaid proposed amendment of the Constitution of the United States be, and the same is hereby, accepted, and adopted and ratified by this State. 2. That a certified copy of the foregoing preamble and resolution be forwarded by his excellency the Provisional Governor to the President of the United States, and also to the Secretary of State of the United States. 3. That any attempt by Congress towards legislating upon the political status of former slaves, or their civil relations, would be contrary to the Constitution of the United States as it now is, or as it would be altered by the proposed Respecting the repudiation of the rebel State debt, this telegraphic correspondence took place : DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 1865. His Excellency B. F. PERRY, Provisional Governor: Your despatch of this date was received at half-past 10 o'clock this morning. This freedom or loyal intercourse between South Carolina and her sister States is manifestly much better and wiser than separation. The President and the whole country are gratified that South Carolina has accepted the congressional amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery. Upon reflection South Carolina herself would not care to come again into the councils of the Union incumbered and clogged with debts and obligations which had been assumed in her name in a vain attempt to subvert it. The President trusts that she will lose no time in making an effective organic declaration, disavowing all debts and obligations created or assumed in her name or behalf in aid of the rebellion. The President waits further events in South Carolina with deep interest. You will remain in the exercise of your functions of provisional governor until relieved by express directions. his WM. H. SEWARD. COLUMBIA, November 27, 1865. Hon. W. H. SEWARD: Your telegram of the 20th instant was not received in due time, owing to my absence from Columbia. The Convention having been dissolved, it is impracticable to enact any organic law in regard to the war debt. That debt is very small, as the expenditures of South Carolina were reimbursed by the confederate government. The debt is so mixed up with the ordinary expenses of the State that it cannot be separated. In South Carolina all were guilty of aiding the rebellion, and no one can complain of being taxed to pay the trifling debt incurred by his own assent in perfect good faith. The Convention did all that the President advised to be done, and I thought it wrong to keep a revolutionary body in existence and advised their immediate dissolution, which was done. There is now no power in the Legislature to repudiate the debt if it were possible to separate it from the other debts of the State. Even then it would fall on widows and orphans whose estates were invested in it for safety. B. F. PERRY, Provisional Governor. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, November 30, 1865 SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of the 27th instant, imforming me, that as the Convention had been dissolved, it was impossible to adopt the Presi dent's suggesstion to repudiate the insurgent debt, and to inform you that while the objections which you urge to the adoption of that proceeding are of a serious nature, the Presi ever. dent cannot refrain from awaiting with interest | manding the people to give it no heed whatan official expression upon that subject from the Legislature. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. His Excellency B. F. PERRY. November-The colored State Convention adiressed a memorial to Congress, asking that equal suffrage be conferred upon them in comnon with the white men of the State. November 22-Election held for Representatives in Congress. Respecting their admission there was this telegraphic correspondence: COLUMBIA, S. C., November 27, 1865. President JoHNSON: Will you please inform me whether the South Carolina members of Congress should be in Washington at the organization of the House Will the Clerk of the House call their names if their credentials are presented to him? Wil the test outh be required, or will it be refused by Congress? If the members are not allowed to take their seats they do not wish to incur the trouble and expense of going on, and the mortification of being rejected." Do give your views and wishes. B. F. PERRY, Provisional Governor. EXECUTIVE OFFICE, Washington, D. C., November 27, 1865. B. F. PERRY, Provisional Governor: I do not think it necessary for the members eiect from South Carolina to be present at the organization of Congress. On the contrary, it will be better policy to present their certificates of election after the two Houses are organized, and then it will be a simple question under the Constitution of the members taking their scats. Each House must judge for itself the election, returns, and qualifications of its own members. As to what the two Houses will do in reference to the oath now required to be taken before the members can take their seats is unknown to me, and I do not like to predict; but, upon the whole, I am of opinion that it would be better for the question to come up and be disposed of after the two Houses have been organized. I hope that your Legislature will adopt a code in reference to free persons of color that will be acceptable to the country, at the same time doing justice to the white and colored population. ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the United States. FLORIDA. 1865, April 8-Abraham K. Allison, President of the rebel Senate, of Florida, announced the death of John Milton, rebel Governor, and appointed June 7 for election of a successor. May 14-Major General Gillmore issued an order annulling this proclamation, and com * December 21-Before adjourning, the subject of the repudiation of the war debt was referred to the Committee on Federal Relations, who recommended the appointment of a special joint committee of both Houses to inquire into the amount of such debt due by the State, and to whom due; and to report at the next regular session of the Legis. lature, which will be in November, 1866. July 13-William Marvin appointed Provisional Governor. August 3-Provisional Governor Marvin called an election for delegates to a convention for October 10th-these provisions governing the election: "Every free white male person of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, and who shall be at the time of offering to vote a citizen of the United States, and who shall have resided and had his home in this State for one year next preceding the election, and for six months in the county in which he may offer to vote, and who shall have taken and subscribed the oath of amnesty, as set forth in the President's proclamation of amnesty of the 29th day of May, 1865, and if he comes within the exceptions contained in said proclamation, shall have taken said oath, and have been specially pardoned by the President, shall be entitled to vote in the county where he resides, and shall be eligible as a member of said convention, and none others. Where the person offering to vote comes within the exceptions contained in the amnesty proclamation, and shall have taken the amnesty oath, and shall have made application to the President for a special pardon through the Provisional Governor, and shall have been recommended by him for such pardon, the inspectors or judges of the election may, in most instances, properly presume that such pardon has been granted, though, owing to the want of mail facilities, it may not have been received by the party at the time of the election. "Free white soldiers, seamen, and marines in the army or navy of the United States, who were qualified by their residence to vote in said State at the time of their respective enlistments, and who shall have taken and subscribed the amnesty oath, shall be entitled to vote in the county where they respectively reside. But no soldier, seaman, or marine not a resident in the State at the time of his enlistment shall be allowed to vote." October 25-Convention met. October 28.