The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-03-18
coSsrlruriosAI. CONVENTION.

CONSTRUCTION CONVENTION.
win profound pleasure we ail'
nounce That, on the lth Instant, holl
houses Of the legislature pissed th'
joint resolution, providing for u con
ventlon lofrnme Wnd submit 10 th'
people Tor ratification new consIiIn
tIou for the state of'lrXoT, y lpas'l
but four days heforo the adl1urnmcnl
aud from tho linlldIty olaono and lh'
stubborn opposition of Othcr members
the best ppd tlboet llough'ul men
among The people mad BECOME alarm
ed lest lids Legislature should prove re'
creant 10 rs llgh trust aud adjourn,
leaving the people htIll glpplng under
the burdens aud moUSIrOSlllvs im-
posed ON M by the present bastard
constitution, Such u course would
have Decn II Shame 10 tie suite aud u
disgrace 10 the democratic purity, ~
represented In tho fourteenth legisla'
ture. The trembling fears excited by
Grants Infamous manifesto IN relation
10 Arkansas, betrayed such locls of
faith IN tho returning sense OF Jpsllce
In the whole American people, 10
manifest In the past twoyears, tint we
felt abashed ~ II portion of our lcglsla-
tors. Brief weeks, ifnot dnys,at WASH
ington, showed The strength Of this
hopeful re-actionary sentiment, aud
how inpolent even the president was
IN trying TO arrogate TO himself su-
preme powerin7th the land,
Thank God, tie people ofTcxos now
havelt IN their power 70 mako II con
stitulion worthy of II free and patriotic
state. our interests demand such Il
constitution rs will reform the many
abuses iostered by the present one--as
will insure u wise, just and economical
state goyernment-as wlllso rearrange
and distribute the judicial functions as
to secure prompt administration OF jus-
tice, and savethe counties from the pres
ent unprecedented prison EXPENSES us
will enable administrators to settle cs-
tates without the red tape delays, use.
less eXpenses-and legal impedments
now imposed-as will relnaugurate the
practice of justice and efficiency in
maintaining public roads aud burst
asunder the present unequal and unjust
system, as will give us only one
session of the Legislature in two
years, instead Of the present
expensive and confusion breeding
plan of annual sessions-as will re-
establish our long-tried and excellent
system of county courts aud give to
every precinct two justices of the
peace, and n constable elected 10y the
people--as will lay broad and deep the
foundations of u just but economical
system of common schools, adapted to
our condition, and based on such prin-
ciples of simplicity in machinery as to
be easily within our means, without
imposing undue taxation. Wisdom
demands such sefad justing system
OF schools as will adapt itself to our
condition, MS a young and growing
state. Folly ana vain theories demand
a gigantic system, with its army Of
officers, such as might suit the old
states of New lorknnd pennsylvania.
These are some Of our pressing wants,
az preludes to good state govern
ment. We also need other reforms,
among which prominently are II law
to regulate Interest, hetterdehned rules
for defining homestcads. principle
dear to Texas, but imperfect In its pres
ent state. Our jury system is open TO
great Improvement, We want tie
school lands sold aS fast rs demanded
for settlement, aud. the interest used TO
pay teachers, rather than to hold thel
lands for posterity and tax the impov7|
esished people .ofto-tlay. =
But we do notrefer TO the subject for
elaboration to-day, on the contrary,
only TO let the public know the actual
state OF the question. AF
The election for delegates will take
place on the first Monday in August,
and the convention will meet in Sep.
tember, The body will consist ofnine-
ty members, three from each senatori-
al district, corresponding precisely to
our representatives in the legislature.
At the election for delegates, as We UNI
derstand the bill, the people will vote
"for conventions, or against conven-
ton" MS they please. 10 this there is
no valid objection, as three-fuurtns of
the state will vote soli1ly "for conven
tom
Practically, we take II, that as in the
case Of our representatives, Dallas,
Tarrant and Ellis will each furnish Que
of the three delegates from this, the
twentieth district. Dallas has much
the larger population, but such has
been our harmonious custom for sever
al years, and we presume Il will be adj
hered to nov, especially as the present
very lfhequafmode OF dstrietrepreseii-
tation will undoubtedly be abolished |
in the new constitution. and Our for !
mer excellent system of local and |
Iloater delegations I've re-established.
This convention of 1875 will be in
many material aspects the most inn
porti nj hody EVER assembled IN Texas.