The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-12-11
Es RADICAL DEMOCRACY"

hAUKCAL
We have received by mail a printed
"Memorial to the House of Represent
atives of the United States" with blank
for signatures. A note is added at the
bottom, thus: "After having collected
as many signatures as possible, before
the last of December, 1874, please send
them to RADICAL DEMOCRACY, 56 Oneida
street, Milwaukee, Wis., This memo
rial wants more changes made in the
constitution. ~1tleasons on the principle
tlIattlle people should rule tall times"
and should have the power to recall their
representatives at any moment they do
not act t suit them. 1t says the con-
stitutiOn was good enough when first
framed; but at that time the trainers of
the constitution did not dare make This
country "Parely Democratic Republic"
because.
"A hundred years ago'the principles of
universal Liberty and equality wonld
have been rejected by the shareholders,
SO tilat q consistent adherence to that
fundamental democratic principle Oh de
part OF the beGC minds in the cOnstitu-
liOnal convention would have prevented
the Union, which in those times was the
uppeiInOst desire Of the patriots. There
fore slavery was suffered to Iemain in
existence iu the "land Of liberty" long
enough to %engender that most deadly
civil war, which not many years ago
threatened the destruction Of the Tepub-
lie, and the institution OF a barbAvOus
oliGalCily; StGUery, the moral cause OF
the present sad condition OF Affairs in
the Southern States, where murder, an
a'cily aud local despOtism axe the order
oil tie day"
1t is in favor OF all members of legis-
lative bodies being elected directly by
the people. 1t favOrs "the universal
principle of liberty and e~CuGtty that has
at last been justly applied to the colOred
citizens" and is in favor of " female cit
liens beingincluded FOR, the memorial
reasons, las long as O%ne-halfof the peO-
pie are deprived of the right Of self
government, We can not boast OF having
established democratic republic" 1T is
dOwuOn the Back Pay Crab" Caesar
ISM" squandering public lands" erc.
1t proposes five amendments to the
constitution. The first provides that
when a member OF Congress does not
please a majority of his constituents, he
may he recalled. The second says that
no important law shall come into iO.ce
uEtil it shall have been sanctioned by
The majority of the people" The tbitd
ab0lisles the Senate entirely, because
lis members are not elected directly by
the people, aud transfers lis privileges
aud duries to the House of Representa-
tives. The fourth ahUlislles the offices
of President and Vice-President, aud
vests their powers in an Executive Coup
cil OF seven members to be chosen 10y
the House of Representatives, from
among The citizens OF the United States.
The fifth ~cOnfers the right to vote on
females.
This is probably rather too radical to
take at present. Many people have
been in favor of CeSarism rs IL cure for
political evils; this memorial shows chat
some are in favor of the opposite ex-
tIetDe-it looks TO rs, like communism.
While not cOndemning the advocates OF
either extreme, but giving them tie
credit OF good intentions, we think it
wiser 10 bear the evils we have than 10
go to those we know not Of-eudeavOr
by cancellation, compromise, and le-
form, to cure them. The government
oil the Swiss Republic, controlled 10y a
Council, is no example for outs, on ac-
count OF our immensely larger te,iito1y
add mixed population, il for no other
reasons. A small republic may be gov
eiued directly by the people, but not
One like ours. The government re
fects the morality and Intelligence OF
the people, and if it is conducted so
badly now, what would be the ease il
every ignorant and vicious male aud
female in the whole country had Il di-
rect hand in the matter? The people
wOnld be more run to death by poliGi-
clans than they are now. IL the peO-
plewilt elect honest and competent men
to control the government as it now
all will be well. II they fail to
do it now, would they do it under Il diI-
ferent form Of government?