The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1872-02-17
The Represent t:stives
AND THE
represented.

represented.
Time and the usurpations Of these latter DAYS
have so far transposcd the order and relative
position of one to the other, i'll the machinery of
civil Government, that it has become q mooted
problem, which of the two runs it, or in whose
interests it is administered.
In the orig ginal organization of Representa-
tive Government, the people were recognized,
and held to be the sources and repositories of
all power but in the practical exercise of those
powers by the masses, whose rights and inter
ests were alone to be conserved, there arose the
absolute necessity of their delegation.
In tle process toward the perfection of such q
system of self lfGovernment, some ratio of repre-
sentation was requircd-Or, in other words,
what proportion Of a constituency would re-
quire delegate for the faithful administration
of their rights and interests and the consequent
divisions and subdivisions into Districts and
Parishes. The former and larger of those di-
visions, embraced in point of territory and pop
ulation, not unfrequently, several parishes with
their Senatorial representation, elected for four
years, and who are in reference to the supervi-
sorry trust delegated to thcm the guardians of
the whole and each of the several subdivisions,
and checks upon such local or partial measures,
may prejudice any portion of their common
constituency.
This Senatorial District, for example, is COM
posed of st. Landry, Lafayette and Calcasieu,
and is represented by two Senators, Messrs.
Anderson, of st. Landry, and Daige, of Lafa-
yette The Parish of st. Landry, has its four
representatives, Messrs Chachere, Darby, Dnrio
and Tatman. They represent sngly and united
ly, every locality, class and interest in this en-
tire Parish. As the trustees and duciaries of the
whole people, it seems to us their manifest duty,
in times like these, to protect them to Tighten
their burdens, instead of creating additional
ones, to do even-llanded justice to each and
every portion of the Parish and in the fair and
faithful exercise OF duty to the masses they re-
present, to ignore in the doubtful advancement
of any special locality, the certain ruin and
sacrifice of another.
During the last session of the Legislature,
notice was given of the introduction of bill to
carve cut of this Palisl on its Southern boun-
Diary, the new Parish Of ''St. Joseph" 1t was
the first public announcement of sncL contem-
plated measure. In the last elections, Messrs.
Darby and Durio, Democratic nominees, were
chosen and elected from the same neighborhood,
that an active, but nuiseless circulation of petit
tons were "set on foot" in favor of that project.
The rumor of such movement, for it thus be-
came known, was not credited at the time. 1t
bore, upon its face, so little of those frank and
manly relations, which might be supposed to ex-
ist between those gentlemen and constituency
who had so shortly before given such manifes-
tation of their confidence that no credit was at
tached to the report. But on the announcement
OF an intention to present bill to that effect,
hitherto unknown to % large mass of the people
included in its limits, memorials were published
circulated and signed in opposition to it. The
Districts of Bellevue, Coulce Croche, upper
Plaquemine, lower Plaquemine, Queu Tortue,
MerDlento Pointe-aux-Loups and Others, pro-
tested against it, as a measure justified by no
honest pretext of convenience or public good,
involving a heavy additional tax, and q fragrant
violation of the rights of even majority to en-
force upon minority the payment of a tax not
justified by any claims of public or general good.
Those memorials numbering some ten or twelve
hundred Taxpayers, were forwarded by depu |
tation sent to the Legislature to represent their
opposition, were placed in the hands of Messrs.
Darby, Durio and Tatman, to be by them, when
occasion should require, presented to the Com
mittee or House. The published report of the
Parochial Committee of the House, to whom the |
bill was referred on the 25th ult.. leaving no
grounds to believe that those memorials were
ever presented, or their opposition even com
municated. The following report Of the Com
mittee show such was.the case, and by the zeal /
ous advocacy of three out of four Representa-
tives. we have been doomed, thus far, otherarise
anhea7d.
"The Committee on Parochial Affairs beg leave |
to report that they have had under considera-
tion House bill No. 329, act 70 create the par
ish of st. Joseph, and to provide for the organi-
cation of the same. We have investigated the
merits of this bill; it was ably discussed in the
committee room 1t was then suggested that
T Ihe committee request the members from ~ st.
Landry to be sent for to give their views on the |
plli. their arrival the case was opened, and
Ihree out Of four of the Representatives from
snc parish or Ut. Landry advocated in the strong
esl Terms the passage of the BILL Under these /
circumstances s. the committee beg leave to make
= favorable report, and ask that the bill pass
AZ our Representative who had the manliness
ana sense ofjnstice to esclew all other consider
atioas save duty, we return our unfeigned ack-
nowledgeinent
Oshef and additional remonstrances against
me passage of that act have been forwarded to
me Legislature, and others are in process of cir
cuiation, leaving us yet, in the event its adop
flon By the House, confidence and faith in the
wen considered aud settled views Of both Of our I
senators in reference to the expediency Of that
measure.
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