The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-10-10
THE CONSTITUTIONAL C0NTES-
Tl0N AGAIN.

/
| Of Convention to frame new Con
stitniion for this State anG we were
the very FIRST TO oppose the project
Since then we have waited for an OK
preston Of opinion by Che other pa
| pprs 10 see If the advocates Of the
measure cond advance any argu-
ments To convince ia that we were
wrong. We were DESTROYS of con
smiling The best interests of Louisi-
ana, and we were not % wen}eu tn
our .opiBions as not to- readttv az
tknowledge our error sad fall in with
those who are so vigorously demand
ing the Convention, if we could dis.
cover from their arguments hat
they, like ourselves, were iutiuen,,ed
solely bg desire TO looH 10 Llie good
of the people Of this Stale, and that
their b st interests would be sub
served by the holding Of The Conyen
ktion. The discussion has now been
general and we are strengthened and
confirmed in our original opinions
thereby. We are pleased to note
that some of The ablest and most con
servative journals published in the
State have sided with rs and if the
matter were to be settled as it stands
now, we take it, chat The Legislature
would not be justified in calling the
Convention in the face of the rcsDnc-
table opposition TO the measure
shown by those who are and have
been the strongest supporters Of the
State Government now in power, and
who have in The dark days, now hap.
IpIly past, rendered valuable aid TO
the cause of The people. AS The dis
cnsslon goes on The opposition gath
ers strength and by The time the
Legislature meets we expect TO be in
the majority. That, however, is not
q question germain to the issue.
which after all, is who is right?
and not who has The Numbers?
Now we say again shat we are no
apoIooists for the men who framed
the Constitution Of 1868, nor do we
deny that some important changes
in that instrument are not only de
sirahIe, but necessary. What these
changes are in our opinion, we have
taken occasion 10 point out at some
| length heretofore. But we reitel.ile,
that the question Of substituting an
entirely new Constitution for that
one, is at this time i'll advised and
likely to produce by its agitation
more real substantial, tangible harm
in one year, than woull result from
the proper enforcement of the pres
ent Constitution, Just as it stands.
Tor The next ten years to come. We
have inst come out OF a ti4ht for life
or death, victorious it is sure, but
''hv the skin Of our teeth" as it were.
and after The result had hung t9emh
ling in the balance for many months.
Our success was achieved thronnh
the Intention OF The power which
held our fate inl It's hands. to try a
doubtful experiment. Even as yet
that experiment is itself on trial and
| the opposing sides are masSing tileir
forces for protracted and perhaps
bitter contest in the Congress If The
Nation. Our Senator Knocks at the
door OF one gifts halls and our Rep,
esenLatives at The other, Until.
they are seated, as of ristt they
ought to be, Louisiana is not ppope,'-
/ ~ free State Of the Union. not.un
ltil she secures her proper aud legal
Representative seats in the Council
halls of the Nation, can she be secure
from the Federal interference which
ground us to the dust for so long.
Agitation of questions which will
alarm the negro at home and Give All.
argument against usato his7suppopt
ers and our enemies ia Congress.
will get us into hot water again anil
may reiarl, ifnOt defeat, our com
plete redemption from outside iDte.
| ference, TO which we owe so mach of
our past misery and mislortunes.
Fhis is The out look from abroad.
At home, the time is no more pro-
piIious for The agitation. We have
inst emerged from a struggle of
eight years, which has taxed all of
our patriotism aad energy, and
which had well nigh deprived us of
the means of continuing The strug.
lyle. We have before Us, three years
of peace aud quiet, if we wish it so.
under State officers in whom we have
every confidence and whom it was
n..r .,r:.le u LII 80. l.. l.. IL