The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-22


pared to believe any report OF violence
that comes from it. The best thing for
the Legislature to do at it's next session
is to abolish that parish and return It's
component parts to the parishes from
which they were taken.
Read and Levee Law.
West Baton Rouge sugar BOWL
The road and levee law passed by the
police jury Of Ascension parish, on the
oath OF July last, raised such q row
among the people of that parish, that
the Jury was compelled to call an extra
meeting OF that body and have it re-
scinded. When the people make up
their minds not to obey law, the best
thing to do is TO repeal it. At home
here the road and levee law does not
seem to meet with any great amount OF
favor, although all are willing to COM
ply with any reasonable law in relation
to roads and levees. The next Legisla-
the present State laws in regard to them
or they will remain as dead letters upon
the statute books. Never crowd will
ing people, should be the motto Of our
present Legislators.
District Court Expense.
[Thibodaux Sentinel
There is grave error In the criminal
laws that ought to be corrected at an
early day. The time between sessions
Of criminal courts is too long.
Two terms only are held in year, so
that many criminals lie in jail four to
six months, awaiting trial.
Every man accused of crime Is entitled
to and should have speedy trial. Ii
guilty he should be speedily punished,
il innocent he should be promptly set
at liberty. The taxpayers should de-
mand that criminal courts meet oftener,
order that every man demanding
trial should have his case examined,
and not kept six months, at heavy
expense to the parish, in jail before be
can have hearing. Hundreds OF dol
lars are annually paid by parochial au-
thorities for board Of prisoners, which
would be reduced more than fifty per
cent were criminal courts to sit oftener.
This is very serious question that
every voter should investigate, and see
that men be sent to the Legislature in
future who favor such reduction Of ex-
penses. 1t can be done, and as q new
era of economy in public burdens is
being inaugurated, this item should not
be forgotten or postponed.
Against a Convention.
IAttakapas RpgIster.]
The errors Of q defective constitution
may be remedied by amendment, sub
mitted through the Legislature to the
voters at the next general election, with
greater economy. Here is an eminently
practical suggestion at this time. The
people want rest from q condition Of
almost ceaseless political agitation.
They were led to expect it under the
1v,f ,lv wi, ,fc,&r n mol inn nf
a convention would be simply putting all
the office seekers to work, and not a few
bulldozers besides, to the detriment OF
planting interests.
No Convention.
[Alexandria Demoerst.]
We notice that one or two OF our ex-
changes are agitating the question of
holding a constitutional convention,
and we wish to put ourselfi in opposition
to the project as being expensive, almost
useless, and at this time calculated to
do much harm and put a weapon in the
hands of our enemies. We do not say
that the constitution Of 1868 is perfect
by any means, but the necessary
changes can be made in much more
simple way than by calling % constitu-
tional convention. The same Legisla-
ture which would have to call the con-
NbublOH GILL pEoDO60 ll6utClu vi GuCu
call whatever amendments may be
needed, and they can be submitted to a
vote Of the people at the election to be
| held next fall, and that will be an end
| of the matter. To call convention 1t
would be necessary to have an election
| first for delegates, then the convention
would sit at a great expense, and after
all the constitution adopted by them
would have to be submitted to the
popular vote. The greatest difference
between the present and the former
constitution in ante betlAm days is the
parish court system and registration in
elections. The former has already
been submitted to the people, without
result. So far as we are informed, the
present Legislature has already elimi-
mated the obiectional features Of the
registration law and the other changes
which are desirable will probably be
slight and unimportant.
| ANY movement in the direction OF 6
convention to change the entire consti
tuition would be purposely misunder
stood at the North, and it would at once
| be said that we were preparing te
abridge the political rights Of the negro
The Convention.
[Shreveport Times.l
| The Alexandria Democrat is the only
paper we have yet heard Of taking
ground against a constitutional conven
tion. One reason urged by our contem
porary is that amendments can be sub
mitted by the Legislature to the popu
la1 vote, which would answer the pur.
pose as we'll as il made by q convention
Our experiment with such amendments
at the last election are enough to show
how uncertain and unsatisfactory such
an expedient is. IL only two or three
amendments were necessary they might
| be made in the manner the Democra
suggests, butit is impossible to accom-
plish the needed reforms, when the
whole detestable instrument needs
cutting I'D. >. root and branch
Again, the Democrat thinks oul
Northern friends might misrepresent
our motives and get offended at us as
setting on foot an enterprise to abridge
negro suffrage. II we need conven.
tion we should have one, regardless ol
the fact that Maine might not be pleased
with the idea. Maine does not consult
our wishes when she desires to change
1