The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-06-29
The Convention vs.. the Amendments

We are led to believe that many
friends of a Constitutional Convention
are mistaken in the means we should
employ to secure it, and mlsnnder'
stand the questions at issue between
the factions in our party on that par
ticular point.
Our opinion of the contest is one
easily stated, and we will do so IN
order to set at rest the whole ques-
ton, so far as we are concerned and
in order that in future, in discussing
its merits, the premises of each, the
conventionist and anti -conventionlst,
may not be misunderstood.
The demand for new constitution
in Louisiana, and the abrogation OF
the present so-called instrume nt, is
based upon the indisputable fact
that the constitution of 1868 is unre-
publican, both in it's matter and in the
manner of its adoption. Constttu-
tons, in republican countries, are
the concessions made by the indlvi-
dual as essential to, and necessary
for, the government and we'll being
of the whole. The right to frame or
abrogate the organic law, which has
for it's purpose the objects just stated
is inherent in the people or the masses
No other power is recognized in dem
ocratic governments, and no other
power can or will exercise it, save
through force, which the people are
certain, in time and if embued with
the determined and resistless spirit
of liberty We are, to overcome.
We ask, in all candor, if the con
stitution of 1863 is q concession OF
the unrestrained will of the people OF
Louisiana Was it not the work Of
force applied by the fanatics at that
time in control of the National gov
ernment? Was it not crammed down
the throats of the people with the
bayonet point and was not the man
ner of it adoption and the men who
framed it utterly repuguant to every
liberty loving citizen in this common
wealth.
We are aware that there are men in
Louisiana, thank God, however, they
are but few in number, who contend
that this manner is all "sentiment,'
and that if other than the recognized
power frame constitution which is
good in letter or in spirit, the people.
if they do not submit to it, are fac
tious and "don't know what they
want" In this republic there ia bnt
one sovereign and that sovereign is
the people, and the danger to then
inalieuable prerogatiye lies in pre-
cedent. Once admit the power o.
other than themselves to frame AZ
organic law and tho right follows
As an Evidence of the unbendiug 10y
atty of the people of Louisiana to this
doctrine we have only to. refer to thei1
patriotic resistance during eight years
past, to the doctrinaires of centralism
the despots of radicalism, the Trainer:
Of the organic law Of 1863, which,
justice, reason, virtue and principle
alike demand should be Instantly
abrogated. -. ~.':'
In what does the manner Of the
adoption of these amendments, bJ
the legislature, differ from tho man
ner of the framing of the constitution
of 1861 In not one essential particu.
lar!
The sovereign people demanded al
assertion of their inalienable prero-
gative, it was refused them by the
legislature.-their own creatpre-and
lot of amendments instead are
insultingly giren them to adopt ae1
reject as they may see i1t. 1t is simp'
~ preposterous that men claiming tc
be democrats on principle should talk
Of voting for these amen dments in
part or as a whole; that they shall
excuse the legislature for their trea.
son in having attempted to usurp ar
undisputed preragative Of the SOW.
ereign people in submitting these
amendments when they. demanded q
constitutional convention, on the plea
of their being reformatory in thei,
character and "better than the orr.
ginal." That is not TIE question at is.
sue at all. What is to be decided al
the Baton Rouge Convention is, shall
the sovereign people Of this common
wealth surrender their sacred prero.
gative of framing their own organic
law into the hands ola legislature o,
not On this test bangs the loyalty
Of every man in our party, and We
for one will never yield to the per
nicious doctrine which the manner o.
the adoption Of these amendments
attempt to inculcate. ~ !raGs9
The matter contained in the con
stitution Of 1868, whichais q constant
menace to liberty, reproaeb to ou'
l.