The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-11-07
4 WORD TO DUB PATRIOTIC LEGIs
LATORS.


without unnecessary delay, for the purpose
making up list of the reform measures which
the interests of the State and of this metropo
lis require to be passed at an early day Of the
session.
Such reform measures as need to be en-
bodied in positive enactments should of
carefully digested and drawn up by
skilled and experienced hands before the
Legislature meets, and repeating acts should
be prepared beforehand for the purpose Of
Kidding our statute books of all those dis
graceful and oppressive laws which rogues
have enacted for the benefit of knaves. 1t is
not our purpose now to name or attempt to
enumerate the existing laws which the pros
perity and good name of the State require TO
bs repealed. The statute books of this State
made within the last eight years are reeking
with such diabolical enactments, which have
done SO much to cripple and discourage our
people. Those books should be taken up
seriatin, and ransacked with scrutinizing
eye, with the view of purging them of all
this filthy matter.
This will be the first session of the Legisla-
ture in many years in which the substantial
people of the State have had sufficient rep
resentation to prevent obnoxious legislation,
much less to enact salutary laws. Fortu-
nately, the trusted representatives of the peo-
pie are in sufficient force in the lower House
to command the situation, to enforce the nec.
essary legislation, or to prevent any legislation
whatever. Better, thousand times better
that we had had no legislative assemblies at
all, during the last eight years. than to have
had such wretched travesties of law-making
bodies as have from year to year disgraced
and preyed upon the State during that Pc
Rod. Better that all legislation had ceased
eight years ago than that We should now be
suffering under the legalized denominations
which our legislative managers have fastened
upon us and, we will venture to add as our
deliberate opinion, that the passage of the
necessary e.orm measures should be made
a condition precedent to any other future
legislation of whatsoever kind or for what
ever purpose. This condition should be dis
tincuy announced at the outset by the true
representatives of the people. and it should
be inAexibly and persistently adhered to to
the end.
1t may be thought uncharitabls to PREJUDICE
the temper of the Radical Senate touching
measures of reform, nor are we disposed to
do SO further than we are warranted by past
experience. We all know how profuse have
been these devotees of Radicalism in their
those promises and professions have been
belied by their subsequent acts
We shall be glad to be disappointed in our
Of the attitude of the Radical
majority in the Senate and minority in the
House on measures of reform at the next ses.
sion. We shall be glad to hail and herald any
good disposition these people may manifest
to atone for their past Offences by aiding
them to undo what they have heretofore done
to the injury of the Commonwealth.
But we shall accept no wordy pr ofessions
Of such good disposition. Nothing short of
deeds, honest, earnest deeds, in aiding to cor
rect vicious legislation and to adopt measures
Of relief for our oppressed people, will be &C.
cepted as "works meet for repentance on
The part of the Radical members of the
House and Senate This they will have an
early opportunity to do when the fraudulent
census returns come up for consideration
with the view to the reappointment Of rep
.esentatives for the several parishes. There
hey will show their hands and manifest their
purposes.
A caucus Of all the Democratic and Con-
ervative members of both Houses should be
leld before the Legislature meets, to lay
Town an infexible programme of action EN-.
tracing all the details Of necessary legislation.
The caucus should resolve to have the needed |
measures carried through both Houses, and |
o receive the signature of the Governor be-
ore any other acts whatever shall be passed |
hat no appropriations for carrying on the
or for any other purpose, shall I
,ass the House of Representatives, where our
riends are in the majority, until the meas
Tres of reform and relief shall have been
This will require much frmness and self
bnegation on the part of the peoples true |
representatives., but they can well afford to
make all necessary self-sacriices required by
UGH course. Great will be their re ward in
he gratitude and appreciation of the people
q whose behalf such sacriic 8 will be made.
'hese representatives are now in position to
ay to the plunderers, Thus far shall ye 60, |
nd no farther'-relieve the people from the
urther operation Of your pastvile legislation or
he wheels of your usurping government shall
'e stopped.
1t is thus, and thus only, that these repre-
entatives can serve the people of Louisiana
or do anything to restore prosper
ty. But in order to do this there must be
timely preparation and strict concert of
ction. We make these suggestions, not in
interest Of any party, but for the sole
,urpose of restoring prosperity to the State