The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-11-01
Speech Of Randell Hunt. ESQ,

You in body. During that time many questions
ot great Importance and delicacy touching the
peace and harmony of the Union, and the very ex
existence oil our national government, have arsen
been discussed, and finally settled to the satsfac-
ton ot the great body of the American people by
the constitutional, honorable and expedient meas
ures embraced IN the compromise adopted under
'he lead of Clay and Webster, Csss and Foote,
anu otheF distinguished statesmen and patriots,
VINO, whatever may be their differences on matters
oil mere party politics, have, by their maansni-
nous conduct on this occasion, entitled themselves
20 thI gratitude OF every true-hearted American
hha should not be true to myself, to liberty, and
70 me duty which owe the country, if RETAINED
from paying to them the humble tribute of nv ap-
piau'e Durng that time, too, the State of Loui-
siana and the city of New Orleans have remained
nnaer the regular and peaceable operation OF the
present Constitution of the State; and regret to
say Fellow citizens, that we have failed to keep
pace with our sister States in the great march If
progress: In spite of the natural advantages
winch New Orleans has enjoyed, she has been
outstrlpped IN the race of improvement bv New
YORK. and Boston, and Baltimore, and Philadel-
phia and other cities Of the Union. Situated not
a' rom the mouth OF the Mississippi, with nearly
laii oi the States OF the Union at one time tribu-
'ary to her, New Orleans has, within the last five
years. seen the rich commerce of the Northwest
Sfddually taken away from her; and though she
mas Increased in population and wealth. the increase
mas been small in comparison with that of other
N ~ SohhhieICt " u mrs MOI declined,
has at least been stationary.
what is the cause Of this Why is it that New
Otleans has been thus arrested in her progress?
why is !, that the State of Louisiana, with her
iefue SOIL and great natural resources, has not kept
pace with her sister States?
lbe cause may be found in the NAL government
"i Tue State. The Constitution Of the State is
iauufe. lhe Constitution is bad, and the legisla-
200 under the Constitution has been bad. For the
,"st hve years the government Of Louisiana has
been failure
do not say this upon the spur of the moment,
nor do speak for rhetorical effect. But | have
carefully watched the ope atoms of our State gov
ernment, and long weighed and studied these
things and the result Of my best judgment u.s. that
we nave been retarded in our progress and para
fzed in our action by the Constitution and legis-
lation OF the State. The Constitution has indeed
sat like nightmare the bosom of Louisiana,
ana prevented her from breathing heathfuy
"ith ITS restrictions and prohibitions, it has et-
teEed the enterprise and industry Of the people, and
caused capital 70 seek a more natural and fresr
home elsewhere. 1t has failed entirely in answer
ing The purposes for which it was framed and the
proper remedy for the people is to alter it or to
abolish IT. and to substitute new Constitution in
its place.
propose to say something on these subjects.
- Inc Constitution divides The powers of the Gov
cfhment into three departments: Legislative, Ex
ec9tive and Judicial. The Legislative department
- detective lbs Executive department is defective,
ant the Jhiieiai department is detective. The
sThole-Gayetn:nsnt is detective. 1t has had little
elect for good, and great effect for evil.
The Constitution provides that representation
IN The House of Representatives shall he equal and
,initorn and shall be regulated and ascertaned by
ihe number OF qualified electors" This is fair and
equtabie. 1t means that if 800 qualified electors
IN opelousas or in jefferson are entitled to repre-
Senive, $40 of the qualified electors in New Orleans
are also entitled to a representative. This is repub-
lean equality. But, when the Constitution lays
uo"n HE rule IN relation 10 representation in the
SENATE, It declares that the Senators "sha be ap.
pJFtloned among the Senatorial districts according
10 'he total population contained in the several dis
t'icts The change in the basis of repres senl alton
here made was intended to give greater proportion
ale weight TO the country in the Senate of ths State
In The House the number of qualified electors forms
tue nasls; 10 the Senate the total population coored
and WIN =, slave and free, constitutes the ba SIS
ne proportion of slaves 10 the white population in
i'ie country IS much larger than the proportion in
IN Tie CITY The Senatorial basis therefore, gives
an evident advantage TO the white population of
the country over the white population of the city,
Without stopping 10 dwell upon this, and admitting
IL, nor Arguments sake only, to be republican and
Jns', call your attention, fellow citizens, to the
manner in which the Constitution proceeds to an
ply The rule.
