Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1851-06-07
she Met Icgislaturc.

iCE IUF serious ftiltCiIOH, Nl!ic IL S''t9 "tAo an
astounding Development Of 4 pecuniary mat
ter, which the people should not pass over
with Indifference. The article refers palticu-
larly to the inctliciency of the past Legislature,
as the cause Of this and many Other disgracetul
acts, and lays the bl%mc, (wh,rc it justly be-
longs upon the shoulders Of the people them
selves, for sending such law makers to the
seat of Government.
We have hitherto, and long since, without
intending any personal or sectional reflections,
spoken very decidedly upon the incIficicncy Of
the Legislatures Of Louisiana, as compared
with those Of her sister States. Certainly, this
is 4 fact, which all men Of intelligence Of either
party must candiLiy admit-and the press is
far from performing its lutv, or ASSUMING It's
Legitimate responsibility, il it passes over il 81
lrncc, through any nervous consideration, mo-
raj and public evil Of such vast magnitude. As
we have formerly said in q previous article,
it is almost out Of the question $50 notorious
is it the class of men generally sent TO the lie
IiSittluitJ ~ ttoCult ioo " tt!t il!oIlt9- It'ti!-
tications to consent to become candidates. But
public Journals are now beginning to come out
boldly and manfully, and all good and patriotic
citizens may cXult at the prospect of having 4
reform in the Legislative branches of their
State, that will place Louisiana in point Of
ability, where she deserves to stand, among
the foremost representative bodies of the Uni
on. We have surety of this from 4 move that
has lately taken place in New Orleans: tine
most eminent men Of the Wing party-mcn
who have hitherto been distinguished for their
talents and great business capacities, Of great
practical knowledge and experiencc-have been
recommended as proper persons to be selected
by the party for the city representation; and
as it has been conceded to be a wise recon-
mendation, by the press and the public, we feel
assured that the distinguished gentlemen men,
toned, will not decline an honor, which, under
the circumstances, is one Of no small pre-
tensions-that of redeeming the State from the
thraldom ofignorant and disgraceful Legislation.
They, as well as others who will be selected
from the country for the next Legislature, will
60 there as the reserved corps, or the 8: %forlorne
hope to retrieve the past, and will heroically
be known as commencing q new era in the po-
litical features of Louisiana. How powerful,
then, should be the incentive to success in the
breasts of those who may be honored in the
forthcoming conventions by being nominated as
candidates for the next ~eyentful session, to be
known as the ablest that has ever assembled
in this State.
We sincerely trust that the press through
out the State will speak out boldly on this
matter, and insist upon character, ability, and
talent, as the only recommendations for candi-
dates insisting that no demagoguism, superb
cial brains, oily tongues, or pretensions of con-
sanguinty, should influence conventions in
their choice. But beyond these imperative quail
i~ications, there is another which we seriously
and urgently call upon the people, in our hum
Bile capacity, to insist upon being made mani
fest before their suffrages are obtained. We
allude to the Union sentiment, now becoming
SO prevalent, i'll contradistinction to Disunion
sentiments. They should call upon candi-
dates, boldly and unequivocally, at this critical
period in the history of the Republic, TO d.
vulge their feelings and views in regard to the
sacredness Of the Union compact, not only re-
lative to the original States, but of all others
which have since become united or may hereaf.
ter be formed and gain admission into the
Federal Goyernment-to explain their ideas of
the power Of the General Government in re-
ference to perpetuating inviolable the Consti-
tuition and the laws of Congress-what con-
stitutes treason under the eonstitution-and to
make the irectinquiry-if endeayors by pub
lie men to make a State secede from this com
pact of united interests, is not dire and direct
treason! There can be no question as to the
feeling in this State relative to the high-pres-
sure doctrines Of Mississippi and South Caro-
lima. The people here are aware that laws
cannot be created that will not apparently
bear heavy upon certain sections Of the country
no less than State legislative laws, made
for the general good, will in almost every case,
affect individualin interests therefore, they have
too much good sense and patriotic feeling to
fly into q paroxysm Of frenzy and fury when
any national act in any manner jars with their
political Or individual aggrandizement. True,
there are prominent men in this. Slate--we al
lude to SoULE and MoRsE-who side with the
detractors and agitation fanatics of other South
ern States, who have at heart their own ephe-
m eral elevation and n%otoriety and not the pc
euniary prosperity and political grandeur Of
Louisiana; bit they do not carry with them,
at the present time at least, the sentiments of
any description Of the population Of this State;