The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-05-03
ADDRESS OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION CLUB.

Auc A1OaAAO[toNlC CONSTITUTIONAL OOu.
vention Club of Ward 3-organizeti
with the view TO secure in its fullest
sense the REFORM elnblazoned on our
banners, advocated on the hastings and
the watchword in the campaign of 1876
has appointed the undersigned COM
mittee to prepare an address to you.
The reform that alone can give US
permanent peace, open up the resour-
ces of the State, invite immigration
revive our wasted energies, and give
security under the law to all alike, is
the abrogation of the Constitution of
1868, under which we have been OPP
pressed for ten years Of anarchy and
misrule.
We detest this Constitution because
it is centralizing; because it is ambig-
uous; because it is made In the interest
of a favored class; because it is the nest
egg from which has been Matched the
infamous Revenue laws, the Registra-
ton laws and the otlious Election laws
usurper in the Presidential chair, and
because it ia Radical and not Demo-
cratic.
The legislature of 1877, upon their
good behavior and acting under the
concentrated gaze of the nation, gave
US the few acts of reform that have
been passed. The legislature of 1878
did scarcely anything. Most of its
legislation has been universally con-
demned or pronounced unconstitu-
tional by the courts. The majority of
the members seem to have had an eye
more to penetrating infamous monop-
olies, securing their own constructive
mileage and per diem, or wasting the
Impoverished peoples money in grant
ing bonuses to railroads, than in legis-
tutional amendments submitted do not
guarantee the desired reforms. They
are simply false issues TO divert the
gaze of the people from the question of
a Constitutional Convention. They are
snares to entrap and bind you. If
adopted, the same odiOus constitution
will be there dressed in patches to hide
its deformity. These amendments were
voted for by every Radical IN the legis-
Mt,0e. The adoption of these amend
ments has not been urged with any
vigor, nor has any one shown what
benefits will follow their adoption.
Let US not be deceived! Reform
meant II New Constitution. Are Rudi-
cal laws, a Radical Constitution and
Icttt1ical amendments, which we asserted
our detestation of in'76, good enough
for us in 1873?
But we are told this is not the time
to call II convention, we might lose the
State. If this be not the time, the
time will never come. If the amend
ments are adopted the Constitution of
1868 will be fastened upon us and will
stand in lieu of IL new constitution.
No undertaking was too great or
hazardous for Democrats in 1876. We
carried the State then in spite of all
opposition. Shall we fear the result
when the State government is under
the control of our friends? And are
we, as we have so often asserted, the
friends of constitutional reform:
Again we are told, Il convention will
cost too much. How virtuous and
frugal and economical our t'masters''
have become. Cost too much Bet
ter to pay "cost" once than to have
an annual perpetuity of ''cost' under
laws based upon the constitution OF
1858. Will it cost as much as the mile
age and salary grab The cost to the
State of the last legislature would pay
for our Constitutional Convention.
The people must not relapse into
lukewarmness and Indifference. They
must vintlicate their sovereignty and
demand their rights.
We can have convention and we
can carry the State, and we can pay
the cost, if we only try. And better
than all this we can secure reform.
Conce,ling that our legislators have
done their whole duty in the way OF
reform, then SO much greater is this
necessity for !, new constitution. They
.1,.lor a thav cnuld proceed no further