The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-07-18
The Bogus Convention.


nmns ofthe New Orleans press ; all
the papers refusing to dignity the
concern by publishing its proceedings
as news matter. Judge Durell hav-
ing persis,ently refused to issue the
call, that gentleman has been deposed
from the Office of President, and
Judge Howell, one Of Mr.. Wells ap.
pointees on the Supreme Bench, elect
ed in his place. That gentleman has
promptly responded to the orders Of
his corrupt associates, and has is
sued his call for the assembling OF
the Convention.
1t is not difficult to understand
v no is at the bottom of this infamous
business, by whom he is backed, and
what are the objects expected to be
accomplished by the reasspmbling of
this notorious body. When the sub.
ject was first agitated some time
since, we pointed 10 James Madison
Wells as the prime mover in the
matter, because we believed that he
was the only man in a high Office in
the State who was corrupt enough,
and who hated the people Of Louisi
ana enough to inhict upon them ali
other session of the scoundrels VIII"
were the FIST instruments Of her pres.
ent degradation. Some of his friends
and his friends are very few and
far between--thought that we were
little hasty, and that we judged
him wrongiully, but we knew our
man to we'll to be mistaken in him.
Now, since the whule matter has
come to a head, it turns out that we
were right. Among the preambles
to the resolution deposing Durell wy
find the following:
WHEREAS, His Excellency, the Governor
of the State OF Louisiana, and large num-
Der of the members Of said Constitutional
Convention, have personally and collec'
lively, and at divers times within the past
two months, waited upon, conversed with
and demanded of the Honorable Z. H
Durell, President Of said Convention; to
issue his proclamation to re-convoke said
Convention, or resign his position and
Office Of President of said body.
This, we think, should settle the
question as to who is responsible for
the action of the Convention.
The reasons for the reassembling
Of the Convention at this particular
time are no less apparent. They say
in another preamble that the passage
Of the Civil Rights Bill and the Con.
.titusional amendment render certain
actions necessary. As the laws are
now constituted they fear that Shan
non and old Haynes cannot Cypress
the people sufficiently without the as.
sistance sfother legislative acts on
the subject. The Constitutional
amendment, too, which provides for
negro suffrage and gives over Louisi
ana to the embraces Of Thad. Stevens,
Sumner and Fred. Douglas, must be
ratified by it's special advocates,
since they know that the "bad men
of the General Assembly will never
ratify it. For these reasons, for
sooth, the immortal jayhawkers and
deserters must be called together
again.
1t is suggested that there are dill
fculties in the way of this Convrn
ton accomplishing in any manner
that shall have the semblance of reg
ularlty, their nefariuus objects. 1t is
said that elections cannot be held T.,
ill the vacancies SO as to give then
a quorum, and that they cannot Sc
up another Legislature which shall
have the power to ratify the Cons,i
tutional amendment. All these
things were doubtless foreseen b,
them, but they are evidently acting
under orders from their masters a
Washington. who will accept ant
ratify their labors without regard t,
the question of legality The Con
vention will meet as rump, just al
the Congress of the United States
has been rump Congress all tn
session. As for their Legislature,
they need none ; they will ratify tn,
Constitutional amendment by tn,
Convention itself and send it on t,
Washington, and 1t will be receive,
as the legal work Of the people o
Louisiana. The Constitution provides
that amendments shall be offered t,
the legislatures or Conventions 70
ratification. and, thoughqthe Picayunt
is rignt in it's opinion that the partic
ular body must be designated b,
Congress itself, yet we have seel
enough Of Radical legislation t,
know that the Radical leaders viii