New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-02-26
DAILY CRESCENT.
Speech of MIR. F. d. Conrad,

Df EAST bAEON hVNNHt
On The question Of apportionnem 1f Repre-
sentation according to the total popula-
ti0n of the State, dettoered W the Conuen-
tiGn assembled 10 frame the present CoHsft-
tuition Of Loaisiano.
Mr.. PRESIDENT: rise with much reluctance,
to take any share in this discussion, having de-
clared my intention not to do 50. When the
honorable, judicious, right minded, and patri!
otic Chairman Of the Committee, (Judge Guion)
who reported the measure now before the
Convention, requested me this morning to take
part in the debate, repeated to him what
stated yesterday-tbat deemed it by no means
necessary, as was sure the measure would be
carried with almost unanimity. Mr. President,
had the strongest reasons, for coming to this
conclusion. At the very commencement Of the
session of this Convention, foIesaw that the
proposition now before us was to be the cause Of
much interest, and possibly of disturbing ez-
citement.
At my instance, the discussion Of it was twice
postponed and referred to q Committee Of this
delay have availed myself and endeavored to
arrive at the opinions of members, and to bring
about harmony and compromise Of opinions
The subject which has given rise to all the diff
Guilty, is the apprehension of a majority Of the
members Of this Convention, that the city
would ultimately engross too large share Of
power in the lower House Of the Legislature
that as things now stand, the city would at the
next apportionment be entitled to thirty yfye
| Representatives, and that the progression would
90 on rapidly increasing; and that if the in
crease did not prove as rapid as was apprehen-
ded, so as in the end to absorb the numerical
power Of the House. yet such will be the effect Of
a body Of men operating with united will and
counsels, against larger body, distracted by
the effect Of sectional jealuosies and discor-
dant views and interests-that in any event the
result would be, that the city could at any time
carry a favorite measure against any effort
Of the divided representation of the country
This Mr. President, is brief statement of the
difficulty arising from the question.
Two measures have been proposed, to bring
about the desired balance in the power Of ths
legislature One was the basis of absolute and
defined restriction, and the other was that Of
total population. Those who favored the re.
strctive plan, were for restraining the city tc
a representation, not to exceed twenty five mem.
berg. During the delay which has occurred,
have taken much pains to ascertain the views o.
members, and have found but few out Of thu
city who were not Of opinion that the one or tbs
other Of these bases ought to be adopted
majority of the members, and myself, Mr.. Pres
ident, among the number, preferred the basis o
total population, as being less arbitrary and of
tensive in its character, particularly, as w
learn, that the basis of total restriction was on
highly offensive to the people Of the city, who's
feelings we were anxious to consult. A grea
fuss has been made about q certain meetin
which took place in this building in relation t
this subject, and which ha. been termed eau
! Gus, as ii it were party affair. am NJ
. ashamed of having been one of thst meeting
9 aud az, Mr.. President, was not under any il
junction of secrecy, am not unwilling that i
deeds should be published 1t is true NJ
! President. that the members from the city wei
not invited to attend that meeting, because "
: learned that they would listen to no comprt
mise They were infexible-they would hay
noue but the present basis. The country wer
AZ determined that the present basis should
changed. That meeting, composed of both tn
political parties, Mr. President, after full an
lue delberation, came to the conclusion that
was the interest of the whole State that tn
principle Of total population should be the bas
t Of its representation in the lower House, as
. was by the Constitution of 1916 the basis of i
. representation in the Senate The meeting We
. large, and there was but onedissenting voice II
/. only conflict of opinion which manifested itself
the meeting, arose from portion Of the member
contending that the basis of total populatio
would not provide sufficient limit to the fas
growing and overshadowing power of the city
in the Legislature of the State Now, woul
ask, Mr. President, if this statement Of all th
facts and circumstances of the case did not jus
tify the expectation that, from the country POI
ton of this body at least, little or no opposito
was to be made to the article now under discu.
+ sion But what, Mr. President, do we behold
! Gentlemen who apparently had just given the
assent to the measure, are now its opponents
and blowing off steam as if it h ad been pent L
there for weeks, whereas it can not be long,
! than few hours that it has been generating
y these few hours have produced a wonderful r.
volution. The Indignation which is now so v
. hemently poured out against this measure wa
rt | pAt " ~" SiAVAN ihNeaS "5'' "7 SNANA"'StJ ~
i monstrated in the opposite direction. Cent?
!. men have performed complete somerset tt
r, warmest friends Of the measure have become
n bitterest foes. Mr.. President, | must be c,
r cused if avoid all attempt at answering Il
g. arguments of gentlemen so unsteady in the
be course Opinions SO recently formed, und
such circumstances, are entitled to little weigh
however respectable the sources from whi
l' they proceed. Gentlemen have denounced IL
= measure as novel, undemocratic and atrociou
but such denunciations produce no effect up
. my convictions, manifesting, as they do, su
~ +. astonishing ignorance of facts, and exhibitin
b, as they do, so little evidence of reflection VIII
can gentlemen have read the Constitution
the United States In dersion they demon
nate this the negro basis, as if it were not t
/ same basis, deliberately recognized in the Co
4 stitution, that forms the compact holding
ny gether our glorious Union. Are gentlemen u
+, consciously taking sides with the Abolitionist
ter Are they seriously repudiating that principle
~ the Constitution of the United Stated, which pi
yides the main security for the independer
- and safety of the Southern States--a princil
i which was introduced into our national Cons
" tuition fnr the uurnnsA nf nrntertin-e the Soui