The American patriot., 1855-02-07

ticians out of such occasions; but we are IN
clined to the conviction that much more caution
should be used in legislation than is now practised
The less number Of laws just so the ends and
general welfare of society are met, the better
and the great difficulty is with most Legislatures
they do too much. A great deal Of what is done
it were better to leave undone, and this fact is
evidenced by the number of laws repealed every
session, and by a great many legal enactments
standing unexecuted, as dead letters upon the sta
tute books The Americans are a fast people
they desire to see everything "done up" quick
and fast. This rule is good one in regard to
nearly everything else but law-making, and that
business should be transacted with caution, and
every law-its effect on society-should be deeply
weighed and considered carefully before its passage
The elections over the spos, appropriated by
the victors to themselves, politics and party diff
ference now lost sight Of by the legislators in
the general desire to serve the interests Of the
State and the constituency.
Several important bills have been introduced,
which will be noticed in their turn. An effort was
made some days ago in the House to change the
eighth article of the Constitution, to effect which
a two-third' vote Of both Houses was required
This movement elected much warm discussion
question, the basis Of representation. This ques-
ton is indeed vexed one in our State policy, be-
cause in the condition of things principle and er
pediency are set together by the ears, and both
views Of the matter is susceptible of being sustain
ed by much argument The "total population
basis" which now remains in the State Consti-
tuition, and which gives a representative in the
Legislature for so many inhabitants, including
males and females-whites and blacks-contains
hardship on the city of New Orleans, and on those
parishes where the black population is sparse.
The effect Of this total population basis is to
place the negroes in representation, in those par
ishes where they number many, on par with the
white inhabitants. With other portions of State,
in which but comparatively few negroes are found,
this is beyond doubt glarng political injustice.
Negroes by this basis are openly recognized as
a portion Of the people, which is not consistent
with the spirit of Southern institutions, and such
an acknowledgment by our State is anything but
comfortable. Negroes should only be looked on
as property and if under this view, they enter as
a consideration into the basis of representation,
why not allow all kinds of property: land, bank
stock stock, &C., to be represented? This ques-
ton is pretty tough one, and places the advo-
Gates of the total population basis in very awk-
ward dilemma.
"The electoral basis' which is clearly right in
principle, and thoroughly democratic, proposes to
assess the representation on the number Of quail
fed voters alone, exclusive of females and negroes
and this would have been accepted by the Con-
vention, had not the other found more favor with
the country members, who contended, rightly too,
that the representation from New Orleans should
be restricted and the only effectual uniform mode
of doing this was by giving the country repre-
sentation on its colored population. It is true
that the country and city, mutually depending so
much upon each other their interests are so in
seperably intertwined, that it is almost impossible
to seperate them without great injury to both but
as cases may be imagined in which the interests Of
the two might be opposite, it is polite by all
means that the representation from the city should
be restricted. In such case as above mentioned,
it would not be very healthy to the rural interests
to be found in the minority in the Legislature
On question of such conflicting doubts between
principle on the one hand, and erpeaiency on the
other it is difficult to ascertain which meets with
the most favor but each representative is inclined
very naturally to lean to that side which most ia
! vors the locality which he represents.
The Black Code, which the times and the Gus
. toms have so long demanded, has been revised
and passed the lower House. No difficulty is ap
pretended in its passage through the Senate. TIL,
distinguishing feature in this Code is that true
spirit of philanthropy which breathes in all it
provisions towards the black population. It will
. serve to protect more perfectly the rights of tn
master in the additional security it gives to tn
possession Of his slave property, and also it guar
4 antics life to the negro more than formerly. TIL
time was when the white man was authorized t
take the life of the negro for the most trivial Q
. offences. A negro refusing to stand when ordered
4 was liable to be shot down with perfect impunity
o. and often the master had no way of redress
= Under the new law, the white man is excused fo
;, killing only when he apprehends personal injur
from the negro.
C This law is an important improvement in tn
Legislature of our State-it will effect to stay tn
it tide Of negro blood which hitherto has flowed to
W freely and will put an end to that wanton des
y truction of negro property which has hthert
IL nreyai1ed ton mnch--it is n fnreh1a or