The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-03-17
THE SENATORIAL QUESTION.

We have, heretofore. expressed the
opinion that our Legislature should
proceed speedily to the election OF n
United States Senator for the long
term. Our main reasoa for this sug-
geatlon was the conviction that sound
policy and political wisdom required
that we should lose NO time In exercis-
ing all of the prerogatives of u sov-
ereign State Of this Union. and partieu'
larly one which involves the assertion
before the country at large, OF our ex-
istence as q State, and brings us into
the closest possible relations with the
Federal government. But the Legis-
lature seems to have thought differently
or the matter: and, since IL must bear
all Of the responsibility in the
premises, and has, no doubs, consid-
cred the question In oil Of It's bearings,
we must assume that 1t has excellent
reasons for delaying the election of u
Senator. and forbear from harsh criti-
cism or its action. Still, we cannot fore
go the expression Of our opinion In the
matter, and we propose new to state the
reasons why we think our Legislators
should soon reconsider their recent de-
termination, and elect u proper person
To represent US In the highest legislative
body OF the country. so soon as the
present extra session OF the United
States Senate comes to an end.
In this connection there are but three
questions to be considered ques-
ton OF our right to elect, the question
az expedieney and the question OF the
availability Of particular candidates.
That we have perfect and complete
right to elect United States Senator,
no intelligent man can doubt. We have
as legal Legislature as any that ever
sat In Louisiana. The loose talk that
is sometimes INDUCED in about q 'cen-
stitutional quorum" to be composed Of
d majority of the persons declared
elected members of the Legislature by
the Returning Board, originates either
In ignorance OF the constitutional re-
auirements in the premises. or in
tho selfish schemes OF individuals
who, for one reason or another, are
not satisfied with the Legislature as at
present constituted. A legal Legisla-
ture il Legislature composed Of the
persons actually elected to the Legisla-
ture, constitutional quorum consists
OF o majority of the persons so elected.
The Returning Board has no more right
to determine who are elected to the
Legislature than has the Supreme Court
of the United States. The legislative
body now sitting at Odd Fellows Hall
is composed Of majority Of the per-
sons really elected to both branches of
the Legislature, and is as legal and con-
stitutional q Legislature as any that
ever existed. Therefore. it has per-
feet right to elect United States Sena-
ter for the long term to fill the existing
vacancy.
That it will soon be expedient for us
to elects Senator seems to us a self
evident proposition. No State in the
Union requires the fostering care of the
Federal Government more than Louis
lana particularly in the matter Of
Internal improvements. No people
more than the people Of this State
require representation on the floor Of
the Senate to defend them against the
Z infamous calumnies which have beer
hsaped upon them by Radical defamers
Id the past. and by none more freely
taan BY such fellows as Kellogg ant
West, falsely pretending to represen
\ iii State in that body. Anew years ago
II we. had had two representative
in the Senate the ieyee bill
would have passed and our State beer
beneilted to the extent Of millions Q
dollars. In the near future the ques
lion III internal improvements in th'
so,ath ma West viii be one Of the prin