The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1874-02-14

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Our .0.ta ln ufof thl' rond on1
iu. mmur Ice lir rmr4lnhllslimchl
Yf ncp government In loSns have
been nlly given In recent iasuca Of the
HERALD. Wcurc pleased to say they |
have been extensively copied ana en-
llorscd by our brethren of the Demo-
cratic press. The great body Of the
Journals In the state man
fully demand Of the Legislature full
nllmcnt of the declaration In the party
platform for convention, In favor OF
which, majority of fifty thousand OF
the people voted.
I'm the canvass Of 1871, again In that
Of 1872, and lastly in the glorious one !
of 1873, every Democratic speaker 50
far rs we ever heard, declared himself
in favor of constitutional convention
at the earliest practicable day. That
day Is now ut hand. The Democrats
have the governor and both branches
of the Legislature, fully installed ana
recognized by the United States gov
rnment and the whole American peo-
pie az the legal government OF TINS
State. There remains no power OH
earth to interfere with the exercise oil
this rght--to overawe or make Us
afraid. We shall but follow in the
fresh made tracks Of New Jersey,
PENNSYLVANIA and Ohio, i'll altering
their constitutions so rs to meet their
changed wants and more perfectly pro-
tect the people against abuses and cor
ruptions which had crept into being III
these later years.
The Galveston News is the only
prominent paper in the State, profess
ing to be Democratic, which opposes n
convention. Possibly there may be
others. But the Galveston Civilian
ably advocates the measure. The
Democratic press and the legislative
delegation of North Texas are unani-
mously for n convention. In other
parts of the State the feeling is not so
universal, but very strong. The friends
of q convention hold that true public
economy will be subserved by it. They
know that the anomalous and absurd
constitution now in force cannot be
amended so as to be worthy of oul
great State; that it will take years tC
amend it at all, and that theincreaseo
time required for general legislation
, under that plan, will cost much more
money than Il convention of mel
chosen for that single purpose-a body
which can do the whole work in thirty
days.
But there are considerable number
of legislators, elected rs Democrats
f who propose TO appoint committed
to make q constitution for this who'll
State. Some of them assume, by fai
| implication at least, that it is unsafe tt
} let the people elect men for this pur
= pose, allege that there is danger, an'
I argue in favor Of its economy. Mel
: ther position, nor any other that w
have heard from that side, is sound
{ The people have successfully exercised
= their great right ever since l776, in Tex
as on repeated occasions, and it i'll be
comes representative or senator elect
I ed along with Coke Oh the Democratic
, platform of 1873 to assume that TIN
q same people are not equally competen
s to elect able, good and true men to
I constitutional convention. We repeat
l what we have earnestly said before
. that the people of Texas, after TIN
sore experience of the last twelv'
. years, are PERMANENTLY A CoNsERvA
, TIVE PEOPLE. They want no innova
ton son sound constitutional princi
pies as enjoyed in other States. The!
, do not wish or intend to innovat'
/, upon or undo any legitimate result o
p the war touching the once claimed
right of secession or the newly &C
quired rights of the black race. They
, will honorably abide those results ant
I fulfill the obligations growing out o
them. But they, at the same time, arr
a proud and liberty-loving people, hold
. ing with the faith of a Jefferson to th'
a. precious right of self-government. Al
logical and intelligent consequence
. they want no committee appointed 10y
either the Legislature or governor t.
make constitution for them. The!
did not elect them for that purpose
never dreamed of such Il thing
They prefer as enlightened, free
men, to elect their own agents
after calm discussions before them, t.
perform that high and, politically
speaking, sacred duty. By that means
and that only, can body of delegates
reflect the public will in the principles
to be embodied in the fundamental
law under which they are to live
Moreover, we believe that any con-
stitution submitted to the people In
that unrepresentative manner would
be voted down, rather than set such
precedent to those to come after us
These are our views, and we believe
they are not only in harmony with
sound democratic-republican princi'
Piles, but also that they are the senti-
ments of the great mass of intelligent
, men in Texas,
, II is not necessary in forming a new
constitution to shorten the terms Of