New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-03-25

daring them 10 deny u; charging tba; tbey d"'e"
not appeal to the people, and declaring that, IN
til il should beroue the law Of the land, no W.
trly spurned the Montgomery Constlaito"-spa'
upon it--trompl,d it under his feet. lie oi'efV
denounced South Carolina, and didn't want her
" bold the nose Of Louisiana 10 the grind'toDe
where she had got II. He predicted that ule
grea. sugar interest Of Louisrana would be utter
iy ruined if she remained in the Cotton Coned-
erary. He insisted that the peoples verdict on
the Constitution should he heard, as being one ~
their crest pol teal preroeauves that ought rot
TO he d.-nied them. As might he expected, Mr.
Roziers remarks stirred up the animals censid'
erably.
Mr. Semmes Of New. Orleans followed, opposing
the ordinance. He is keen, wiry looking, bald
gentleman, in srectaclrs, and Q dry, ehec'Ne
speaker, who made the best Of bad case. lie
ccDtended that the great principle OF republican
governments wss not bssed upon pure democracy
but upon what Mr.. Calhoun termed "copcurring
najorities." We were representative govern
ment which was the great American prlhcipie
conteDd.d for, and they were not called on 10
submit 10 the people what they themselves bao
already submitted TO US by delegation of their
power,. and which conferred on us the right 70
act for then on any subject which could come
before the people He stood here m part OF
the concentrated aud sublimated sovereignty oil
the people. There was no limit TO the authority
of the Convention, except the discretion Of its
members. He argued very llminousy against
submission to the people, on the ground that II
there should chance ~ be one rOie against The
Constitution more than 70. II, that ODE vote would
control the action Of the forty thousand voters OF
Louisiana. In spite of this puerty, Mr.. 3. made
the beet argument ! heard On the majority eide.
But it was amusing to see the incfiabie scorn
aud contempt with which his lip curled as he
rang the changes upon the phrase "a mere M.
merlcsl maturity"
Judge Moore Of st. Martin 20 blaDk-faced, ell.
derly gentleman, running lurgelJ ~ shirt collar
made some remarks in favor Of acting on the
Constitution. He believed the Convention had
iu authority 10 do so. In regard 10 the sugar
interest, ne was a sugar planter, and WIS per-
fectly satisfied with the Constitution. He re.
GREETED deeply that this apple of dscord bad been
introduced, and was confident that the Black
| Republicans of tue North would give thousands,
millions, TO have this Constitution rejected by the
people. He predicted that, in two or three years,
The commerce If New.Oreabs would increase
| three-fod ia the Lew C0nlederacy.
The next speaker vas Mr.. Rosens OF New.Or-
leans. He IS small OF STATURE and ~, ms TO have
no neck at all, his round, closrly-triu,mrd, gr'z
zIy-gray head is 80 close to his body; bur be has
| q VOICE Ike steamebgine, and he fired his sar-
Castle aud telling words like torpedoes into the
rauks of the Secessionists. Why should they
talk of the necessity Of hurried actIoDl Why
talk about a union with other Southern STATES
No one denied the necessity of having cobiedera.
ton If States, and that a form Of government
should be adopted. He objected to the assertion
that the Convention III acting the Constitution
| would be proceeding III accordance with cons'i-
tuti"nal doctrine. He afiriued that the only con-
stltutional and truly republican doctrine was, that
all power resided III and must enanate FROM the
people. IL was sad that the question should tot
be submitted to the people, because one vote
migbt decide the result. What if it so hap.
peDed There were gentlemen in that Convcn-
tion who were elected by three or four vo'es.
There was no safety in republieaDsm except
when the minority governed. We're tue pe"ple
not to be trusted1 Tie iDsinuaton denied Tint
the people we're capable Of governing themselves.
regret thu. l have not time to give you a more
extended report of the speech Of Mr.. Rosleps.
Its srgument- we're Gnanswerable. and were pre-
seoted with great cogrncy and iorcei aLd h.s sar.
caslu Vhs muuutalle.
Two otber speeches were mnde--one on each
side, which csin"t reer ~ mole ei'eudedy. az
the mail IL about closing. The debate was rxct-
ing and able; but finally the previous question
was called, debate eLt.oH, and tho ordinance lost
by vote Of 73 to 70.
If the inexorabie majority had desired to
strengthen the reaction party, they could not
have adopted a course more certain to do it
than this refusal to lot the people vote Oh the
Constitution.