The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1878-07-27
In Line,


on the "A"p" has settled, down t" it
issue Of Nov. 9th, 1877, which will h'
seen is in line with the Constitu tiona
Convention press of the State:
Tie time is at hand when the re-
representatives. of the people Of thi:
State, convened in General Assembly
will he called npon to consider the
necessity of authorizing and provi'
ding for constitutional convention
or otherwise amending the existing
fundamental law.
The last constitution made by the
people of Louisiana was nullihed by
the results of the war of secession
Since the close of the war, except a
brief interval in the latter part OF
1866 and the early part Of 1867, the
real people of the State have had II"
constitution and no government which
could he called their own. The in.
strument under which our present
legislative, executive and judicial
| machinery is carried on IL in spirit
and truth no constitution at all. 1t
is not the act and deed of the people
it was not made by men who can
claim to have been the representa-
tives of the people the body which
compiled it was not authorized by the
peoples Legislature the interests OF
the people were not consulted in its
construction when it was ordered
at Washington Louisiana had No
friend in the House. the Senate, OF
any branch of the General Govern.
ment when the bayonet election fo1
delegates was held white men were
practically excluded from voting. be.
cause of the humiliating and revolt
ing regulations which they were
oblige to observe. The orders for
holding the convention had no war
rant under the constitution of the
United States. The people of the
State were in the hands of an over
towering tyranny aud were /" 20
humor to exercise the mockery OF
citizenship at the point of the bay
onet. They felt that the convention
and all tho orders and proceedings
preliminary to it were utilities in
law. They did not try to vote be-
cause they u,d NOT wish to iodorea tho
acts of reconstruction under whicl,
their votes had to be given if given
at all. They we're 10 a waiting atti.
tude hoping that the war would at
least be over and the ruthless hand
of the tyrant wonId be unclasped
from their necks. They were under
a duress that took away freedom OF
action they either refused to act,
believing that such unauthorized vo-
ting could result 10 nothing vailed or
obligatory, or else vote With the hope
of some good outcome from an illegal
procedure.
Yet this illegal and voidable con-
stitution, instead of being a transient
instrument of oppression, has served
as the warrant for wicked dynasty
that has insnlted, reviled, prosecuted,
slanlered, Knocked, de6ed and plum
dered the white men and women Of
this State for eight tedious aud dis
NAL years. During that black and
hateful era there has been no peace,
no liberty, no security, no justice for
the honest white men of Louisiana.
in hideously farcicaI travestie of a
State Government, they have been
obliged to see once honored stations
occupied BY fonl brood Of vagabonds,
better worthy IF cells in jai's and peui.
tentiaries to ace men making laws
who had no right to look a gentle.
man in the face to see men growing
wealthy BY the sale of their decisions
from the Iench !; to see adventures.
incapable Of earning an honest liveli
hood, t'ec"ming snd,;roly rich on Of,
fetal plondrr t" see the credit of tl,r
State broken down and q debt piled
"pum her and her metropolis that
mnst cripple both for half a century ;
70 see men assuming +" he represent
tativps Of Louisiana r",np"nsly strnt
ting III the balls Of Congress, while
husy in d-vising srheurs for ",,,
further "ppe>si"n, and t" I've witnps
srs If tnces>ant aud innam-rahlr acts
If "tfirial malver.ati"n all over the
"mm"n wealth..
Our present Legislators and onr ex.
ecutive aud judicial officers have been
compelled Ivy circumstances t. act
under this mock constitution, having
n" alternative. The Honse and Sen.
ate must act under it sfill, regai d1ess
"f it's spurious and viliainous origin.
The strength Of the new and tue
Government was all needed in the
work Of self preservation, and during
the regular and special sessions Of
this year there was n" time when it
would have been altogether expedient
t" call a convention. In January aud
February next there will be no such
attendant iindrances. The way will
he clear for snch action IA tho coca.
siun demands, and the people Of the
State may be permitted at Last to be
heard through their delegates in a
constitutional convention.
The reasons for a convention are
many. We have purposely limited
our remarks to the statement of q
single one, and that tho most Urgent.
d constitution should be called because
zoe haze no constitution ,chich the peo-
pie can properly call their owa. 1t is
derogatory to the honor and dignity
Of the State to tolerate the existing
sham u single needless day.
Alex. Stephens has "explained" to
his "Constituents," and he goes back
to Congress. Little Alexis. speech,
which We waded Through, is a dull
&C. EkST