The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1874-08-28
WHAT THE COMMANDMENTS MEAN.
A Huge Job to be Let!
MONROE, La, August %, 1874


ing the vigilance OF the press Of the
country in warning the people against
the adoption Of measures and laws that |
will subvert their libeaties-notwith- |
standing the vigilance that is used by |
statesmen in pointing to the approach |
Of danger-no one has publicly drawn
attention to a question wherein lies |
pendence, liberty and safety as citizens
Of a State now almost in the last thrOes
Of lessofation. Can it he that the long
continued sut1erings of the people from
outrageous barbarOus Legislation have I
deadncd their sensibilfties-have para
lyzed their whole organization, and |
thus left them to the mercy of their |
antagonist: At the last session of the |
Legislature Of Louisiana, three Amend |
ments to the Constitution were SUBJ
mitted to the people for ratification or
rejection at the November election. In
the better days of the Republic, the
mere announcement that there were to
be Amendments to the Constitution,
indicated there was u defect in the
fundamental law, or that some new
principle must be ensrafted on it, which
the wisdom of its trainers had not fore
seen. In such case, the people without
any hesitation, eagerly adopted the
amendments, because they were addi-
tional safeguards against wrong, and
guarantees of the perpetuation of their
| rights and liberties. There were other
| reasons besides these: in those days
great minds controlled National and
State affairs; great men then lived
men who lived above the fog of corrup-
ton and enjoyed the sunshine of hon.
esty. But now hate takes the place of
honesty-the accused thirst for gold
takes the place of the sentiment of
patriotism, and the whole body polite
is leprous, and stares ut us in Its hideous
deformity.
The Amendment to which 1 most
specially refer is No. I. This Amend
ment takes under its protecting care
the Consolidated bonds issued by the
Legislature of Louisiana in 1874, and
which properly falls under what is
called the "Funding Bill.' No matter
how obnoxious may be the features of
this bill no matter how much money
can be sluandered by this Fiscal Board
no matter how odious and oppressive
it may be, the adoption and ratification
of Amendment No. 1 legalises the issue
of the bonds, and G,sters on the people
Of Louisiana Il debt which will never be
paid, even to the third generation.
The Consolidated bonds, under which
euphonious name the unk nown indeht-
edness OF the State is to be funded, are
authorized by Statute No. 3 of the Leg
) islaturc of 1874, and whether the debt
for which these bonds is the represen.
tation, Is legal-whether it was author
lied by the Constitution, Or whether it
was contracted for the good govern
ment Of Louisiana-naatters not; this
proposed Constitutional Amendment, if
adopted, gives the Board Of liquidation
extra ordinary powers, by comforting on
them the right to judge Of the validity
Of the bonds and warrants in existence
at the passage of the Statute.
The effect Of this Statute is to make
the Governor, Lieut.. Governor, Auditor,
. Treasurer, Secretary of State, the
Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives, and the Fiscal agent whom the
Board Of liquidation is authorized to
elect under Section >, the financial
agents of the State to diSburse Sl5 ,ao0,-
900, and to be the sole judges of the
legality of the bonds.
But, Mr.. Editor, the most oppressive,
dangerous and obnoxious feature of this
Statute, and Of the Amendment which
engrafts it as e principle on the Consti-
tuition, remains to be shown. This
feature is found in Section Is of the
Statute:
"No Court, or Judge thereof, shall
have power to enioin the payment OF
principal or interest of any bond issued
under this Act, or the collection of the
special tax therefor, or to enjoin any
officer of State or parish in receiving
warrants"