The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-01-13

miiltary power, born OF revolution, and the
result of civil war. When enforced by q
narrow, obstinate and reckless executive,
sustained BY q partisan and corrupt Legis-
lature, it rested with exaspersting and OPP
pressiye weight upon the energies of the
State. 1t was, therefore, fitting and natu-
raj that when the right of republican self
government was restored and the people
could once more regulate their own affairs
in their own way, the delegated power of
the people should assemble in convention
to do away with the obnoxious organic law,
and replace it by constitution more in ac-
cordance with the popular will, and with
the changed aspect of the times.
Accordingly the convention assembled,
but composed as il was of jarring and dis
cordant materials, representing most made
quately the intelligence and brain-power of
the State, paralyzed from the very incep-
ton by narrow jealousies and petty, local
prejudices, domineered over by dema-
gogues, and potently misguided by secret
combinations of cliques, the work of the
convention, after heightened and confused
session, is pronounced by the press and the
intelligence of Texas TO be failure-a con-
fessed and manifest failure.
The most earnest Of its defenders do not
speak Of it as being positively good. They
advocate it aPologetically, and when its
multitudinous defects, blunders and absurd
titles are exposed they refer to the lease and
rapidity with which it can be amended" as
the only answer to adverse criticism and
hostile assaults. The fact is patent that
the time had not yet come in Texas for the
formstion Of q satisfactory constitution.
The rude and evil times of war and military
occupation were too recent. The pendulum
so long subjected TO violent oscillations had
not yet regained its steadiness and poise.
Because extravagsnce in administration and
corruption in legislation had become preva-
lent, the convention, to prevent their recur-
renee, burdened the Constitution with spe-
cial enactments and inculcated the insuffer-
able political heresy that the people are not
to be trusted with the management of their
own affairs, and that they who, in re-
public, are the fountain head of all power,
are not capable of self-povernment. Feel
ing the need of economy, the convention
swung to the farthest extremity of unwise
parsimony in doing out to its public servants
q compensation inadequate and even pitt
full. Under the same pretext bureau was
abolished which, in all communities need
ing the influx of labor and population, has
been found scarcely second to the railroad
and the public school in forwarding the ma
terial interests of the State.
Under the demagogue's plea that the
poor mans right to vote is inalienable and
inherent, and unmindful of the sound max
i'm taught by the accum ulated experience
of thousand years that universal suffrage
and universal education must go together,
they made a transparent show of providing
q school system, while limiting the amount
that future legislatures shall expend for
schools, and refusing even to permit the
taxpayers to vote their own money in their
own school districts for educational pur-
poses, but they fastened unrestricted suf-
frage on our State to the constant peril of
good order, to the danger of pesceable soci-
ETY., thereby arraying in every municipal
election labor against capital, poverty
against wealth, and mobocracy against a
civilized, intelligent we'll regulated govern
ment of the industrious, hard working tax.
payers.
The convention interfered with every
thing else, meddled with everything else,
filed and numbered their constitution with
restrictions of all kinds on the Legislature
and on the people, but the right to vote
was not regulated--the divine right of the
loafer, the tramp, the hummer, and the
drune to have an equal voice in the regula-
ton of local and State affairs with those
who are taxed to maintain the whole ma
chinery Of our government, and whose
sturdy shoulders uphold the pillars of the
constitutional fabric, was passed without
limit or question. The direct tendency ot
such action is to abolish and annihilate the
doctrine Of State rule, and to bring the
whole South under q general centralized
government of an imperial nature and char
acter.
A constitution against public schools
against immigration, against local govern
ment by the taxpayers, against railroads
against the just and proper regulation o
suffrage, against fair and remunerative sal
aries, against the Development of the re
sources of this mighty common wealth
sgainst the progress and life of this az,
ana century, against all those means and
agencies that this great imperial State SC
constantly needs, and in favor of anything
that cheeks and blocks and hinders the on
ward growth and steady prosperity of this
State, of mob suffrage and domination, o
fees aud perquisites. Of anything to get Low
taxes-such melangs of melancholy blum
ders, timid compromises and confessed inca
pacity isnot likely TO win its way to the accep
tance ofths intelligent public. The organic
law under which we ut present live is bat
enough. but its defects have been neutral
ized and vell-nigh obriAied by careful anG
competent Democratic administration, and
the people have nothing to fear in the fu
ture from its martial laws or other op
Ipressive features; they are null and voit
and dead, and can be so declared by tn
voice Of the people. But this new suprem'
law is in its practical results. far worse
The restrictions 1t throws around the legis
ia,ure render that body powerless for good
and no amendments can work such sure and
| prompt relief as It's rsj,ciion at the polls
Our State at this period Of iss develapmen
needs an organic law which shall be q
highest aud most complete expression q
tatnable Of the rights, duties and franchises
of the people; in word, il needs every
thing which this Constitution Is not, AMI
What Is noeds Il must and will have.
THE SalsAn Of Turkey has twelve hun
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