The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-07-06
Ouacllita.

of your valuable journal, / noticed a
paragraph in relation to tho proceedings
Of the recent Parish Convention, calcn-
lated to mislead the public as to the
stand Ouachita takes on the constlt"-
tional convention question, and the IN
fuence of Senator Stubs in this conn
munity.
1t is true, as you state, that the Par
ish Convention, by majority OF fifteen
votes las to BOY, adopted resolutions,
declaring it iuexpedient to call the cou'
vention at any day in the early future
1t is also true that resolutions approx
ing the legislative course Of Senator
Stubs were adopted. But that these s.,
resolutions are expressive OF the Will
of the majority Of the Democrats OF
Ouachita, l deny.
A simple statement of facts will sho"
you that a majority ofthe votes OF the
people of this parish were for the con"
yeutiou. There were seven wards to
be represented in the parish convention.
with votes as follow: First ward, IA
votes; second ward, II votes third
ward, IA votes: fourth ward, ) votes;
fifth ward, 5 votes; sixth ward, : votes;
and seventh ward, II votes. At the
election for delegates in the first ward
the vote stood % for convention, 3
against :: in the second ward 81 for Con-
veption, none against in the third ward
Is for, "a against (if we consider the
vote on giving the chair authority to
appoint delegates as test of the con:
ventiou question); in the fourth ward
2 for, Is against; III the fit ward %
for, none against; in the sixth ward the
question was never put to the meeting,
but give all present(l2) against; in the
seventh ward q for, 26 against. Add
up the vote for aud aginst, as above
stated, and We have l8l for CONVEX
ton and 1873 against, being majority
of 43 for, in a vote Of 3l9. These tig'
ures l defy any mau to successfully
contradict.
You Will preceive there was very
slim vote everywhere but in ward three,
and l am safe in asserting that those
opposed to the convention brought out
their foil strength. The people were
in this manner defrauded of an express
sion of their will by flew votes in GER
tain wards. These few votes, althoug h
but an insignificant part Of the whole
vote of tho parish. chose enough dele.
gates to controle the convention and
pass the resolutions.
There is also a misstatement in the
minutes of the convention as to the
number of votes against making the
| resolutions unanimous. The same vote
was cast against making them unani-
nous as against their adoption. The
error perhaps came about in this wise
Those voting against making the reso,
lutious unanimous were told to stand
On. twelve stood up. These were
counted as twelve votes against the
motion, when the delegates thus voting
cast thirty votes. :, :.
There was an effort made by the MI
uority Of the committee on resolutions
to refer the matter back to the parish
at large, to be voted on in the primary
election. This, Of course, was opposed
by the supporters Of Senator Stubos'
who were in the minority, and who
were we'll acquainted with the real feel
iugs Of the people Of this parish, a
shown by their votes as above stated
1t must appear to every reasoning maj
that the sense Of the parish could only
he taken in a vote of the whole parist
as a whole, and not by wards. The
opponents Of the convention and sup
porters of the constitution Of 1865 die
not desire to take the sense of the par
lish. Their whole course in this psrlst
has shown that they relied upon SHARP
practice and shutting tricks to stiff
the voice Of the people and make then
appear to give utterauce to sentiment
most odious to them. These perpetrs
tors of Radical infamy and oppression
have succeeded in their views here, bn
| hope there is enough patriotism still
in Louisiana to redeem her.
PARTICIPATION.