The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-07-17
THE STATE CONVENTION.

Rapides is, perhaps, just now, the
most quiet and free from political
excitement. The all absorbing topic
of a Constitutional Convention In
other portions of the State, and the
attempt to pledge the Democratic
party to that one issue by the public
press, does not meet with much en-
enlargement here. The nomination
Of good and true men to office and
their election by the Democratic
party is deemed of paramount i'm
portance to the sentimental ideas of
those who so strenuously advocate a
Convention to form a new Constitu-
ton, simply because 1t is the work
of Radical carpet-baggers and foster
ed by military authorities. There
are, it is true, certain inherent evils
in that instrument that it would be
we'll to eliminate, but that can be
done as we'll by the Amendments
proposed as by Convention. The
two Articles that seem to excite the
ire of some of our contemporaries are
Articles Is, which is commonly
known as the social equality Arti-
Gle, and the Article in reference to
public and mixed schools. Every
sensible man knows and feels that
these Articles are muduns pactaaa,
utterly void and of no effect. The
people of this State during thSdark-
est days of Radical supremacy had
no fears of these Articles ever hav-
ing any practical for e, and certainly
now, when the power is in the hands
of our own people, it is too late to
conjure up the slightest fear. But it
is said they are there, and some
thing 80 obnoxious to the sense of
the people should not be permitted
to remain in the organic law. Like
the gnat on the ox's horn in the fa-
bic, so far as their practical effect is
concerned, the great mass of the peo-
pie of Louisiana would not know
they were there unless by the con-
slant buzzing of certain sentimental
politicians, who are without a prac-
tical thought, and who are not happy
except when in revolution. Anoth.
er reason is that certain monopolies
exist in the State, that are obnox.
ious to the moral sense Of the peo-
pie, and injurious to their best in
terest, and it is necessary to hold
Convention to abolish them. 1t is
charged that these monopolies are
patent factors in our politics, and
can, as they have controlled legisla-
ton for number of years past, for
their own use and benefit. Did it
ever occur to those who advance this
argument that Legislature can do
as much towards repeating the laws
creating these monopolies as Con.
stitutional Convention could dor
If they have vested rights neither
the Legislature nor a Constitutional
Convention can impair them. Arti.
Gle 1928 of the present Constitution
declares that contracts for the sale
of persons are null and void, and
shall not be enforced by the Courts
of this State" yet every we'll inform
ed citizen knows that the Supreme
Court of the United States has deci.
ded on this same Article that no
State by injecting an Article in it's
Constitution, or by an Act of its
Legislature can impair the force and
effect of an obligation of a contract,
or divest vested rights. A law re-
pealing these monopolies will be test
ed by the Courts of this State and
perhaps of the United States, and
the Legislature has just as much
right and power to pass the act of re-
peal as has Constitutional Conven-
ton. Besides, what assurance have
the advocates of q Constitutional
Convention that the monopolist will
not be as able to control the Conyen.
tion as they are the Legislatures, if
indeed this charge be true. The
same class of men will be elected to
both, and If subject to improper In
iuences in one they will of course
yield in the other. sf ..N.t,
The proper way is to elect good
and faithful men to the Legislature
that can be trusted with the rights
and interest of the people, then the
monopolist will be dealt with proper
ly and lawfully. ratt 10 a.ds9a
The more serious objection to the
immediate call of a Constitutional
Convention is, that it will be the
cause of division in our ranks, and
will jeopardize the success of the
Democratic party. There is no dis