The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-06-01
A Question Of Veracity.
{ Mindcn Democracy

State Senator has accused the editor
of the Richland Beacon Of being the only
man in his parish who favors Con>titu-
tional Convention, and the Beacon man
ia kcs it as aqueStion of vcracity, in his
own language, ''giving us the lie Direct
and candihly informed MIR. Senator that
if he had 'miXed more with his constitu-
cnts he would have learned that the press
reflected the sentiments of the people on
this, rs well as on most subjects of public
interests"
The Beacon man is perfectly correct
The press of this State in its advocacy
Of the call for Convention represented
the great mass of Democratic votes who
are, in our opinion, the people in the
sense used by every Democratic journal.
1t has been. well understood by the peo
pie that the Democratic party would cali
a convention and give them new organ
ic law, immediately on its accession to
power. The leaders promised reform
lcom the stump and rostums throughout
the entire length and breadth of the
State, and every intelligent man knew
then, and is better satisfied now that there
can be no true reform without a new or
game law. 1t is mseleS for Senators and
Representatives to deny these facts. We
have heard them acknowledge that we
ought TO have a Constitutional Conven-
ton and were satisfied The people want.
ed one but the cry was that they feared
to disturb the present State government,
the RAIDS might do this, that and the
other. We don't care who says no, the
people Of this parish want convention,
and the DEMOCRAT is a correct exponent
Of their views and sentiments.
The Beacon and Democrat assume
proper and unanswerable grounds.
70 argue that tho intelligent people
of Louisiana are not as a mass in
favor of a Constitutional Convention,
and have not been from the begin
ming, is to condemn them as idiots
who know not that which will benefit
them. And to say that the press
does not represent public sentiment,
is as bald an untruth as could be i'm.
agined. Why is it, if the Press has
not spoken the public pulse, that the
recalcitrant Legislators are so anxious,
on their return to their constituents,
to "exp|ain' ~hy they opposed the
calling of Convention And why is
it that they, even now, admit that
Constitutional Convention is necessa
ry? The causes which demanded a
new Constitution existed, with as
much force aud with as baleful effect,
last winter as they do now. This adj
mission springs only from the fact
that these unfaithful men now see
that the Press, which they vainly at
tempted to throttle, did represent
popular sentiment, and a sentiment
of such strength and power that they
dare not longer combat it.
a Senator, whose purity of purpose
and ability we have never impugned
or questioned, after he had made his
public "explanatioD," stated to a
friend of this journal, that it "would
be crime to deny the demand of
the people for a Constitution" "for,'
said he, IL had no idea that there ex.
listed sucl an overwhelming scnti
ment in its favor"
The crime committed against the
Democratic masses cannot be atoned
by elimination or recrimination, its
apology lies in not defending or re-
peatiug it.