Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1844-06-22

' E0latloh 10 IsHluenCe anu can De protected
g. Registry laws.
y These are the views Of those, who hay
a feared tho introduction Of the principle {
n universal suffrage into tho State Of Louis
lana. We had better take the least Z
h two evils, 10 have universal suffrage Con
siitutiOnally seeing that if we do not, W
must have it unc0nstitutionally. Fo
9 these reasons, nearly the whole Stat
! haYosresolyed ut the coming convention
10 srdaIn universal suffrage. It seems ne
4 csssary, and irresistible ut leaf these
nre my sentiments. The only chance Of
a the country portion Of tho state, is to pro.
vide as far as possible, some check in tho
Constitution, upon the almost unlimited
political power which by the intreduction
of THIS principle, 10 about 10 be conferred
upon the City Of New Oflea ns--l am
aware Of no other method, than by claim.
ing for tho Country an unusual ~prepond6r.
ance In the composition Of the senate. I
think too, that 10 preserve some share in
The Legislature power for the country.
some such provision ought TO DO introdu.
cod into the Constitution, as exists in The
Constitution Of the VI. States in relation
to Federal Representation Sd. paragraph
I'd, section Of Article of tho Constitution
Of tho U. States, which provides, that 10.
presentRtives shall be apportioned anoag
the several States, by adding to the whole
number Of free (white) persons, three
fifths Of all other persons (meaning slaves),
Let tho country parishes in relation to
the City, have the sarne advantage in Ro.
presentation, as is conceded to The slave
holding States, In relation TO the non.
slave holding states; in relation to this sng.
gestion, | have never eonvorsed with n
solitary ~person-and am not aware of the
objections that may be raised against IL,
but it seems TO me that some such provi.
sion, might DO fairly demanded BY tho
country.
As regards the appointment Off he Governor
I am aware Of no manner Of securing for
the country anything like a fair voice unless
the same principle operate in some manner
in relation to his electlon-such MS dividing
the state into election d~istricis, FOR the Cover.
nor, and giving TO the country parishes
voice increased 10 Il certain extent, in prepor.
10 the description of population, referred
to in the said article of the Constitution of
The United States These are only some rude
suggestions Of my own--uncompared with
The ideas Of any other person, and therefore
Introduced with great diaidence, and only to
the difficulty which will environ
great question:. Il may be taken for GER !
that the country which has hitherto COM =
planned Of the too great preponderance Of the J
City Power in the legislature, will be greatly =
when II finds that that power has ]
.axZ4.nsal -. fla "a
that those individuals who in the legisla. 4
were loudest in their complaints against I
lily Influence and domination. were the most 4,
'rUminent disclaimers on the side Of universal :
ufrage-and when asked by some country v
n%en1bers, If the country parishes had not al u
eady universal suffrage would only an- p
wer IN echo the words "1AiUerSGt suffrage" d
T asked IL the universal suffrage given by 4
bis law, would moi confer unlimited power !,
u the city answer again universal suffrage 7"
T asked In what manner they would remedy =
hat great evil? still "uaigersai sufrdge."- u
ike the noisy parrot, perched in his tin q
ouse, no matter what question Is put, It is \,
ways Poor Poll-1nstead of returning us !,
regiments and reasons, we were ever answer. =
4 with The magical words 'univeysaL svFrrge.' y
potentwords that so thrilllngly vibra- p'
ID along the Buncum chord, which %Connec- 81
ID the Representative in New Orleans, with u
is humbugged constituents Mt home. But ! n,
If we will permit ourselves To be hum =,
lgged on this all important subject In the =.
onvention-so | would admonish the Poor VI
oil Gentry, at the Convention to give us oi
,mething on this subject real, tangible, rec hi
edial, or they may encounter a storm when Cd
ey come home. n,
So mitch for the charge brought against -
G by the Vigilance Committee, in relation !"
my universal suffrage malfcasances.
they will now perceive that we differ W
Try little In our conclusions, although we nj
rived at the same Point by different routes. ii,
AS regards the next point raised by the 81,
'mmittee, to wit: the appointment of She r.
rs, and the proposition to limit the term Of 10 ~
ice of the iddges. / have to remark that al
9 discussion might involve another ques- ha
N, which is not included in these charges Of
the committee, and whose discussion would IN
1gthen out this communication too much, p.
d which | propose, if time and circumstan- -
s permit, to max the subject of a separate w
mmunication, to wit: the authority or not Is
the Convention to transcend the speciica- ur
ms Of the convention act. In the mean time rel
m willing to communicate fully, frankly, 10.
llingly my opinions, either to individuals
to public meetings. To avoid then, in Z"
IS communication, any difficulty on this ms
int, we will suppose for the sake of argu- stI
mt that the points now to be discussed, are asl
;luded in the specifications. pO
AS regards the appointment of sherifs, ! f
we only this 10 say: that although have -
en- Of opinion that it would be as well to ~"
We the appointment to the Governor and the
nate, | have no obstinate Partially on the are
oject-the factious spirit which has of late no
hrs prevailed at times in the Senate, in re- hir
ion 10 appointments, has satisfied me that Iii
i the people by their own ballot csuld :"
ng more calmness and judgment, to bear SNo
on appointments, than has prevailed in the run
nate-and unless that body be very differ the
.y organised by a@large increase of its del
| should prefer to see this officer IN.
cted imme diately by the ballot of the ~
,ple. ol
This is a matter then, in which one ought use
be guided by the wishes of his eonstitu. Gee
Is. The question il, which mode of APP uni
ntment is most apt to sscure-good honest, upC
I capable officers. The indirect appoint lati
mt, by which the people act through the t;o,
interposition of their servants, the Gov
Tor and Senators, or the direct appointment, %
their own ballot-arguments may b. Cu
ught to sustain either position and as the Tan
Of this officer, does not involve bar
il, some important considerations, which lish
'y to an elective Judiciary, either mode of ben
sentiment, might be adopted, without any will
ger of consequences, and in case,
uld have the honor Of seat in the Con-
ltion, | should permit the known will of 'ne
constituents to prevail. As regards the pre-
,stion whether the Judges ought to be ap- sort
nted for life, or for a term Of years and of
or a term of years, whether that term Coz
rht TO be long, or short, and indeed every sorI