The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-17
VOTE DOWN THE AMENDMENTS.

many words, condemn the proposed amend
ments to the constitution, but, in declaring it
to be the sense Of the people Of the State that
q constitutional convention should be con-
vened by the Legislature at its next session.
1t did say, as plainly as could be said by in
ference that these amendments arc unsatis-
factory and fail to fulfill the expectations the
Democratic party has all along held out to
the people. to be realized Immediately upon
the accession OF that party to power. 1t Is
impossible to reach any other logical conclu-
sion from the action OF the convention upon
this matter than that it was equivalent to q
condemnation Of the amendments and q re-
commentator to the poople to vote them
down. This is certainly our advice to them.
Spacious reasoners will say, "Let us vote
for these amendments anyway; we will
then be assured of at least some relief. II
the Legislature calls q convention all
| the better, but we should not forego
even a measure Of relief" TO this we reply
that there is no intrinsic merit in these
amendments; that they will, in several
material respects, make things worse than
they are now; that their passage would
accord a popular recognition to the bayonet
|
tuition which our people have never given it,
and. finally, that we do not believe i'll the
policy of temporizing with evils of such
magnitude. The existing constitution is
universally acknowledged to be nothing
less than an absolute pcrvers1on OF re-
publican government to the purposes
of fraud, population and oppression. 1t
cannot be amended. It must be
wiped out and an entirely new struc-
tlre erected, based upon principles which can
never be reconciled with those which under
lie the existing one. The genius that shall
preside over the new dspensation will be as
far removed as Hyperion from Satyr from
that which presided over that order of things
which evolved the bacchanala of the War
moth regime, and the still more loathsomc
saturnala of the subsequent administration
In number the amendments presented to
the people, were there anything in them, are
enough to revolutionize the entire govern
ment of the State. Never before in the history
of constitutional government have twenty
one amendments been submitted to q popular
vote Yet, what do they amount to? They
propose to change the locality Of the State
government; to regulate the manner O
:, choosing the Legislature, and, In measure
to limit the Legislative power; to reduce
by some few hundreds Of dollars the salaries
OF officials, to organize ab 1nih0 the most
abstruse and SO far as the rights OF property
and the protection of personal liberty are con
cerned the most important department o
government. These are the things these
amendments propose to do. Now, let US SCI
what evils they leave untouched They place
no restraint on the powers Of corporations
they do not destroy single one Of the danger
GUS monopolies whose power Is to be dreaded
they do not touch the excessive patronage 0
the Executive department; in the place OF {
, thoroughly inefficient judiciary, they suppl.
still more imbecile and worthless one; and
finally, they suggest no relief for the excess
i've burdens which the municipal debt OF New
Orleans imposes upon the people and TIL
:. property Of this metropolis
What arguments can commend such a Sc
! of amendments to the people Of this State
!, There is not contained in them remedy 70
, a single one Of the great and conSpicuou
= wrongs against which our people have Tough
. throughout the weary years OF their vassaJ
- age to Radical oppression. They do not Civ
= expression to single sentiment that prompt
y ed the rebellion and the resentment Of GU
:, people against their plunderers-they do nc
IL fulfill single hope held out to them by tn
= Democratic party as the certain and lmmt
- date fruits of its ascendency.
=, y What shall the people do with these amend
- ments under these circumstances? 1t is we
known fact that they were the results OF
:, disgraceful compromise between pensione
dishonesty and timid stupidity-between TT
organized power of the monopolies and tt
=. dsorganized representatives of the peopl
- Their Endorsement means that conventic
y is not necessary-that what was done by tt
~ last Legislature is all that need be done IL
~, Louisiana-that the Incorporated inlqultl'
y now enjoying a legalized existence in Louis
- ana are grand and glorious institutions, to
~ guarded and perpetuated as though the
- were consecrated things. They are to
h protected against all assailants The Lottel
"a and the Slaughter-Rouse shall ha7
no rivalry, no competition. They shall not
- abolished, but no more forever shall any sir
If liar institutions be created to interfere WI