The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-09-23


lengthy article the design Of which is to show that
the term of office Of the members of the General AS
sembly of the State in session. closes on the first
Monday in November next and that the Governor
ought in due time to issue his proclamation, ordering
an election to be held that day tor members OF
Legislature to meet on the est Monday in JAN 1896
The Telegraph quotes the following articles of the
Constitution in support Of bis argument:
| Art &c. The members of the House of Represen-
atiyes shall continue in Office for two years from the
| day of the closing Of the general elections.
Art IT, Representatives shall be chosen on the first
| Monday in November every two years, and the cleo
ton shall be completed in one day. The General As
| sembly shall meet annually on the first Monday IN
January, unless different day be appointed by law ;
and their sessions shall be held at seated government
1t is very clear from these provisions first, that the
members of the House of Representatives are to be
chosen On the first Monday in November every two
/ years. That is the time when the election is to take
1 place hereafter Secondly that they snail continue
in Office for two years ;aand thirdly, that the General
Assembly shall meet annually Oh the Afst MONDAY III
| January, unless different day be appointed by law.
/ But these provisions it viii beargued, apply to
future elections only We think the friends Of the
isng State Government will contend that the. exist
ence and term Of Office Of the members OF the present
Legislature rests ups special provision OF the Con-
| stitution which reads thus s Ee-r-
ART 15o The General Assembly, elected under this
Constitution shall hold It's first session IN the city of
New Orleans on the third Monday after the official pro-
! mitigation aforesaid.
Il will doubtless be contended by the meIbers Of the
General Assembly in session, that they were elect
ed for two years. although they required to meet
on the third Monday after the official PRONUNCIATION of
the Constitution instead of The first Monday OF January
/ The article 1885, quoted above, authorizing their
present meeting It will be observed, directs the holding
of their first session. From this itWotd appear that
second session contemplated by the trainers OF
the Constitution and that their service was not to ter
inmate on the first Monday of November, 1868. In
saving this we concur most heartily with cotempo
rary Of the Telegraph in wishing that the view he has
taken Of the law might prevail. There is certainly
room for doubt We could scarcely elect worse Leg
isature than the present one, and we should stand
very good chance of eecting much betterohe. The
question will be decided however without regard to
our opinions or our desires. New Orleans Bee.
| THE BLOODY TRAGEDY AT LEwIsyILLE, ARKANsAs.-
1 Some time since we published account Of this af
| fair from the Jefferson Times The following, from
the Arkadelphia Standard of the 2sth ut is much
| fuller one;
report reached this place few days SINCE that
bloody tragedy occurred at, LeWlsyllle Lafayette
county Ark one day last week. resulting III the death
of seven negroes and FIVE white men. The circum-
stances Of the case, understood them, were sub
stantially as follows: A negro man had committed
horrid outrage upon little white girl about thirteen
years old and the citizens executed summary punish
ment upon him by hanging & brother OF the negro
I in very insulting and riotous manner. and using
threats against those who had hung his brother The
peope OF the place. after bearing his insults Tor some
time hung him also The negroes of the town and
neighborhood then collected together to the number
Of some forty or fifty and made general attack on
the town, which was met by the cszens win me
above result These the facts far as we could
learn them having heard nothing OF The details or the
names of the persons killed. We hope this may be
mere rumor or at all events, that the affair has been
greatly exaggerated. We regret any acts OF violence
on the part of the white people Of the South when they
can possibly be avoided especially IN the present e1
cited state Of the pabc mind but if the facts re-
lated to US be correct acqut the white people OF
apy blame in the premises for there is no punishment
adeaate to the dreadful crime with which the negro
was charged, and the public safety will not admit OF
such cases being left to the laws delay, nor its
quirks and bubbles The only way to deal With such
cases whether white black is By the summary
course possible.
The CoLoRED PRocEssIos.-Two professions, the
one white the other eoored Lave occupied the streets
of our city on two recent occasions. Each numbered
according to the claim Of its friends, from fifteen to
twenty thousand men. To theusual evaporation Of
partisan feeling was added repugnance ofrace and
dread of social on the part OF the whites
on each of these occasions these immense process
sions and their attendant throngs and the lnnunerabie
spectators of the white processon nave separated
retired without act OF violence, ana without one
symptom of disorder Has this result been attained
military compassion? There was not any exhibition
IF Federal force Was it due TO the aid Of the i've hun
Ired policemen? The rattle of these tlMId pensiona-
les OF one party the other naudbs IN the shout
# single division of the procession This peace need
lot be attributed to any one cause. The universal
conviction that any outbreak would have resulted in
eadly war, that any FIRE kindled with intent
o iniure tie white race would have been extin-
uished with the blood Of the incendaTy, has had an