Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-07-20
THE CONVENTION QUESTION ABLY
SUSTAINED.

| 4. G., in q communication to the Patri-
| ot- Democrat from which we take the
following extract, clevcrly "gets away"
with "Enquircr,' who essaTesl to oppose
the convention, through the columns of
the Clinton Vatehman. Let the people
of West Felician ponder these words, and
let them register today their voices i'll
favor of u new and pure organic law.
| Send no man to the State Convention
| who is not pledged TO the policy OF Il
Constitutional Convention
'sThe last objection urged by "E"Gsr-
e,'" for calling Convention is his fears
| that the Convention may fall Into the
hands of the radical party. Let us en-
| anime this question and see if his fears
are well founded. There is the same
danger that the Legislature may fall into
the hands of the radicals as the Conven-
! ton may. No more the one than tho
| other. The members Of the next Legis-
lature will be elected according to the
new apportionment law, and so would
| delegates to IL convention. Why should
| "Enquire,''' be afraid of one and not of
the other7 In 1872, with a radical Gov
! ernor and every Office filed with radicals,
the Democratic party triumphantly car
ried the State. Again, in 1876 with eye
ry Office from Supreme Judge and Gov
ernor down to Corner, filled with radi-
calls, we carried the State by more than
eight thousand maj joritS. Will "E"Q""-
en-" pretend that the Democratic party,
| with Governor Nichols at it's head, is
weaker than it was when Wornoth and
Kellogg and federal bayonets ruled tho
day i? If so, how unmeaning his compli-
ments to Governor Nichols.
In his article to the Vatchman, he says
"Governor Nichols by his great ability,
wonderful GOODNESS End fOrbearance, in
domitable energy and chivalrous courage,
won the fight and gave to Louisiana a
free government" Yet he is afriad to
call u Convention under the Nichols
government, be cause we arc too weak
to risk anything. 1t seems to us that
now is tho time to call Il Convention,
| for the people to meet and to blot out
forever that detestable Charter of rights,
| called the Constitution of 1868. II Gov
ernor Nichols possesses that indomltable
energy and chivalrous courage which
';Enguire,'' has impnted to him, then he
is the man to champion the peoples
rights.
If in 1876, when % Presidential election
was at stake, the Nichols banner trium-
phed in tho face of a thousand bristlinG
bayonets, what have We now to fear
| Have we grown weaker and the enemy
grown stronger since that time. "Enq"u'-
| e,' himself surely will not pretend that
we have lost our strength as party un-
der the Nichols government. Who, we
tssl1 in conclusion, is it that opposes a
convention. Surely not the people; not
the broken down tax payers, they are
not opposed to it, because it is t" theil
interest to have a convention. Under
tho present constitution they are taxed
unnecessarily. Many offices should be
abolished entirely, and i'll the case O
many others the salaries should be re
duced one half. The people are almost
in q bankrupt condition.. Nearly ever!
farm has Il mortgage upon 1T, men ant
women that never worked a day in thei
lives are driven to the fields, to the ploN
and to the hoe, to toll for tax money t.
pay the royal salaries Of men who wea
silk stot kings.
But there is class who oppose con
vention. Who are they? Every bod.
knows who they are! 1t is the none,
power. The holders of State bonds ant
bank stock. Tho proprietors of charter
ed monopolies. The office holders ant
their dependents, or else they are person
who never think for themselves, but VIII
always act with those in power.
AS to tho proposed amendments to tn
constitution we will not discuss them a
; the present time. Some of them are goo
enough, but they do not meet the dc
nands of the people. The people dcman
q cheap constitution, cheap govern
ment, but few offices and the reductio
of taxes to the lowest point. The dis
, Sc of the people is poverty; and the
must hot be taxed beyond their means
pay. If there is any parish iwthc Stat
that should speak out upon these que:
tions in tones of thunder, it is East Eel
, ciana Our parish has been patlen
, sufferer under the most CALLING yoke eve
', wore by free people. Taxes under tn
government ofKellogg " ere imposed be
, yond the ability OF tho people to pa,
The hard earnings and tolls OF man
= were not sufficient to pay these outrage
GUS demands. Many families sutfere
for bread in order to save thcir home
from the tax gatherer's hammer And tn
:. old mortgages resting upon their land
for the unpaid balances for the taxes ul