The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1859-10-12
From the B. r. Advocate Sept. aa7th.
Gen. Z. ]. Wells as q legislator,

yAAtSEsSSN
We believe it is generally conceded
that Gen. Z. j. Wells, of Rapides has ac-
cepted, or intends accepting, the noalina-
alton for Governor SO disintercstedly prof
fered him BY the dozen or SO admiring
gentlemen who recently assembledin New
Orleans and bestowed upon themselves
the title Of Opposition Convention" In
so doing, Geh ". must have an airing Of
his record while in public life, which upon
examination, we findto be one Of the most
interesting that has come up for political
dissection in many day. We will give
merely an opening chapter to-day, hoping
that it may serve the double purpose of
attracting the attention of the Democracy
to a vulnerable point iii the history Of the
Opposition" candidate for Governor, and
at the same time to remind that candidate
Of the rugged path he will be compelled
to travel in the Quixotic enterprise in
which he and his Knights Of the Round
Table have embarked.
While our Government was yet in its
earliest infancy ahI was looked upon only
as an experiment by those who had no
confidence in the capacity of the people to
govern, tile question of popular suffrage
was one which occupied prominent place
in the minds Of our leading statesmen.
There was a class of men, of which Alex
ander Hamilton was the type, SO welded
to the old order Of things and SO devoted
to the aristocratic idea Of comforting power
on the few for the government of the
many, that it was with difficulty that the
more Republican and Democratic princi
pies Of the Jefersonian school finally OBJ
tanned ascendency in the Government and
popularity among the people. The limi-
|tation Of suffrage to the property holder
alone was one Of tile cherished objects of
Federalistic policy, the uprooting Of which
in most of its strongholds was only &C
complishcd by the triumphs and progress
sive march Of the Democratic party. It
is gratifying to know that this restriction
upon the rights ofthe people exists at pre-
sent in but a few Of the States, and that
the signs give promise that these will
soon throw overheard the antiquated pre-
JUDGE against the intelligence Of the
masses and elevate all white male citizens
to an equality as electors.
The Constitution Of Louisiana Of 1912
contained provision of this restrictive
character. Each white male citizen Of the
age Of twenty-one, before beconing a quail
|ifed'voter, was compelled to pay astate
tax and to show that be had become q
land owner by purchase from the United
states.-[See Con. 1912, Art. II, See. 81
Under this Constitution alarge number
|of intelligent people were deprived Of
s' a''0 : y no.n'ls cfeui.aDie % 'a O.
.sa s 'aasas y VIC ''l,'e 'lia' ''a' AilDefai
~, apo.','s,o 'Ds'.na'els ekas'en a Y
~, ,a.- ~ rs'''e"'"' "a" "a wy 0sa'e uh1li
80 -"' - :. .Ao's u'ape % chshge5 =
80 -, . $50 = peh'ooI : =
senate IN Io4 ~ On page Ia OF the Jour
nal of that year. we find, the followino.
Rssosysa b. ths ssaass and IYoass 81 r ,re,s,,,a.
sssss That the right Of suffrage ogdt e g extended
above the Of sweatyons Years and having .1 the
constitutional RESIDENCE which may be deemed in
ofa polltax or other taxi 81 = -
This was part Of a plan to change the
Constitution Of 1912 by passing q Bin Of
specifications for tie action Of i Constitu
tional c,onvont;on 1,b;th 10. Is g..
4, - "' - - ~
maliy called tor that purpose. 1t will be
seen that the resol,t;; m torad tl,a :;
: !, = wy - go - : Wy =
u uCra RI rod ~