The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-02-19
- OoNsTIElDEIoNAL CoNyENrIoN.

AA-A CVNsAAE AAONAL CONVENTION
Letters and communications Tow in on Us
fEom all parts Of the State, urging the Leg
islature TO take immediate action in relation
70 a constitutional convention. The delay
that has occurrd Is not understood, and
may be miaintefpreted. It is question Of
great importance, and regarded one Of vital
interest.
Wepublish two Of these communications;
one from correspondent signing himself
ssW. y Who i gentleman Of intelligence
and great influence. He writes fuently and
forcibly. We like his style. There is but
one thing, in ali he says, that we disap-
prove. and that Is bis reflections upon the
Governor and the Legislature. We regard
these men as pure and incorruptible. A
more self-sacri6cang and unseIfsh body of
men never assembled, in our judgment, at
the State capitol, and the moral pressure
throughout the State viii cause them TO
adopt speedy action on this great question.
CIEBuRxE, JOHNSON CoUxTY, Texas, J
February 8, 1874.
Editors Democratic 6tdtenldH-The Four
tenth Legislature can make no greater mis-
take than 70 try 10 remedy our Constitution
by amendments, instead Of calling q consti-
fufional convention, as they were elected to
do. During the canvass the people knew
full well that amendments would not an
sWor the purpose. Not Democratic can
didate entertained any such views. II he
had he would certainly have been defeated.
The people knew that amendments could
not 60 into effect, or be passed upon by
them, until the next general election-two
years of. They must live under the Consti-
tuition with It's abominable provisions still
in force over them. They must continue
that much longer under the most odious,
despicable, incompetent, ignorant judiciary
that ever afflicted an enlightened people
They must continue that much longer ex.
posed TO the merciless fangs Of every CAPT
taIist and money mOnger inand out Of the
State, sucking the very life-blood Of the
people with their frightful rates of usurious
interest on money, from five to ten per cent.
per month. Every man in the State who
had any money at all that he could loan was,
and Is now, demanding these rates of inter
elts and preying upon the necessities and
tie misfortunes Of mankind. One of the
main vital arteries of the body polite is cut
in two, and the patient win surely bleed
20 death unless it Is tied up and stopped.
The quicker tho better, and it cannot be
done too soon. For years and years after
the people Of the State shall have passed q
usuTy law they win suffer from the effects
Of these blood-siIckers. Their destructive
effects cannot be too quickly put an end TO.
We have never heard any provision
* our Constitution so execTated as
the provision forbidding any usury law
to be passed by the Legislature. If for no
other reason, the people would call con-
vention 10 make Constitution to rid them
selves as quickly as possible Of the terrible,
frightful usury now prevailing among them.
They know and feel that it will prove utter
ruin to oil the great leading interests Of the
State II permitted TO 60 on much longer,
and for them TO zee and know that 1t is to
20 on for two years longer before they can
pass upon en- amendment establishing a
usury law for the State Is more than human
nature can bear. Other great and impor-
tant changes than these are also desired by
them IN our organic law. We want a radi-
cal change Of our judiciary system, and par
ticularly Of cur criminal system, to meet the
wants Of our great State. A more speedy
and certain way of furnishing offenders
against the law than our present system is
imperatively demanded. We, want such o
system here as they have in the State of
New York. There as soon as man is nr-
rested he is tried at once, and if found
guilty is punished for his offense. We want
such Q system here. These are only some Of
the many miserable defects Of cur Constitu-
ton.
The Legislature, can only amend the Consti-
tuition in tho manner pointed out by the IN
strument. They. can only propose amendments
70 be submitted tli the people at the next gen
eFal election, thisis yet two years off. A con-
veniion eanrelieye the people. In less than six
months o new Constitution can be created and
put in force IN tho State; thisis what swanted
by the great majority Of the State. The ex-
pense Of having a convention Is as nothing TO
the evils the people are now enduring under
our present Constitution. They would submit
20 almost any exrense to get rid of Il. They
elected the Legislature and oil the State Off
cers 10 do this thing. They were all elected
upon the Democratic platform, one of the
main leading pllnzs Of which was that a
convention should be called by them.
Why, as soon as they are installed in Office
do they discover that we can remedy our evils
by amendments to the Constitution Just as
wellg Why did they not preach this way IN
the nominees under L by the most overwhelm.
ing majority ever given In the State and
upon no issue in the State were they more
decided than upon tho question OF conven-
ton. They knew, also, that q convention
was expensive, Int they unhesitatingly de-
ciaFcd Tor Il, and took upon themselves the
expense by the Ia0st decisive majority. For
The Legislature 20 fail 70 call convention,
and to call one quickly, Is neither more nor
less than a betrayal Of the people in one Of
their most favored measures. In the name Of
Heaven, has the love Of Office got to be so
strong among oar people, that no man or
party can be truffed Have the evil-bliglat-
ing examples Of Redicalism took such deep
hold upon other political parties as well as
themselves Have all honor ana political in.
legrily been cast aside by all men and all par
ties Can Democrats no more b trusted than
the canvassg Why has such q change come
over the spirit Of their droamss Why are they
So fearful Of expense 70 the people nowg Why
were they not So IN the canvassg Do they inn
agine that the views put forth by such papers
IS the Galveston lfclns and the Sherman Coli-
glcr, subsidized BY railroads Is they are, who
fear Tor their inlliresls in q convention Of the
people, reflect tic popular sentiment Of the
clalot Or are uiey actuafed By feelings Of
soroid selfish gam % themselves by holding on
% thelr Offices thelr fun ternG A convention
puts them all out Amendments keep them
III two years at least What Is the matter with
our Leg stature that they have been In session
now nearly mohth and not even bin intro
duccd IS yet, % call q conventions Even
tofCInQr Coke, II MS message, SQuinlS
more towards amendments than q convention.
All q them, IN the canvass, were for a
convention. A. Eoon Is they got into
Once they found that too terribly expressive.
and want 10 satisfy tie tax.ridflsn. usury.rid-
den. people with amendments Ia hopeiessly
l1iocllFo instrument thnf ought 70 be wiped
out altogether. We expected bread and they
gave ~ Stone we expected them to relieve
Us. and|i seems they arc studying now how 10
help themselves and o. keep iast their hold on
their o1lcls. lf this Indeed Be tie case, lee
hem caioy them Is wei as they may, for Il Is
tie last tiIno tie people VIII ever enirast one
man az them with "a oIlc6 who records his
Ec,e atalnEl calling . convention. He who
does s.. dies his political grave deeper than
laat 81 ~ J. Davis.
Iho Democrat convention hat met AZ Aus
lIn and Framed us platform. knew that a CON
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