The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-03-18

by the undersigned the usual misfor-
tune which is said to attend that num-
Der, may not fail when this constitution
is submitted to the people Of Louisiana
for ratification. 9ss ST. tia9s'
2. The Governor If the State under
this Constitution, is only required to be
twenty zone years Of age, and a resident
ofthe State for two years preceding his
election. .Ibelieve the chief magistrate
Of great State like Louisiana, should
be more than a mere youth, and pos
sess q better knowledge of its laws,
traditions and necessities than can be
acquiredEih the space of two years
3. Contrary to the custom in every
State, and therein following the exam
pie of the constitution of 1864, the
present constitution allows the Lieu
tenant Governor salary Of three
thousand dollars per annuml for the
performance of no other service than
those of presiding officer Of the Senate
for sixty days! This is an unheard Of
and extravaganza waste of the moneys
belonging to a people already ruined,
and that, merely to crafty a set Of
vampires on the public treasury. sg
A. Article rs, in, prescribing the
qualifications Of the Judges Of the SUI
preme Court, only requires that the
lawyers appointed to that bench, shall
have practiccd law for three years in
the State. It is a notorious fact that
our system Of laws cannot be mastered
in three years; and that in such short
space of time, only a rudimentary
knowledge Of it can be acquired.
This article was adopted with a view
of filling our Supreme Bench with law
yers who have only recently been
practicing in our State. These latter
will be less competent at the end OF
three years practice with US, than one
who began The study Of the law with
our system, because during those three
years they will havetwo very difficult
tasks to perform, to learn anew system
and forget an old one. The last bull
wark for the security of titles in this
State will be a bench totally unfit by
previous education to understand, and
consequently expound our laws. d.
S. The qualification of practice fol
two years in this State, required by
the district judges, by article "a, is not
sufficient, and when reflect that these
judges are made elective by the people,
who at the best are totally unqualified
to appreciate the merits of lawyer,
cannot help the conviction that such a
system with such qualifications requir-
ed, will overthrow completely the OBJ
ject of a judiciary. In fact, the State
will have judges, but not judiciary.
6. The Constitution has adopted par.
TALLY the old probate judge system
simply adding to the Jurisdiction o
orr ancient parish judges some matters
properly belonging to the ordinary
civil jurisdiction Of courts. But al
SUGGESTIONS are required to be opened
and finally settled in the parish courts
(See Art. 87.) And for court having
to pass upon the most difficult ques.
lions under our laws, there relating tt
matters of SUGGESTIONS, the Judge Il
made elective by the people; and he il
required to possess no qualification, ex'
cept that he shall be q citizen of the
United States. Even the norninal
qualification Of learned in lawn was
stricken out. And I heard delegates
say this was done to enable the freed.
men to hold the place of parish judges
Z. Independently of the above spe.
cifc and detailed objections, Ihave {
general one to the whole Judicial sys
tenn established by| this constitution
/ refer to the elective system adopted
The evil effects of that system hay,
been too severely felt by the people o
this State to permit me ever to consen
| to it's re-establishment.
g. Article SO, regulating the exercise
Of the elective franchise and the righ
of holding Office, is anti.repnblican, il
direct conflict with the principles al
ready established In the title of til,
"Bill Of Rights and will disfranchis'
a large class Of the people Of this State
and that class is composed of the yer.
material which past events have prov
en- to us we must draw from, il we wisl
competent men to manage the affair
of State. The condition upon whicl
thew are offered the exercise of th
elective franchise and the capacity t,
hold office, is Unjust, illiberal, ungen
erous and humiliating, and unworth,
of being considered as emanating fron
an American head and American heart
| o. The oath Of Office required by Ar
90 IL simply an absurdity, and exhibit
| in it's clearest light, the total incapaci
Is Of the members OF the Convention t
fulfill the trust confded to them
What security will the colored rae
have in the oath Ut an Office if the Con
Istiution which he himself has made doe
not afford it to them I
10. The system Of public educatio
adopted in the constitution, article l3
Twill defeat the ends proposed by its ad
vocates; beside being unjust to til
white people Of the State, who will b
called upon to pay ninety mine on
Ihundredths part Of the funds to carr
| it on. It is also another attempt to e,
tablish, by law, the social equality I
l all classes and colors. 1 believe I'll
system will work irreparable injury
1.-THE coIored race--because the Whit'
Twill never mix with them orallow the
4 childrento go to the same scllools-al
without the help of the whites, the