New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-08-04
LOUIsIANA-THE NEW CONsTHTU.
TlON.

4
TlON.
The Constitutional Convention of Louisiana
closed its labors on the 18th of July. Though
the work it had to perform was Of much greater
importance than that Of the previous Conven.
tons Of Louisiana, in 1916 and 1852, its scssdsa
was shorter than either Of them, lasting, in all
III days. The now Constitution adopted b
this Convention will DO submitted to the peoph
for their ratification or rejection on tho fizzl
Monday Of September.
The papers of Ncw-Oreans publish the com
plcte text Of the new Constitution in EngikA
and French. 1t contains, under Ia titles, is
articles, some of which are Of more than iocA
interest The first title, embracing two ard
cles, treats of emancipation, and transfers Loo
isiana from the Slave States to the Free otas>2
The two articles are as follows:
ARncLk Slavery and involuntary servi'nds, srrept 80
crime whereof the party shall have been DIV
convicsd are hereby forever tbohshed snd prohis~sl
throughout the State.
ART The Legislature shall make no Inv recognizing -
right Of property In man.
We regret that the principle Of nncompeasaisl
Emancipation was not embodied in the nsv
Constitution; yet this omission is Of slight IN
portanee in comparison with the great fact that
Slavery is declared extinct. And the fact is the
more sign fcant because the majority Of the
Convention contained some of the largest slave.
holders of the United States, showing thaS il b
not, as the Copperheads persistently maintain.
oN,o al npl xpbn
new Constitution.
The right Of suffrage Is restricted TO whats
male persons whO have attained the ago q
twenty one years. This restriction shows that
the legislators Of Louisiana have not yet Learned
that in democratic State all men ought TO en-
Joy equal rights before the Law. StIt,
not to be too severe in our judgment on Louid-
ana, We must remember that most of ths
Northern States have set the example Of denying
the rights of citizenship to the negroes. 1t b
creditable TO the Louisiana Convention thde
their willingness to recognize at least a portion
of tho negroes as citizens is indicated BY TIE
following article:
ART 49, The Legislature shan have power to lwS g.
tending suffrage such other persons citizens Of the Judd
States by military service. by rstiop to support the sov
eminent or by intellectual fitness, may be deeued enifa
thereto.
1t is serious defect Of the Constitution. tha
il omts an explicit provision excluding from
the right Of suffrage all who have taken -
active part In the Rebellion. To supply TIN
defect, resolution was adopted on the 25th d
July providing that every voter must take ths
" iron-clad" Ia, tho oath required Of TIE
members of the Convention, that they had
never taken an active part in armed Rebellion
against the Government Of tho United States.
This resolution may to some extent ncutraliss
the constitutional defect, though 1t is very e.
from being equivalent.
Articles Sc and SO declars the ineligibility q
clergymen to the General Assembly and to tie
Offices Of Governor and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
provisions which are not in accordance with IL
spirit of our age. The same must be said d
article ZIG, which gives to the Legislature ths
power to license the selling of lottery tickets
aud the keeping Of gambling houses Ths
new Constitution properly provides that ths
courts Of juStice shall be open to all, regardless
of color, and for the education Of all classes BY
taxation on the property OF the State.
On the whole, while the Constitution lacks
some important provisions, it is 80 great On nm
provement over the former constitutions of the
Slave State Of Louisiana, that We hope frr N
ratification by large majority Of the voters q
the State.
The Convention fifty concluded its work b.
declaring in favor Of an amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States, providing for to
abolition Of Slavery throughout the Union.