The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-02-13
The9ailgYerala
ooNsTITuTIosAL CONVENTION.

HERALD, We are pleased to say they
have been extensively copied and on
doraod by our brethren Of the Demo
cratic press, The great body OF the
Democratic journals In the State man
fully demand Of the Legislature n full
lllment of the declaration In the party
platform for a convention, In favor OF
which, majority OF fifty thousand of
the peoplcvoicd,
In the canvass Of 1871 again In that
oflo72, and lastly In the glorious one
OF 1873, every Democratic speaker, 50
far as we over heard, declared himself
In favor of "a constitutional convention
at the earliest practicable day, That
day IL now at hand, The Democrats
have the governor and both branches
of the Legislature, fully installed aud
recognized by the United States gov
ernment and the whole American pco-
pie as the legal government of this
state. There remains no power on
earth TO interfere with the exercise OF
this rlght-to 0yerawe or make w
afraid. We shall but follow In the
fresh made tracks of New Jersey,
pennsylvania and Ohio, In altering
their constitutions 80 al 10 meet their
changed wants and more perfectly pro-
tect tho people against abuses and cor
ruptlons which had crept into being In
these later years.
The Galveston News Is the only
prominent paper In the State, profess
Ing TO be Democratic, which opposes u
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 unanl-
mously for II convention. In other
parts Of the State the feeling Is not so
universal, butvery strong. Tho friends
of u convention hold that true public
economy will be subserved by II. They
know that the anomalous and absurd
constitution now in force cannot he
amended 50 ~ TO be worthy of our
great State; that II will take years TO
amend II ut all, and that heincreased
time required for general legislation,
under that plan, will cost much more
money than convention of men
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,
who propose to appoint committee
to make u constitution for this whole
State. Some of them assume, by fair
implication at least, that IL Is unsafe to
let the people elect men for this pur-
pose, allege that there is danger, and
argue in favor of It's economy. Nci-
thcr position, nor any other that we
have heard from that side, Is sound.
The people have successfully exercised
their great right ever since l776, in Tex
MS on repeated occasions, and it i'll be-
comes Representatives. senator elect
cd along with Coke on the Democratic
platform of 1873 to assume that the
same people are not equally competent
to elect able, good and true men to
constitutional convention. We repeat,
what we have earnestly said before,
that the people of Texas, after the
sore experience of the last twelve
years, are PERMANENTLY A CoNsERvA-
TIVE PEOPLE. They want no innova-
ton on sound constitutional princi-
pies as enjoyed in other States. They
do not wish or intend to innovate
upon or undo any legitimate result of
the war touching the once claimed
right of secession or the newly ac-
CURED rights of the black race. They
will honorably abide those results and
fulfill the obligations growing out of
them. But they, at the same time, are
proud and liberty-loving people, hold
ing with the faith of Jefferson to the
precious right of self-government. AS
u logical and intelligent consequence,
they want no committee appointed by
either the Legislature or governor to
make q constitution for them. They
did not elect them for that purpose
never dreamed Of such a thing.
They prefer as enlightened, free
men, to elect their own agents,
after calm discussions before them, to
perform that high and, politically
speaking, sacred duty. BY that means,
and that only, can a 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, iather than set such
precedent to those to come after us.
These are our views, and we believe
hey are not only in harmony with
sound neutrality-suspicious. princi-
lies, but also that they are the senti-
nents Of the great mass of intelligent
men in Texas.
1t Is not necessary i'm forming new
constitution to shorten the terms of
State or other offlcers-by no means.
reform of abuses, simplifying the
machinery of government, reduction
# taxation, safeguards against corrup-
ion and official tyranny--in short, all
he abuses complained of can be reme-
led in new constitution without in
with the tenure of existinp