The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-12-17
NO. 81
IoONNUNIcATED.l
Representation for Constitutional Con-
Vcntlon.

Vcnti0n.
The leader in your daily issue Of III,
eleventh instant in reference 60 the compO
slllon OF the constitutional convention soon
" os ealied IN this State, closes as follows
Lei the convention be composed, then, OF
ninety members; let two members be Sc
sected from each district 10y district nomi
nation, aud let the sane BODY which Roini
mates these choose delegates to 4 Stste can.
yOntiOn TO nominate candidates for election
at large. Each district, then, would seleei
two representatives, making sixty. ana m,
State thirty, creating q body Of ninety
Such plan, in our opinion, has much safety
in il, and We believe it is the one whicl
comes nearest meeting the public desire. -
From the views expressed permit me II
the most friendly spirit to dissent wholly.
In the first place, IN constitutional con
vention in n State like this, having so man,
counties, which are distinct political organi
cations, and which represent interests, puE
suits aud products so widely different, ful
representation of each interest, pursuit o
staple production is requisite. Ninety mem
bers Will not give it, and the district system
if it be according to population, viii drowi
the voice not only OF coupties but ofwhol
sections. lr lie
No such injustice is intended by you, bu
such a mode of districting representation
and such limit in number as proposed, vii
necessarily produce the injustice stated.
Nor IS there any sanction for the suppOsi
ton, that the smaller number viii have
greater wisdom than the larger, and expe
rience in Legislative bodies does not prove
it. II such be the case, your argument
proves too much, and shows, that the fewel
the number of persons who are in
trusted with the powers of government the
better for the people. Garry this oul
logically, and you prove an aristocracy bet
ter than n republic, and so the. one-man,
power better than an aristocracy or oil
garchy. s-e sf.-..o. 49,.
The number must not, therefore, be 81
limited that each section of the State and
each interest will not have representation,
Limit the convention to ninety, and
make representation by voting population
or by the number of inhabitants, and ths
voice OF the whole frontier, from Red Rive
to the Gulf, is practically silenced, or els
tbs, districts WI be 10 large thatno one MAJ
could be rega. b as fair representative
Fortunately for this question there is il
Texas precedent, more than one pre-
cedent, viz: The consultation that framed
the Constitution of 1885; and later, tn,
convention which framed the Constitution
Of 1915, and still later, the secession conven
ton of 1851.
The public acts of tho people Of Texai
at different times, under various eircum
stances, have sanctioned the practic,
adopted, and it is now part of the unwrit
ten law, as deeply engraven upon themindI
of the people as II it had been promulgated
as law by some superior power. In the las
two cases, 1845 and 1S6l,stisa was a basi
on population, but there was provision
also, that each organized county should b
entitled to at least one representative. am
In the pOpulous counties the basis nigh
be high on account of the expense attache'
to the convention, but each political organ
ization should be represented. This subject
by way of illustration, might be enlarge'
on to great extent, but only propose T.
state points. g.. s..r 1f-.f..,t,s
/ am utterly opposed to any system
which will give the selection Of candidate
to party caucus or convention, in dis
triet composed of several counties, or 70
the State at large. .- rr,,r +.
to the party caucus or convention system i
proper cases, but, happily, these eases ar
comparatively few, and generally relate, t
the expression of a particular policy TO b
pursued by the State. AT best, cancuse
and conventions are among what may b
denOminated necessary evils. In this cas-
there is no necessity for a party caucus
either district or State. a..
The Democratic party is so largely in th
ascendant that it can afford to be libera
and can allow an untrammeled expression
Of opinion. It can even allow anumber o
the opposition to be elected, If their con
stituency choose to send them. An entir
absence OF the opposition in political bodie
is not healthy state; all experiences showi
this. .s 4laia ~ LlNa
But there is no danger that the conyen
ton, however constituted, willnot be Demo
cratic to the core; hence, we need not cree
q machinery to dictate or choose candidates
Neither need we fear that the people, II Ie
alone, will not take an interest inthc cleo
ton, or that they viii not in the main cleo
the very best mon who will serve,
This is to be very different body from
that Of ordinary Legislatures. Il is TO b,
one which is to franc the organic law
hence, you will scarcely be able TO find thl
farmer, mechanic, merchant, physician, o.
lawyer, however his business relations MAJ
press upon him, who will not answer to tn
call of his fellOW-citizens. It Is an homo
to serve in such body, and scarcely any
one will refuse. But the great majority o
men worthy Of having a place in such I
body will hesitate before going into scram
BILE for the candidacy before district o.
State convention. So it is plain that Oh,
convention OF caucus, district and State
system viii keep out OF the conyen
ton many Of the men who should b.
there, and at the same time place in thl
convention men who ought not to be there
am opposed to such system in ell case
Whenever It can be dispensed with, for il i
plain that the wishes Of the people Of thl
oounties to be represented cannot have fai
play. y ssa - i1eea1 81
The question Of expense Is OF secondar,
importance. What Is wanted is full rep
resentation Of every interest in the State
and that the delegates sent shall be the fre
choice Of the people who send them
In this way only viii we give satiafaetaoi
10 the people at large, and be able 70 pro
duce . Constitution that win last for gen
erations. LInEnTY.
sheriHa, cOnventfon. -. =
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