Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-12-25

Ills acquaintance viii FOltsicHi AhuilHs
We will not rerroacll him with having
made 80 smaII i display IN tie assembly
to which we have alluded !; lmt II Is with
| difficulty that we can comprehend the
hostile attitude which liz assumed towards
that section Of our population to which
! he belongs.
W. are all Americans ; but It Is evi.
dent that the habit Of speaking, by prefer.
ence. the French language, constitutes
for the ancient population, a reul disndvali-
tage, and pieces them IN a position Of
manifest inferiority. Every body Ii COM
vinced Of II. The first Constitution Of
Louisiana, and afterwards that OF 1915,
protected rs to a certain extent by declar-
ing that Freucli, as well az English, should
be the official language. This wise cIauae
retarded our decline up TO this time. Even
at present French IL used for pleading III
our courts a member Of The legislature
may speak III tltat Iuiiginge /; judicial or.
Jsr4 nre published Ii both languages, Sc.
This protection, tile feeble rampant
Which yet defends rs against our powerful
rivals, they wish now 10 take away from
,ls. This last retauaut vi the past they
desire to eiiaee.
And who IL The author Of this guilty
attempt J MI, Paul Helert.
1t ID one of ourselves who has proposed
the abolition OF the Ffeloli language, for
the measure Of which i,s constituted hin.
self HE el,afnpien, would iniaiibiy lend 10
HE complete overthrow Of the ancient
language ol tho country. This Is what
he proposed
All the sitting Of July 18th, after having
diseusseJ several articles Of Title O Of the
Constitution Of 1910, the Convention
reached the following !:
AIR. i04.-Tlie Secretary OF tile SEN
ute, and the Clerk OF tile House OF Repre-.
sentalives, must be acquainted with both
the French aud English languages, aud
the members Of the General Assembly,
may address either House In French or
English"
Mr.. Hebert proposed to strike ort the
first part Of the article, which requires
that tile Secretary Of the Senate, and the
Clerk Of the House, shall know French
as well as English. Asionislumatlt was
general among the creole members, mud
even among those Of whom English is The
maternal language. Mr.. Hel,ert was
warmly Intercepted, and he declared iha,
in presenting the resolution. he had no
other aim than to benefit his American
friends, aud to permit them to aspire TO
tho ~clerkstIip Of either house.
But is Col. Hebert Ignorant that he
American ffelhs-since it pleases him TO
call by this name exclusively tbose Of his
fellow-citizens, who do not understand
French-is he ignorant. we ask, that Amer.
leans not Of French origin, have already
filled the places to wliicI, lie made a~llu>ion
Did he forget tlat Horatio Davis had, for
twenty years. exercised the functions Of
Secretary Of the Senate, aud that the Con.
~vention itself, had Mr.. Walton for its See.
Only Messrs. Davis and Walton
although Americans-according 10 the
expression Of MIR Hebeft-are acquainted
with French.
However this may be, Mr.. Hebert Gid
not attempt to resist the storm which he
had raised, and he voted TO reject his prof.
He had not the courage to act
mp TO lis convictions-so much the worse.
Nevertheless the evil effect wal produced,
and nothing will low prevent the CON-
Of MIR. Hebert from viewing him
as All adversary.
Mr.. Hebert demanded purely and sim.
ply that 1t should uot be required OF the
clerks Of the Legislature to understand
lie French language. He did mol refer
the succeeding portion OF the article.
which permits members of the General
Assembly to speak either in French or
But is It not evident flsat his
proposition annulled the whole article, for
{ q member were to address the Legisla-
.nre In French, the Secretary ought TO he
lille to translate the words of the orator.
No one would like TO preacl, III a desert,
md to make a French discourse to per.
lons who understand only English. 10 10
ose QUE s time, and 10 throw away HE
,reath. This is the reason why the Con-
I'll, luton Of 1912. and subsequently that
if 1s45, wisely ordained that the Secre-
aries should understand French.
II will be seen, that therefore, Mr. He
virtually proposed to prescribe the nae
It the French Ianguageit the Legislature.
This wa to prescribe, at the same time
u those who speak French rather than
The proposition of Mr.. Heherf. after
,nvinr asfntisi,ed fhe C~sonveutinn# -.