-Secession ordinance annulled. November 6-Slavery abolished-"slavery having been destroyed in the State by the Government of the United States." Same ordinance gives colored people the right to testify in all cases where the person or property of such person is involved, but denies them the right to testify where the interest of the white class are involved. Same day-Rebel State debt repudiated. A bill was first passed submitting this question to a vote of the people: but this was reconsidered, on finding this was a condition of recognition by the executive branch of the government, and the direct repudiation adopted. November 29-Election held under an ordinance of the Convention for State officers and Representative in Congress. December 18-Legislature met. December 28-Anti-slavery amendment ratified, with this declaratory resolution a part of the ratifying instrument: "Resolved, That this amendment to the Con stitution of the United States is adopted by the Legislature of the State of Florida, with the understanding that it does not confer upon the Congress the power to legislate upon the political status of the freedmen in this State." Pending this action, this telegraphic correspondence took place : DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, September 12, 1865. SIR: Your excellency's letter of the 29th ultimo, with the accompanying proclamation, has been received and submitted to the President. The steps to which it refers, towards reorganizing the government of Florida, seem to be in the main judicious, and good results from them may be hoped for. The presumption to which the proclamation refers, however, in favor of insurgents who may wish to vote, and who may have applied for, but not received, their pardons, is not entirely approved. All applications for pardons will be duly considered, and will be disposed of as soon as may be practicable. It must, however, be distinctly understood that the restora tion to which your proclamation refers will be subject to the decision of Congress. I have the honor to be, your excellency's obedi ent servant, WILLIAM H. SEWARD. OFFICE OF THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNOR, * I have said that the Convention The undersigned, members of the Legislature of the State of Virginia, in connection with a number of the citizens of the State, whose evacuation of the city of Richmond by the Connames are attached to this paper, in view of the federate government and its occupation by the military authorities of the United States, the surrender of the army of northern Virginia, and the suspension of the jurisdiction of the civil power of the State, are of the opinion that will, in good faith, abolish slavery; but I think of the State is called for by the exigencies of the an immediate meeting of the General Assembly it probable that the Legislature, which will be situation. The consent of the military authorielected and convened at an early period, will ties of the United States to a session of the feel some reluctance against ratifying the pro- Legislature in Richmond, in connection with posed amendment to the Constitution of the the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, to their United States. The principal argument urged free deliberation upon public affairs, and to the against the ratification is, that the Legislature ingress and departure of all its members under will thereby assist to impose abolition on Ken-safe conduct, has been obtained. tucky and Delaware, which have not yet abolished slavery. If the President should think it desirable that the Legislature should ratify the proposed amendment, either with a view to promote a more complete reconciliation between the North and the South, or for any other reason, he possibly may not deem it amiss to communicate to me his wishes on the subject. His wishes on the subject would be very potent in the State. The military authorities in the State, under the command of Major General Foster, are rendering me every possible assistance in sending out notices and proclamations of the election, in the absence of mail facilities, and no disagree ments exist between us. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. MARVIN, Provisional Governor. Hon. W. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON, November 1, 1865. His Excellency WILLIAM MARVIN, Provisional Governor : Your letter of October 7 was received and submitted to the President. He is gratified with the favorable progress towards reorganization in Florida, and directs me to say that he regards the ratification by the Legislature of the congressional amendment of the Constitution of The United States authorities will afford trans portation from any point under their control to any of the persons before mentioned. The matters to be submitted to the Legislature are the restoration of peace to the State of Virginia, and the adjustment of the questions, involving life, liberty and property, that have arisen in the State as a consequence of war. Lieutenant Governor, and members of the LegisWe, therefore, earnestly request the Governor, lature, to repair to this city by the 25th of April, instant. We understand that full protection to persons and property will be afforded in the State, and we recommend to peaceful citizens to remain at their homes and pursue their usual avocations with confidence that they will not be interrupted. We earnestly solicit the attendance in Richmond, on or before the 25th of April, instant, of the following persons, citizens of Virginia, to confer with us as to the best means of restor ing peace to the State of Virginia. We have secured safe conduct from the military authorities of the United States for them to enter the city and depart without molestation: Hons. R. M. T. Hunter, A. T. Caperton, Wm. C. Rives, John Letcher, A. H. H. Stuart, R. L. Montague, Fayette McMullen, J. P. Holcombe, Alex. Rives, B. Joh ison Barbour, Jas. Barbonr, Wm. L. Goggin. J. B. Baldwin, Thos. S. Ghol |