The other point is the proposition to found "State" government upon ten per centum of the population of the "State." Now we know that "State" government in the federal system of the United States is local self-government. But local self-government cannot really exist where the part of the population holding the legal authority does not really possess the sinews of power; and where the conditions of the society are democratic, or anything like democratic, one-tenth of the population cannot really possess the sinews of power. The actual power to make their government valid, to enable their government to govern would have to come from the outside. While this may happen under certain temporary exigencies without destroying local self-government on the whole, yet it cannot be permitted as a principle upon which to build a local self-government, a "State" in a federal system. Provincial governments, Territorial governments may be sustained in that way, but the distinguishing principle of "State" government forbids it. It is simply not "State" government when holding in this way the power to govern, as the principle of its life, no matter what name we may give it. Upon this point, then, Mr. Lincoln's reasoning was crude and erroneous, and when applied was destined to result in mischievous error. {14} [Sidenote: Reconstruction in Louisiana under Mr. Lincoln's plan.] [Sidenote: The election of members of Congress.] As far back as the first week in December of 1862 General Shepley, then Military Governor of Louisiana, had, by permission from the President, ordered an election for members of Congress, in the districts over which his jurisdiction extended. The President had cautioned him against any choice of Northern men at the point of the bayonet, and had declared to him that such a procedure would be "disgraceful and outrageous." The General heeded the warning, and two old citizens of Louisiana, Messrs. Hahn and Flanders, were chosen, and were admitted by the House of Representatives to their seats. This happened in February of 1863, and it was certainly good evidence that the House of Representatives was, at that moment, resting on the theory of the perdurance of the "State" of Louisiana throughout the rebellion within its limits against the United States. [Sidenote: The New Orleans convention.] [Sidenote: The election of a governor.] [Sidenote: The constitutional convention of April, 1864, and the constitution framed by it and adopted by the voters.]