The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-05-17

The Constitutions - 1919, 40 ana 'o"'
c,.at inmates has besn done to the trainers of
~ flint Constitution of the State. Men looked
uy Al is highly conservative features. It's restricted
franchise al the property qualifications; at the
executive patronage; at the life tenures. They
forgot the peculiar condition Of the country, and
did not stop to ask, whether the Constitution was
not adapted to the times and circumstances. Louis
lana had, but few years before, passed from state
of colonial vassalage to distant and despotic SOW
ereignty. The population had not become familiar
zed to American institutions and political freedom,
The great mass Of the Creole population had not
received the advantages Of education. genera
ton had not yet grown up under the new institu-
tons. Il was, therefore, an act OF prudence to
divide the political power; to limit the right Of
voting. and to require property qualifications Of
voters and officers.
This state Of things, gradually, was changed,
and the population Of AS was very different ron
that Of 1912. The time had arrived for the REFORM
and a Convention was called, with singular una
nimity. Much was expected OF this BODY
assembled at q period when the public mind was
prepared for the largest liberty. Yet, what was
The result. "A Constitution, the most arstocratic
(which ever emanated from republican assembly
Instead of correcting the evils which experience
had pointed out in the first and temporary Consti-
tntion, the Convention imposed restrictions on all
coming Legislatures. Distrust of the people seems
to have been the governing principle in all their
deliberations. 1880
Subjects of expedieucy, and which ought to have
been left 10 successive Legislatures, are excluded
from legislative action. No charters are to be
granted, no debt be created, except after tedious
delays-in their practical working, operating as q
| prohibition. The appointing power injudiciousiy
divided-a portion left with the Governor, and {
portion With the people. Its reforms are of a half
way character; lis conservatism, Of the most often
sive nature The State is prohibited from lending
| the public faith for any corporation, and thus the
power to construct great works of Internal Improve
| ment is diminished.
| The Legislature is forbidden to incorporat,
Banks, and thus the commercial resources OF thu
| State are impaired. Whether Banks are necessar!
or not, should be left the people Of each genera
ton, but this Constitution decides for all posterity
The power Of taxation, too, is restrained, and in
stead of trusting the people, for the thirty pre-
vious years, the mode and proportion of taxation i
| laid down. The mode Of changing the Constitu
ton itself is tedious, cumbersome, and next to i'm
possible The feeling through the State is strong
against it, and in favor OF a new Convention. u
| What shall be the Constitution Of 1852? On
essentially democratic in its features, which sha
leave to the people the right and duty Of legi'
lating for themselves; one which by its provision
shall recognize their capacity and prudence-whc
shall entrust them with the selection Of all the
officers; one which shall recognize the people co
ectivey Of sufficient discretion and intelligence
manage their own affairs. If man at the age
twenty -one is considered competent to transa
business and contract debts, why should not Ii
numbers who compose society have the SAN
power? Does their aggregation diminish the
capacity
Let the new Constitution restore to the peop
the power which they formerly possessed--a pows
which is necessary for the proper development {
the resources of the State. The Legislature meet
| in January, and Convention can assemble With
sixty days, and simple but democratic Constitr
ton can be put into operation in sixty days more
The State, freed from the odious restrictions impose
on it by the Convention Of 1S45, can enter upon
general system Of Internal Improvements, SO essen
tial to its prosperity. ea..
| Aldaru :, n a ms h Wv n euortar Sc,,ux