The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1876-01-21

The chief obstacle in the way of legisla-
ton at this time is the constitutional pro-
vision requiring an apportionment OF re-
among the parishes before any
law shall be enacted. The Republicans in
the Senate have framed and adopted bill
to this end, but the Democrats in the House
refuse to accept the census of last year an
toto as correct enumeration, and contend
that in certain parishes new census should
be taken, and they also refuse to apportion
representation until this is done. The
result is a dead lock in legislation forthe
present, and probably for some time to
come.
A correspondent of tho Bulletin, writing
from Alexandria, suggests the following
course for the Democrats to pursue, which
is, we think, about the best suggestion we
have seen made:
And on what basis did the Constitutions
Convention of 1868 make its superintendent
| for Tepresepiation On tho basis of the
it was the3to rs-as that fixed by Phil sheri-
dan in 1867 hen he ordere5,ss an election
! for delegates to the Constitutional Conyen-
| ton under the reconstruction acts. Inc
apportionment of Sheridan was not made
| either on the basis of the total popuistlon,
on sae he
1867, as every one knows, was made at Il
time when a large number of tho white
| refused to register at all.
When the superintendent or 1871 was
made, so great and transparent was the IN
Justice done that Gov. Warmoth refused
| to sanction the act by his approval, but it
being party measure, he lodged the qnes-
| ton and permitted it to become a law by
| the lapse of time.
Thus, the white people of Louisiana have
been for years. by this and other means
| equally as unjust and fraudulent, deprived
| OF a rightfuI majority in the Legislature,
and our Democratic members Of the ! House
n mM thus fraud to be longer practicetl
| OH their constituencies.
| But, il the Radical trick $50 thin as the
| census of 1873, be declared Il fraud as 1t is
| known to bo,and the apportionnentso OF 1871
| lSGS and 1867, were illegal, and fraudulent
as they certainly IVY were noW Wa appG
| fairly and legally made? In my opinion
under article 20 Of the State Constitution
| the United States census of 1870 is the only
| trnc data upon which the Legislature car
| base it's action. That article declares: "li
| case of informality, omission, or error il
tho census returns from any parish or cleo
! ton district, the General Assembly may
! order IL new census taken in such parish OIL
election district; but until me state census
| be made on the basis Of the census of thu
United States for tho year 1870"
| Now if tho census of 1875 be informal
| erroneous or fraudulent to that extent thai
| it cannot be justly made the basis OF appor
tionnent, it should not be considered as yc
| complete, and tho Legislature should pro
vide under tho Constitution, for new cci,
| sus. This new census can not bc taken be
| fore the adjournment of the present SEES
| sion, therefore the apportionment undo
| tho Constitution "sl1all be made on tht
basis of the census of tho United States Il"
| the year 1870"
| Tie Republican party has established hu
| few, if any, Legislative presidents in thi:
state worthy of imitation; but in this
| particular instance tho Democrats are
perhaps, justifable in pointing to tho actor
of the Legislature oflS7l; and while they Il.
not adopt it us guido, use it as means /"
defense.