The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1865-10-04
why the Constitution Of 1861
is adhered ia.

mt by Governor Wells himself and |
lis supporters, it is a matter Of sur
Prise to many that the Governor
should put himself forward as the
executor of the provisions of that
celebrated instrument. 1T had .beenI
announced that the Governor had re.
seived provisional appointment
from the President, and Mr.. Rozler,
chairman of the Democratic am and II
Conservative Executive Committee"
had devised a plan by which he should
nut the Constitution Of 1852 into ex-
ecution IN case the provisionar,Gt5te'v-
ernorship should not be Forthcoming.
But Governor Wells has proceeded on
a neutrality-suspicious., and his advisers.
have adduced imperative and -conc'u'.
sive reasons why the Constitution 4. Ct
1854 should be- adhered to. Governor
Wells knows,that heshas no authority
to act. as Governor at all, exceptSby.
virtue of his election under theipro-
visions Of that Constitution. If the
Constitution is not to'be maintained
then all.its creatures are trespassers,
and hold their tenures only by suffer
ance. While the Governor gives
! this sensible reason for his course,
his supporters are in favor Of the
Constitution of 1854 for much stron.
ger reasons. The leaders in the
movement in favor Of the Governors
Enovel plan -of reconstruction are the
Office holders whom shefhas appointed
! throughoutthetState. Now the Con
Estitutien Of 1864 is the best of al
l Constitutions for those who hold Office
/ under it. In the first place, most o.
THE moneyed Offices have been tillef
|by Executive appointment. and as NJ
4 election is. to,be held,for them undeI
1.-The Governors proclamation, the ON
; GERS Withhold on to their places an
: salaries as long as the Constitution
:, shall last. In the second place, tina
Constitution has given the iattes
[salaries, and the most OF them, {
e kany Constitution that has ever e.
!. listed. The Governor gets 5000 DO
liars, instead Of 1000 as before; tn
Supreme Judges 1000 instead 9
d 5000; the District Judges 5000 i
D. .. stead Of $500; the Lieutenant Go
y !, ernor 5000 instead Of less than so
= the Attorney General 5000 instead
E, $500; the Superintendent of Publ
as Education 1000 instead Of 5000; d
State Engineer 5000; and 80 on
the end Of the list. And what is Il
a thing Of all is, that, inste'
=, Of leaving the fixing Of the salari
no to the General Assembly. they a
NC all fixed by the Constitution sltst
Up Every officer in the State, from t
~ Governor down to the policemen
's' New Orleans, and even down to
:, ld5eyers on the public porks Vide ar
=. :, 1873 and sl34 has his compensate
fixed by the Constitution Of the Sta
" The solons who got up that inst
lila ment, and got the offices for the
nIselves and their friends, were del
~. mined that they should be bountifr
80 paid; that their salaries should not
,.., lat the mercy of any subsequent I
1islature; that they should be as I
kpetual as the Constitution, ito char
ON and amend which would Require
'.n- much time and trouble as not Lib
NUS to happen until they all should
anne rich on the. public plumber. OF COT
ling, they are opposed to acting under
pa other Constitution.
a'eS While on this subject there is
thing which the poverty stricl
While tax-ridden people Of this State W
th a like to know. There is nothing
! ! 'ne in the proclamation for an 'elec
=, s"'' about the amendment of the Co
tuition. We want to know WHe
:. :. we are to understand that the !
IT up
httn, ent Constitution is to be perpe
and whether the people, who
nothing TODD with its formation
was to continue, for all time, to be \
' up the victims Of its extravagant pr
Gu IONS
e the But the main objection to the y
words, proceeding is its illegality, and
e are want Of authority on the pa
Of a those who are-dragging US into