The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-06-05
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMEND
MENTS.

At the last session Of our Legisla-
ture twenty-one amendments to the
Constitution of 1868 were proposed
and ale to be voted upon at the cleo
ton this Fall. Many of them are of
such Importance as to deserve sepa-
rate discussion and we propose in a
series of articles to take them up and
discuss them seriatim. In doing so
we will take them as we find them
numbered and placed in the Acts of
1873 from pages 119 to 125 inclusive
of the Acts of the Regular Session,
and on page 246 of the Acts of the
Extra Session. 1t will be our pur-
pose rather to explain the proposed
changes and to give the arguments
pro and con- than to express our own
opinions upon the amendments until
we have some authoritative expires
sion of the party upon them, which
we presume will be given by the
State Convention when it meets at
Baton Rouge on the 9th of August.
The first amendment in the Acts is
not numbered, and seems to have
been purposely left as q distinct
proposition. 1t is as follows, viz
RELATIVE TO TIE REMOVAL OF THE STATE
| CAPITAL.
That the seat of government shall be
established at the City of Baton Rouge
or at the City of New Orleans, as ma
jority of the voters of the State may de-
termine at the next ensuing election !;
those voting to locate the State Capital
at Baton Rouge shall endorse on the
tickets, For State Capital, Baton
Rouge;" those voting to locate the Cap
/ tal at New Orleans shall endorse on
their tickets, "For State Capital, New
Orleans"
1t will require almost solid vote
of the country Parishes to carry this
amendment, as we suppose New Or
leans will vote unanimously against
it. The advocates of the change
contend that the seat of government
ought never to be located in the me.
tropolis OF State because of the in-
furious influences brought to bear
upon the different branches of the
State government, and the many ex.
cuses for neglect of business city
life affords the State officers. As O
financial measure they contend also
that it. will cost the State less to re.
pair the Capital building at Baton
Rouge than TO carry out the contract
for the purchase of the old St. Louis
Hotel In New Orleans, made by the
Radicals for the avowed purpose Of
preventing a removal of the seat oil
government. Baton Rouge has made
a gallant fight for the removal, and
if she is able to secure vote in favor
of the Amendment by the State Con.
veution when it meets there in Au.
gust, the Amendment will probably
be carried. On the other hand 8
winters residence 10 New Orleans is
very pleasant and attractive to all
: who expect to be Legislators or State
officers, and New Orleans says that
inasmuch as the contract for the St
e Louis Hotel has already been made
!, that the State will have to pay for il
; anyway, and that there will be nc
9 economy in rebuilding the State
8 House at Baton Rouge, and that BY
8 reason of the attractions of the city
. there is always prompt attendance
> of Legislators and other officers
There are other arguments on either
side, but these seem to be the mos,
prominent.
Perhaps the strongest point made
by those in favor of the change is the
experience Of large majority of the
other States which have their capt
tails away from their large cities
New York with her capital at Alba.
ny, Ohio with hers at Columbus,
Pennsylvania with hers at Harris.
burg, Kentucky at Frankfort, Mis-.
souri, with hers at Jefferson City, II.
linois with hers at Springfield, Ten.
nessee with hers at Nashville, and
many others all of which prefer to
have their seats of government re.
moved from their large cities like
New York, Cincinnati, Philadelphia,
Louisville, St. Louis, Chicago, Mem.
phis, etc. If our proposed railroad
crosses the Mississippi at Baton
Rouge as they now intend to do, i,
will be another strong point in favo,
Of that place.
. .>~.~~~~o~~-aNs-~~~-o~~
-VIcToRT once more graces the
veteran colors of the Packet Bart
Able, Richard is himself again, and
the assumption of independence by