New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-01-19
The Legislature.

The congregated wisdom of the State as
sembles at the capital to-day. A more i'm
portant body-one more pregnant with the fu-
ture destinies Of the State, never assembled
within its borders IF the Legislature do but
one-half of what is expected of it by the people,
its members will have won for themselves
distinction, Of which they may well be proud
From this day, it is to be hoped, dates a new
era in our history-one which we shall look
back to as the epoch when all the shackles and
trammels which have SO long fettered the ener-
gies of our people, were stricken off, enabling
them once more to move on in the great race Of
progress The crude and unwise laws with
which rash and hasty legislation has encum-
bered our statute books. will now give place to
others more in consonance with the wants of
the day in which we live, and better calculated
to develop our resources and reawaken our DOR
mant energies. Our legislators have no holiday
time before them. IF they expect and intend to
carry out the great measures of reform, for
which they have been selected by the people,
they must make up their minds that they have
to bring to the performance of that duty I'M
ceasing devotion, uninterrupted application and
a conscientious determination to accomplish
the objects Of their mission. With these re-
solves, reGgiously adhered to, their success is
certain The first week of the session will no
doubt be pretty much taken up in organization,
appointment of committees, etc. That and the
election Of an U s. Senator over, (Which event
takes place next Monday,) nothing will be left
but to go to work in earnest. The first and
most important measure that will engage its
attention will be the Convention bill This
will no doubt go through all its stages, few
days after its introduction. Unless this great
measure becomes law, the labors of the Legisla-
fure will be in vain.
If we intend to build for ourselves a new
fabric of greatness, we must commence by lay
ing new, broader and more substantial founda-
tons. To attempt to build on those, which time
and experience have proven to be weak and I'M
sound, will be to witness the destruction of the
entire edifce, and possibly 10 be covered in its
ruins. Without wise, LIBERAL organic laws, re-
posing some little confidence in the people, dis
possessed of many of the ss shall nor which &C
so far to render odious our present Constitution
we must remain as we are, despite all our efforts
to struggle onward. We trust, therefore, thai
n bill for taking the sense of the people on call
ing a rconvention--fxing the time at an early
date--in the same bill establishing the period
if the people decide afirmatively, when the de.
legates shall be elected, and when and where
they shall assemble, will pass the Legislature as
the first great measure of reform. This done
then on to other kindred measures. Revise the
system OF liens and tacit mortgages--remoye
the tax from capital, and forbid the city OF
NewOrleans from exercising that right--abolish
useless ofices-curtail the enormous fees of Office
30 that the encpmbent enjoy not revenue equal
to that of q dukedom--consolidat the f0p,.
municipalities, so that NewOrleans and I,afay
cite make one great city--and give the new city
a charter. that has not the finger work of design
ing politicians or interested bondholders--break
mp the monopoly of pilotage-ereate wise sys-
tenn of internal mprovement--abolish the office
of Harbor masters and Port wardens, which are
an unnecessary t0r upon commerce, and vest
their duties in the Wharfnger of the city. APP.
proaeh the performance of all these duties, no,
as paftisans, but as citizens of Louisiana, de-
termined that she shall occupy that commercial
position in the Republic, marked out for her by
God and Nature; and our word for it, legsla-
tors, your names will be remembered in after
time, and you will return to your constituents
to hear from their lips &c Well done thou good
and faithful servant
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