The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-04-03
Lonisiana GnnuentinnI

Iheiouralal Of yesterday was read and approved
Mr. Lewis, OF Claiborne moved that THE rules be now
suspended and that the constitution be taken up and
disposed Of
Mr.. Hodge would move that the comm ttee OH south
ern contederaey be instructed report alt d reso
luton for the adoption of the constitution of tile
| federate States.
Mr. Lewis said an ordinance that efe H had already
/ been prepared
Mr. O'Bryan rose to offer the ordinance in question
for the approval and ratification of the CONSTITUTION OF
the confederate States by this convention, declaring the
! same to be approved.
Mr. Lewis rose to second the ordnance and hoped
the convention would act promptly on thf subject II
was his honest conviction that this constitution should
have been submitted to the people, but the convention
! had decided otherwise. 1t no time how to throw
obstacles or difficulties in the way of the formation OF
this government If there were defect}, which had
been pointed out by the gentleman from Orleans yeser
day. Mr. Miles, let amendments be made hereafter
The hour and time for its ratification had now arrived
Mr. 2ozer desired to express his views On the eon3ti-
tuition before the debate closed and you'd offer
substitute for the ordinance offered by the member
from Vermien Mr.. 0Bryan) to provide Pr the calling
of convention by the people for the adoption or rejec
ton of the constitution of the confederate States and
appropriatpg S25, 900 thereof.
Mr. Rozer then proceeded to address the convention
at length on the question of submitting tho constitution
to convention called by the people for THAT purpose.
He said the whole policy of the secession party had
been TO trampe the rights of the people. He re-
viewed the hasty action of the convention in passing
the ordinance of secession. He had bedn tauntngly
charged with not having signed that ordinh nce yet
he had said before he ready stand by his State
The ordinance declared Louisiana TO be free soTer
eign and independent State Let her rem ain so. But
he did not wish be forced to transfer hip allegiance
from Louisiana to South Carolina, Georgia Alabama
and the other confederate States.
He proceeded to show that Arkansas Tennessee and
Missouri had hesitated and halted in their of
He was aIS i'm O
Let us stand still and look around 1t was not too
late to join Virginia, Kentucky and Tenndssee in con-
venon and consult what was now best for he southern
States He feared no northern aggression Upon us but
feared more our hasty action. 1t riot true that
the co0peratonists favoring the north had been
asserted They only desired unannity Of aton, which
should reach from Virginia to Texas,
Mr. Rozier proceeded to show that in ca lie Of warno
dependence was to be put in the States of South Caro-
lima Georgia or Alabama to help defend us. He
alluded to the speech of the arch pacifcaei Mr. Yam
cev who had told US last October what wis to be the
great commercial prosperity of New Orleans in Of
secession. Where was the prosperity of lew Orleans
to from without the sources and RESOURCES OF our
western sister States We might pile ordn nces miles
in height but could not divide the people, OF LOusi
ana from the people of the west The city of w Orleans
and whole State to be affected by this precipitation
of the cotton States in revolution, if di not pause
in our course before it too late. He again repeated
that the west was bound to us by the bonds of matr
mony and political wedlock, from which no divorce
could ever be obtained.
Mr. Fuqua rose with great reluctance to spPak this
question because he salready convinced tile majority
of members Of the convention had made up their minds
on the constitution and did not SO much fifth view
of hoping change any ones opinion, tP put him
self right before the people of this State.
He alluded to the ordinance offered by the gentleman
from AvoyelIes Mr. Cannon submitting thd cOnstitu-
ton the people and regretted that it ha not pre-
vailed He reviewed the question of dis lniOn and
Cd lie
throughout 1t was question of safety, ahd not OF
principle
He desired to see the ordinance referring heaeonsti
tuition to the people, go before them, because Tie be
lieyes it would have strengthened it, Was opposed
the present plan of submitting it to convention
to be called for this purpose Would rather Zee it not
90 the people now than to anothdr conven
ton held in this State which had proceeded bit Vandal
strides in its marches the body OF our State const
tuition.
Mr. Fuqua proceeded to comment on the FEATURES of
the confederate constitution and regarded rs great
Improvement the section appointing office hplders for
good behavior 1t would insure competent ahd honest
men, and should get rid of any of ofe seekers
which was disgrace to our country 1t was evident
but for the provisions in the constitution such
the foul corruption of the government Warrington
that the Union could not have held together much
longer had been stated that such the stencil of
corrupt and rotten prottgacy among the officials at
Washington that the imam in the NOON was forced TO
onely passenger over the boosted capital Of he once
glorious United States of America.
Mr. Roselius, of jefferson arose to denojlnce the
mputations thrown out by certain members OF frae-
ous opposition throwing unnecessary obstaeks in the
way of the formation of southern confederjcy. He
hen went on to support Mr.. Miles argument against
the permanent constitution, saying that if Fhe new
government be formed this basis it will be nothing
more norless than an unmitigated oigarchy.
LOUISIANA CONFERENCE.-The body closed its labors
hn tba mir ar;or !
% its doutnment Mr.. Cannon proceeded to read from
he newspaper Missssippan an article protrtying in
strong colors the evils that might result from Withhold
ng from the people all opportunity of exercise Ing then
Judgement in regard to the form of government under
which they are required to live Mr.. Cannon seemed
% regard it monstrous that a mere handful Iof men
clothed in little brief authority should arr6gate TO
themselves the power to force upon the people form
IF government in regard to which they allowed no
opportunity of expressing their wishes.
Mr.. Elan in favor of the constitution adopted at
Montgomery fully and entirely. He was oppbsed to
eference. No good object could be attainel by it,
The people had sent them there not only to Withdraw
rom the old government, but to establish and put in
operation a new one, and until they bad d@ne the
AFTER well the former they would fulfill tile whole
mission entrusted to them by the people Mr. E. con
inued at length his argument in oppostid the
eference of the subject to the people, and concluded
hat if the constitution should be Immediately ratified
~ the conventions of the several States and pena-
months would not eapse before our Independence
would be universally recognised and we should enter
lpon'a career of prosperity never before enjoyed
Mr. Rozier spoke at length in favor of the reerence
o the people upon the the general principle enunci
tied by Washington that all government rests oHshould
est, upon the will of the governed.
Before he had advanced far with his remarks he was
sked by Mr. Lawrence if he had signed the ordinance
II secession to which he replied with much feeling and
emphasis: mo; and, SO help me God! never Win"
In the course of his remarks Mr. R. indicated a very
iecided opposition to the whole secession movement
md his purpose to bring this opposition befbre the
people with view other results than were Looked to
~ those who have heretofore controlled and ARE still
Erecting this movement. He was especially severe
Upon South Carolina; and declared that State and Lou
siana could never live tremendously in the SAME CON
federacy
SUBMITTING THE CONSTITUTION TO THE PEOPLE The
Augusta (Ga) Chronicle holds the following bold and
significant language in reference submitting the con-
tuton of the southern confederacy TO a vote bf the