New-York daily tribune., 1843-07-28

Mass Meeting at Bordentown on the ! 9th and those
of the Southern Counties at Salem on the 29th OF
Aupust, to nominate their respective candidates
for Congress. Hon. John NJ. Clayton and other
Wing champions are expected to attend. New
Jersey is arousing, and the I.oco-Focos can only
succeed there by playing their LOUISIANA game
beino better friends of Protection than the Wings
are.
| sThe Elective FrancEise-A Word More
The Albany Argus still attempts to defend lis
assertion that Louisiana has been as uniform a
Whig State as any in the Union in full view of
the ndisputabe facts that it was .Iefiersonian IN
politics as Territory, was admitted INTO the
Union in 1912 as Democratic State, and down
to 1910 had voted every time for Democratic,
candidate for President if the Argus is authority
the point. IF Louisiana has been a uni
formly Wing State then Jackson and Van Bu
rem were leading Wings, as well as JEFFERSON,
MADISON and MoNRoE.
That the Wings since 1924 have often had a
majority in the Legislature as well in the Del
egation to Congress. we have never disputed
Why should VIC! There have been probably
eight years of undivided Wing ascendancy in
Louisiana and t,centy of what the Argus calls
Democratic, with two or three years of divided
power. Now on which rests the greater blame, If
blame there be, of Property Restrictions on Suf
fragc in Lousiana-the Democratic party which
imposed them and maintained them twenty
years, or the Wing party, which has suffered
their continuance for right years But, says the
Argus,
But all this is badinage i, does settle the
question whether the Whig party Of Louisiana were ado
of extended sntirage Men change but principles
do We ask them did Wing executives during the last
twelve years make any efforts extend the elective fran
chse Did they press upon the Legislature They did
Was not Alexander Mo"ton the first Democratic Go
twelve years aud more was he the first
cutive who earnestly pressed this with all the Influence of
his high office upon the consideration of the gislature
And the result months after his inauguration the De-
party have carried the State and the Convention
to he called This is undeniable.
Let rs look into all this. In the first place.
8 the question is not whether the Whig party Of
louisiana have any exclusive right to praise in
regard 10 this matter. It was tie ar gas that
was attempting to make party capital out Of this
matter when VIC rebukcd it. We are nol claiming
that the Wings did it, but that the Suffrage move
y
TO the facts: The Constitution of that State
requires that two several Legislatures may sub
NIT the question of holding or not holding a
Convention to the People at the mex: State Elcc-
ton respectively, and that majority of the Peo-
pie at two Elections should sustain the call. The
question was thus first submitted TO the People by
the Wing Legislature of lS4l-2 before Gov.
Monton was elected. OF course Mr.. Mouton
(who was then a u. S. Senator at Washington
will not take the credit or this. The People
(the bloody, arstocratic landholdcrs, mind You y
gave large majority for a Convc,ation at the
election of 1912, at the same time clcctng a
Wing Legislature and two of three Congressman
By decided majorties. Gov. Nlouton was elected
at the same time, aided, doubtless, by the Con-
vcntion question, which helped him a great deal
more than he did it, The Wing Legislature 50
elected again submitted the Convention question
to the People, by whom it has again been af-
firmed by an overwhelming maorty--two to one
in all the Wing Parishes we have heard from--
Now is there any Justification in all this for the
paltry attempt at vote-catching Of tie Argus
Let us not be understood as Judging thus qles-
Vi III LOUISIANA. sun less
as blaming the small number who have felt con-
strained TO vote against 4 Convention. We do
not doubt that they at heart as devoted friends
to Freedom and to Human Progress as those who
voted differently. 1t is cheap way OF floating
with the popular current, that of ,:lamoring for
the overthrow OF all Constitutional barriers and
the widest diffusion of Political Power vet TO our
mind it argues recklessness of public interests in
cagcrnesS for the qualification of individual am
blhon quite as often as more generous sentiment.
! Considering what the Population OF Louisiana is
how iiuctuatng, TO what extent uneGucuted how
made up OF such Heterogeneous races bur recently
thrown together, how prone arc thousands among
them to that volCptuous sensuaitv whic h is the
grave OF all sern.souled Patriotism or lot y dcvo
ton to Freedom, while we should have voted ior
the Convention, we deeply respect those who
dared stand Up on the unpopular side and vote
against it. We trust their apprehens;on.: of evi!
will prove groundless; yet ii we were called TO
designate among that motley population q band
whom, no splendor of tyranny could dazzle or
corrupt-whom no prospect OF favor or power
could induce to bow the knee TO an Emperor
Napoleon or other brilliant despot, we should
look Tor them among the voters ageinst rather
than those Cor Convention, good men and true
lovers OF Liberty as there doubtless are on both