The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1878-04-26
CONSTITUTIONAL DOUBTS REMOVE

OUAcHITA, La, April %, 1873.
Editor Ounchitn Telegraph
I see in your number of the 18th of
April where a meeting was held head
ed ga City Meeting with aState Bear
ing" s. ID. McEnery, Esq, opened
the meeting by stating it was noised
round there would be an Independent
candidate, and proposed to offer some
resolutions. He says the election of
'76 was a cause OF congratulation
throughout the State. So we admit.
He then says the party kept lis pledge
in making needed reforms SO far as
practicable in the State government.
Now, would like to know what was
inpracticable, as there seems to have
been but little done. Now, it is plain
to my understanding these pledges have
not been kept, from the fact that the
reform promised is not in sight.
So far as Gov. Nichols is concerned,
it seems to me he has been q faithful
officer. I think he has kept his pledge,
and done his best, as he stated if he
w0s elected governor, he would be
governor of the people and not OF a
party. This kind of an officer meets
my appreciation. He may have made
some mistakes wise man if he has
not. Under his government the laws
have been executed, and as the result
we have had peace and quietude.
But our legislative body is at fault,
taking their own standpoint. Mr..
White in his eulogistic speech at the
close OF the last session stated they had
saved the State $2,OOO,OOO annually,
which is granted; but his address
To
that the legislature of rs should have
the honor. The New Orleans Demo-
crat says this took place in III. Now.
If this be so, I would like to know
what the legislature of '7s has done in
the way of refusm. 1t is said that
under the constitution they could not
reduce certain taxes. Mr.. Stubs goes
back to the great battle Of ZIG for his
thunder, and claims that the Democra-
tic party has accomplished wonders.
1 look back to ZIG with as much pride
as Mr.. Stubs possibly can, but 1 again
ask the question, what did the lcgisla-
ture Of rs do? 1t is true they claim
to have reduced the taxes ! mills, but
for the life OF me 1 cannot understand
how this can be, seeing the additional
property made subject to taxation. Sir,
it seems to me that this body of men
called Legislators, after organizing and
making some motions, resolved them
selves into II committee of the whole
to take all the money they could get
and then sit down Micawber-like
waiting for something to turn up; and
1 suppose they got tired Of this and
undertook to amend some parts or por-
tiOns Of law for better or worse; besides
this, they might have Incorporated
some towns, renewed the charters of
some gambling hell, and then perhaps
gerrymandered the State; and may be
some fellow said, "Now, boys, we
must do something with this constitu-
ton" Now, sir, let me say had my
doubts about the prOpriety of calling a
constitutional convention but after
seeing there was no more reform ofany
import that could be made under the
constitution, as those representatives
certainly knew, it seems strange to me
that body would have sat more than
twenty days; it seems to me that
would have been long enough, andsaid
to the people, We have done all we
can in the way OF reform, called a con-
stitutional convention and come home,
That, l think, would have been glory
enough, and would have shown the
wisdom Of that body, that was bound
DS every PROMISE tIl0t cOulO De made
to retrench and reform. But what did
they do, sir? Let me tell you: They
went to patching-they called it
amendments-but, sir, they patched
and patched till they got on some
twelve or fifteen, and may be more for
what know, and some of them pretty
large patches.
BY the way, let me tell you sheep
story read years ago: There was
man living in one of the Eastern
States. The seat of his pants got badly
rent, and the good wife of course had
to make the repairs. After looking
over her stock for such material as was
needed, she could find nothing to
match; Il piece of red flannel was the
only resource to make good the repairs.
The gentleman growing thirsty one
warm day, got over the fence into a
neighbours field where there was a fine
spring of water in a shady nook. AS
he stepped to the spring, he saw a
large ram standing by, perfectly quiet.
The gentleman knelt down on his