The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-01-26
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THE LEGISLATURE.

we are enabled this week to give
our readers some reliable information
Of the proceedings of the Legislature
The following letter from one of oul
Representatives, the Hon. Jas. JEFF
fries, which we are highly delighted
to have received, and which we with
commensurate pleasure publish, COW
ers the whole ground, and rather con
tradicts what our people here had
permitted themselves to believe and
circulate. We, too, had fallen in the
same tracks, and in publishing this
letter candidly admit our too fervid
doubts of any good from our Legis-
lature. We cannot for a moment
now doubt that we were mistaken:
NEW ORLEANS, La,
Jan. %, 1876.
EDITOR DEMocRAT-
| have read your editorial in the
Democrat of the 10Th inst, and am
constrained to think that you do not
fully understand the difficulties BY
which the Conservative members of
the Legislature are surrounded.
You suggest that the matter of Cen
sus and Apportionment sought to
have been settled in four days" In
reply would say that in ante-bellum
times, when the Legislature of Lou
isiana was composed entirely of gen
tlcmen, this matter was never set
tled in so short period, and I am
told that in 1855 it required just for
ty-fve days to arrange it. In refer
ence to the House, of course there
can be but little trouble, but when it
comes to dividing the State into Sen
atorial Districts, which in a great
measure, is the arbitrary grouping
together of Parishes-the subject be-
comes one of great difficulty. Add
to this, the fact that each party is
now struggling for political life
which is largely if not altogether de-
pendent upon this very matter of ap-
portionment-and that neither party
is disposed to yield, you may then.
partially understand, though not full
y, the delicacy of our position. We.
feel that the State absolutely re-
quires and demands reform legisla.
ton. We are not sure this would
follow any superintendent, but upon
this point | am fully determined
never to consent to turn the State
over to R;tiieaIiSla for the next ten
years by I'm unfair and unjust appor-
tioameat.
iaTing been a mem|'erof the com
naltttc appointed by the House eau
Gus to prepare reform measures, and
being also a mcnbcr @ f the Joint
Conference Committee appointed by
Caucus on Census and Apportion /
ment, | am prepared TO say that no
set OF men have ever worked harder
or been more thoroughly taxed. TIL
we fail to accomplish good for the
State, we shall have the satisfaction
of feeling that it is through no fault
Of ours.
The work has been necessarily la
borious and slow. But we have in
the House, and will have passed in
few days, all necessary laws upon |
a good school law, reye-
nue. bill, and fair and honest cleo
ton law, besides other shorter but
necessary acts. BY the first of Feb
ruary we expect to have everything
Of importance through the House.
What the result of this work may
be, | do not venture to predict.
Feeling conscious of no neglect of
duty" we will not "grow restive' un
der censure, but as much as in us
lies, work on for the redemption of
pledges made in honest faith
JAMES JEFFRIEs.
Z. SIS O'CLOCK p. M.-The eau
Gus Committee of Conference have
conditionally agreed with the Repub-
licans that the Senatorial Districts
shall remain as at.present, and that
the number of Representatives shall
be the maximum, viz: l20. If the
Republicans keep faith this viii be
carried into effect. l cannot enter
into the subject further at present,
but feel sure this is for the best.
J. J.
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The Cincinnati Enquirer says:
Sheridan has gone out on another
tour, this time to the In |