LOUISIANA. The name of one of the states of the United States of America.
It was first explored by the French in 1682, under Robert Chevalier de la Salle, and named Louisiana, in bonor of Louis XIV. In 1699, a French settlement was begun at Biloxi by Lemoyne d'Iberville. His efforts were followed up in 1712 by Anthony Crozat, a man of wealth, who upheld the trade of the coun try for several years. About 1717 all his Interest in the province was transferred to the "Western Com pany," a chartered corporation, at the head of which was the celebrated John Law, whose speculations involved the ruin of one-half of the French nobility. In 1732 the "Company" resigned all their rights to the crown, by whom the whole of Louisiana was ceded to Spain in 1762. By the treaty of St. Iide fonso, signed October 1, 1800, Spain re-conveyed it to France, from whom it was purchased by the United States, April 30, 1803, for $15,000,000. Louisiana was admitted into the Union by an act of congress, ap proved April 8, 1812.
The first constitution was adopted January 22, 1812, and was substantially copied from that of Ken tucky. This constitution was superseded by that of 1845, which was in its turn replaced by the one adopted July 11, 1852. Next in order came the con stitution of 1864, which yielded to that of 1868, which in turn was succeeded by the constitution adopted July 21, 1879.
A new constitution was adopted May 11, 1898, and promulgated by the convention without submission to the people, to go into effect May 12, 1898. The in strument is very lengthy and contains a great deal of general legislation ; it provides educational and property qualifications in the alternative for suf frage, and in addition the right of suffrage is spe cifically conferred upon every male person who was on Jan. 1, 1867, or at any date prior thereto, entitled to vote under the constitution or statutes of any state of the United States wherein he then resided, and also upon any son or grandson of such person not less than twenty-one years of age at the date of the adoption of the constitution ; and it is also provided that no person of foreign birth naturalized prior to Jan. 1, 1898, shall be denied the right to vote by rea son of his failure to possess the educational qualifi cations prescribed, provided he shall have resided in the state five years next preceding the date of his application for registration. This exceptional right of suffrage can only be exercised by persons regis tered prior to September 1, 1898. There is an amend ment extending the "grandfather" clause, allowing illiterate white men to vote if their father or grand father could vote or had voted.