Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-05-29
The sextLsgisIaiure.



legislative body that has ever me
in this State, We regard il rs al
most certain that the proposed con
stitutiOn will be ratified by the peO
pie, Not because ii is approved by
ihsir Judgment, brit because they
are willing to submit to that which
is grieyOusly burdensOmc, unjust
aud unwise, for tho sake of peace
aud restoration, and 10 satisfy the
national authorities, and people o.
the northern States, that they ar
sincere in tho protos,ations they
have made in this regard.
With view TO induce reflection
among our readers, aud to arouse
them 10 tho necessity Of selecting
wise and prudent mon TO represent
them, We propose 10 point out u foe
of tho important duties that will
dovolvp upon tho next Legislature
Tho Senate will have tho confr'
.nation of persons nominated IA
otllco by the Governors OF theso the
most important will be: Three Sd
premo Court Judges, whose term:
Of Office will bc, under tho first al'
lotmcnt, for three, six and nine
years respectively; also, the Judges
for tho District Courts, and such
criminal courts rs tho Legislature
may create. The Constitution pro-
vidcs that no appeal shall bo had in
criminal causes unless eomo Judge
Of tho supreme court, upon cn in
spcction Of n transcript Of tho re-
cord, shall believe that some error
of law was committed by tho judge
before whom tho case was tried.
We fear that this is most danger.
ous provision, and that it will often
defeat tho ends of Justice. There
is no feature Of the organic law
that will so nearly affect tho lives
and personal liberties Of tho people
as this. Hence tho, great impor-
tanco of securing tho ablcst and
purcst lawyers Of tho State for
judges Of tho supreme, district and
criminal courts, all of whom are ap-
pointed by the Governor and con-
firmcd by the Senate. Tho district
judges will hold their terms of Office
for eight years.
The Governor also appoints and
tho Senate confirms an Attorney
General, Secretary of State, Super
intondcnt of Public Instructions and
Superintendent of Immigration.
Senators arc elected Tor six years,
bit after the Legislature meets they
arc classified by lot, and one-third
of them go out at the end of two
years, and another third Mt the end
of four years. AS tho term of office
is so long, much discretion should
be used in their selection.
The first Legislature is required
to make provision for the condem-
nation and sale of lands for pay
ment of taxes thereon.
Provision has also to be mado, un-
der adequate penalties, for the reg
istration of all births, deaths and
marriages.
Ths Legislature is required to
prescribe by law tho manner in
which each county in the State shall
provide a Manual Labor Poor House,
for the benefit Of tho INDECENT and
poor. And shall adopt regulations
directing how persons guilty tf
offences shall be committed to the
same.
Laws have to be enacted directing
how tho Justices of the Peace shall
assess the taxes.
Annual pensions may be provided
for tho surviving veterans Of the
Texas Revolution "and for those
permanently. disabled in the service
of the United States during the late
rebellion provided, they entered
the service from this State"
This clause authorizes taxes to be
collected from tho manned confede
rates and widows and orphans Of
tho dead soldiers of the South, to
pension those who aided in their
ruin. The people of Texas, though
in bondage and without representa-
ton in Congress; are already taxed
and contribute thcir proportion to
pension soldiers of the U. S. who
were manned in the rebellion. 1t
is not right that they should be
twice taxed for the samo purpose
the more especially as the thousands
of TEXANS who were MANNED in q
cause they believed sacred can have
no provision made for them by the
general government, and whose
State will not be permitted to take
caro- of them, even though they
perish from hungry and want.
Let the people sec to il that no
representative is elected who would
favor such tax. We would greatly
prefer that one fourth Of the annual
revenue derived from taxation, and
the poll-tax, that is to go to support
of free public schools, TO educate
should go to the mainten-
ance and support of those wounded
in the war, irrespective Of the side
they cspouscd. And we would not
care TO bear a tax for the support of
the wounded soldiers of the war re-
gardlcss of the flag under " n
they fought. Whenever t.skSs. is
magnanimity, humanity and Jt-
ism controlling the destiniestsreur
State, such provision will be f;ldc,
but until such enlightened justice
can have sway, we desire 10 taxa
ton for this purpose.
"The Legislature shall have pow
i'cr to appropriate part of the ordi-
Hnary revenue of the State for the
purpose of promoting and protect
'ing immigration" Such appro-
priations TO be devoted to the sup-
port of the Bureau of Immigration,
It's agencies in foreign seaports and
in the seaporls Of the U. s, and to
he payment Of passage Of immi-
grants From Europe and their trans
.o.-sot.r,-, rr-ftlsr ffc Cfafo