The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-07-19
s0oy. Nichols, the Omce.Holdcrs and
New. Constitution.

lOuS tn8t ne 60O0lO serve MS full tcfma
II these gentlemen will also pledge the
new Constitution not to disturb any
other officer in the State who was |
elected to serve the same length Of
time US Gov. Nichols, they would |
holders. But on the other hand the |
who now call for Convention
would become beautifully less, for the
majority are office-seekers.
The "South' may state the case as it
appears to that journal, but tho state
ment is incorrect. There is no "new
dodge" no dodge at all, in the Con-
>entionists saying they do not intend
ssto disturb Gov. Nichols in his seat"
Until the anti Conventionists, in the
weakness of their position, logged into
a discussion concerning purely funda-
mental Democratic principles, the
Governors tenure of Office, nothing
was said about that matter, and we
know that the friends of a constftu-
tional convention had no thought of
moving tho Governor from his seat.
The tenure of Office of no individual
was, or is, part of the creed of tho
advocates of a new organic law. 1t is
the law, itself, they are after, no mat
tor who holds the Offices. Give the
people a good, wholesome, reliable
State constitution, and they can we'll
afford to extend the term of Gov.
Nichols and all the present Office ol-
ders to ten years, and then be largely
tho gamers.
1t is not offices or officers who make
State, but sound organic law we'll
administered. At time like this,
when the people are struggling to get
forever from under Radical misrule,
after nearly ten years. bitter exper-
fence, who talksbf Offices? Does Gov.
Nichols say-would he say-that his
tenure of Office should be made. an
issue? Gov. Nichols would not II
lie should, the TELEGRAPH would not
here express its entire willingness and
wish to see him remain Governor un-
til the expiration Of his term. There
are acts of his administration we have
disapproved, but we have never be-
lieved that the Governor would even
permit his friends to assert claims to an
office superior to the interests of the
people. Suppose, then, convention
should decide upon new election for
all Offices, is it not sovereign? But
suppose the convention should agree
to continue all officials in Office until
tho end of their terms, what higher
evidence of appreciation could tho
Governor, himself, ask? We should
think that the Governor and his inn
mediate advisers would, in this view
alone, cheerfully aid in the calling OF a
Constitutional Convention. But let us
ask, since this question of turning out
Gov. Nichols has been jumped up to
aid n sinking cause, who holds the
oldest mortgage upon the people Of
Louisiana, the Governors tenure Of
Office, or the purpose to redeem
the State from tho Radicals by tho
adoption of Il peoples constitution
What made +. Il. Nichols Governor
and l.. A. Wilt Licut-Govcrnor
Was it programme of submission t.
Radical laws and Radical constitu
ton? Not at all, but the very reverse
the pcrsevering, indomitable, irwin
chile determination to make Louisiana
like all her sister States, free and pros
porous. Nichols and Wilt arc sim
ply the opponents of this noble, patri
otto purpose of the people, SO long fol
lowed, and it is distinction for thos
gentlemen which might we'll fill tn
measure of any citizens ambition t,
have been thus honorcd by II long.sui
fering people.
And have the anti-Convcntionist
thought of no ono else who might b
disturbed in Office besides the Cove,
nor? There is the Lieutenant Cove,
nor, a very good officer and either
there are the Auditor, Attorney.Ge,
eral aud Superintendent of Public Et
ucation, and there arc tho Chief Justi,
and Associate Justices of the presel
able Supreme bench, all of whom star
with Gov. Nichols and who ha,
nerves as liable to be disturbed as II
Governors. Why not take son