The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-02-19

would rally Ia u man 10 defeat anu
the apathy OF Democrats would DO Us
certain doom. What then? The DIS
Indignation Of the Democratic party'
The constitution will be Il failure, The
Democratic party, but recently flushed
with Victory OF ifly thousand ma or
! Ivy, VIII fall from IT, emlnenGel ana De
remembered but rs thing Of the past,
The Fourteenth Legislature VIII DO re-
buked for It's presumption, a com
mission royal tyro constituted by MS
eXcelloncy the governor aud The Two
branches OF the legislature, fifteen men
appointed 20 give the great Democratic
party OF the State of Texas u iunda-
mental law, constitution, alas' Is
centralsm our certain doom. Are DEM
oGrats 10 fix such q monster of central
lzation rs this upon the people, and
shall we still boast Of government
aud den0unce Radicals rs tyranis?
Away with such Ideas Let US call q
constitutional convention. They have
been held In this state previous TO this
they have been held all over the land
the people nre familiar with them,
On the otEer hand they know moth
Ing Of the idea of commissions. u
commission TO be appointed by the
Legislature 10 give them q constitu'
ton. Sir, this Is centralisn IN lls
most 0dlous form, aud we wonld be
Kissed atfor assumlngsuch unwarranted
authority, the authority to frame a
consl tuition for the people without In
viting them 10 participate IN the great
work. Such n work Is not our provinces
II is presumptious, il Is dangerous. l
give my opinion that II this Legisla.
ture assumes such authority II will
receive u rebukc from the people which
will be long remembered. II would be
one Of the most unpopular bodies
known In the history OF the country.
How dare We depart from our instruc-
tions? How dare we return to our
homes, after dealing so fatal blow 10
every principle Of popular government?
We could not meet the just indigna-
ton which would consign US to
eternal political oblivion. | cannot,
at this time, recall to memory
any deed of oppression and high
handed disregard Of the rights of the
people, having ever been committed
by the Radical party more flagitious
than this, Suppose, as the gentleman
from Houston has well illustrated,
Congress should conceive the idea of
framing new constitution forthe gen.
eral government; suppose Congress
were to assume the authority of ap,
pointing II commission to draft that
constitution, would it be received by
the States with appreciation We
think not. And yet Congress would
have the same right to appoint COM
to perform such work as would
the Legislature Of Texas to appoint
Of fifteen men to give the
people OF Texas u constitution, This
!, all wrong; IL is undemocratic, and
we hope that 1t will not prevail.
The first page of the Democratic
history of Texas since the sanguinary
war through which this government
has passed is now being written; let
1t not be blackened by this innovation,
this act of centralism, but give the
people n constitutional convention,
and all will be well,
! Will not consume the time of this
body longer, sir; hope the
resolution offered by the gentleman
from Houston county will not meet
with any considerable opposition, and
that 1t may be adopted by this hon
orable body.