The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1875-09-23
THE MEN OF THE CONVENTION
THEIR CHARACTER AND PUR-
POSES.

THEIR CHARACTER AND PUR-
POSES.
There was never body of lawgivers as
sembled in Texas who went about the busi-
ness before them with greater earnestness
than the popular representatives now con-
vened in the Capitol. There is less talk for
tbunkum than was ever heard in such an as
sembly. 1t fact too much talk is fatal, we
are told, to the influence of those suspected
Of addictedness to 'ventose' harangues. Be
sides, there is a tendency to compel rigid
adhesion to duty. Yesterday resolution
was written, and would have been pre-
sehted, if sudden adjournment had not
intervened, providing for the expulsion of
any member absent from his seat with
out proper reason.
Representatives of the people-have surely
met to chrystalize into organic law the dom
inant political ideas of Texas. These are
pure republicanIsm, and local freedom,
ends only attainable by restricting suffrage,
in local elections, to freeholders. If
tsuffrage must be universal in these
local elections, the proper powers of
towns and counties must be reserved
and exercised by the Legislature, other
wise each town and county, ruled by a
nomadic white or black rabble, or by
both, will be desolated. Most members of
the Convention seem disposed to dispense
with all purposes and arts of demagogues.
They talk plainly and directly of public
needs and of the plainest, boldest means of
attaining ends of public benefcence. Few
resolutions, to be coined into 'Constitu-
tionalo currency, have been proffered for
approval that do not ring of th cir true pur-
pose. Now and then one who has prac-
ticed the arts of a popular leader through a
weary lifetime forgets the place and occa-
sion and speaks to the multitude rather
than for the country, and members nudge
one another and smiles are interchanged sig
nifcant of the thipness of such harangues
and resolutions in such practical hard
working body. The spirit of the Convention
was illustrated in its refusal to have reports
of speeches published. Members thought
that inducements to talk were strong enough
without that proffered by the publication
of debates, and if literature of this sort be
IN demand, people will read that which
was produced when Madison, Randolph,
Patrick Henry and Giles, and others like
them, were framing Constitution for the
Old Dominion. We do not pretend to say
that opponents of this publication were
wiser than the rest, but they won and have
lost the day and thus demonstrated the fact
| that the Convention means to work and not
| to talk M -.
II None need fear that the Constitution now
making will not be adopted. The absurdi-
ties of the existing Constitution cannot be
exaggerated, and the trainers of that which
is to supplant 1t need have no fears that
their work will not be approved. We have
heard it said, by way of accounting for
ridiculous contradictory clauses in the Davis
Constitution, that the Davis Convention
was divided into two factions = one led by
Davis, the other by Hamilton. These men
/ UCCdhO uOoLllc W OQO dQQIQer,
Davis seeking to obliterate all laws
and contracts that came of the
'srebellion" and Hamilton opposing this
revolutionary, ruinous and despotic policy.
The quarrel grew in fierceness till the close
of the session of the costly, extravagant
body. 1t adjourned with its task half fin
ished. Davis left in high dudgeon. AS
president of the body he forgot or refused
to sign the Constitution. Gen. Candy sent
for him and induced him to append his sig
| nature to the wretched instrument, which
was then consigned to preacher who
patched it together, as Candy instruct
ed, for fifteen dollars per diem, which Gen.
Candy paid. The good parson executed
the unaccustomod task moderately we'll for
one of his cloth, but the material at his dis
posal came from mill in which intellects
dull as ''fros p" did the joiner's work and no
one part is fitted to another, and the whole
is not an unit. This framework of organic
law win be gladly overturned, and no mere
prejudice ofthe people will defeat the adop-
ton Of the system of government now in
process of creation by as earnest thinkers
and honest patriots as have ever served this
or any American commonwealth.