Alter declaring that Senatorsshall be apportioned
according 10 the total popul n contained in the
several Senatorial distric', y Constitution pro-
vides, that no Parish shall be entitled TO NOR.
k,iah oho-ciSHiH Of WnOe numDSf OF Senators, ~
me number OF Senators being thiriy-two, no Par.
lSl or district can be entitled to more than four
senators. This is evidently aimed at Newt Orleans.
Her population entitled her to a repres entaon of
ut least one-fonrth of the number of Senators In
order 10 carry out this Injustice the Constitnton
specially provides that IN apporliooing representa-
''on To the Senate g the population of NewOreans
E,Hti' oe deducted from the population of the whole
Sbi'e, and The remainder divided by rwentye eight,
,hu the result produced thereby shall be the Sena-
- IN Il
one man in any other Parish of the Safe was ma de-
poii'ica''y equal 10 two men in NewOreans j.
ms republication, equality, justice. The city Of
ne%CHsans is divided from the city of Lafayet's 3
ny rehot Road. By what son, by what prin-
cple OF Justice, is man on the other side of this
DIVISION l'ne made egue TO two men on this side
why IS Inc resident ct Ouachita or Jefferson given
u repte.ehtation in the Senate double that of resi-
Ieh' OF Ne" Orleans! 1t has been said by Mr.. Tay.
ilr, aud othars, that the Constitution extended
the right of suffrage. Doubtless this is true. But
y is evident that in extending the right of suffrage
,le Constitution deprived the electors iii NewOr-
leans OF The object of that rght-an equal and lair
representation in the Legislature And yet, Nj.
Aayiof and Mr.. Dunbar think this Constitution
good enough, and seek to obtain the votes of the
tHlzehs OF NewOrleans, while, at the same time,
they are endeavorlug to uphold Constitution
Wh'ch stgmatizes those citizens as unworthy Of
eqnaiity with ths other citizens Of this State.
The trainers of the Constitution were not salts
oni} hiigiIih On tllc CltZtiS
OF New Orleans; they went still further, aud Or
dalned lha' the city of New Orleans should stand
accursed and proscribed-that tile very sell on
which she rests shall be considered as Infamous
and poliunng, and that the corrupt and pesIent
atmosphere that envelopes her. shall be held 10 et,-
brace and poison the surrounding portions OF the
country within a circle Of sixty miles,
They provided ,ha, the General Assembly shonld
within month of the first session under the Con.
Sitution, designate and fix the seat of Government,
az some place not less Than sixty miles from New
Orleans, and that when SO fixed, it shonld not be
removed without the consent of four-fiiths of the
members of both Houses of the General Assembly
wish, fellow citizens, that every one of you
would read tie arguments urged in the Convention
IN FAVOR OF this provision. New Orleans, it was
said, was immoral and corrupt; that the country
members would be bribed by dinners and parties
and moneyed influences, so as to be controlled by
city factions, and would sacrifice the interests O
their immediate constituents. Miserable pretex
for mean injustice Why, the very argument i
n calumny against the constituents of the member,
who used it. Those constituent. never dreame,
OF this foul Wrong-never contemplated any injus
tlce or inequality in the political rights OF the c,i
zens OF tie different paris OF the State. Their mali
objects, in common with the entire people of IN,
Stale, 10 extend the right of suffrage, and Il
effect reform ni the Judiciary of ths Siate Tn,
people the country parishes an intelligent hon
est, high-minded, and republican people and wher
these matters shall be brought properly before them
they will stamp with reprobation the conduct o
those who have mIsrepresented them. | do no
say that they will remove the seat of Govern
ment; but do say that they will remove the s,ip