The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-03
THE MASS MEETING AT LAFAY-
ETTE SQUARE. ~
RESOLUTIONS READ AND sPEECHEs
DELIVERED.
uessrs. E. u. Kidd, e. lea md w. IL. Mills
Address the Meeting.

nessrs. Il. II. kidd, e. Tea and w. II. Mills
Address the Meeting.
The mass meeting held in Lafayettesquare
last night Tor the purpose Of agitating before
the people the question OF constitutional
convention, was called to order at 8 o'clock
Mr.. y. X. Southmayd read the following List
OF gentlemen presiding at the meeting:
President. u. p. Kidd,
II. Handy. j. 4. walk r, Thos. q. W. Ellis. b
9, Elliot. 4 W; Huntington, Herman Gees
Rs.seIleek, q u. Glrardey O. r Thiesman. Pat
rick Coyle,. Edward Burk. John Geddes. =. Z.
Thoman, q schonp, Fred. Good. y Il. Conway.
Shepherd. u. Roussett. J. H. Pope. y; H. Davis.
Thad Waterman, y. HicAey. :. May Thos,
seeeretar ie julien Michel T. W. Higgin-
Hon. p. .. Kidd, Of Jackson. spoke first.
Mr.. Kidd said that all hough the present as
sembly was not held In the halls of Congress- or
In a Il glslAtlre. yet the voice, Of the people
b. a Is % W5eba 81 v h ope w
etand BY a constitution framed by corrupt
Radical Legislature upheld by the force e. Of
Charles Dreux or Henry Clay. yet he did not
trembe to speak before the assembled multi
tude. because tue course he pursued was q Just
and proper one. He denied rs false the idea
that the object OF d convention was to 9tt rid OF
tho present State government. to cut off the
rights Of the eo'ored people and repudiate the
the speoulators In fraudulent bonds. the
monopolists, would rather see the city in ashes
than witness the calling of q constitutional CON
yention. He made no ereonal remarks. but
This infamous constil uion being legacy OF at
tempted degradation tn =. must be abr"gated me
tions Of other constitutions.
Although the present Legislature is in
flnenced by certain power which the speaker
Ian ", ftnn ypff hn la ~ md.
monopoies and sapauish the tylannizine in.
w 81 e aeena then sepea
and spoke rs follows:
/ am glad 70 see that you have assembled to-
night to discuss the ,proprety OF convention.
This question was Wrongly thought to DO of q
purely local character, but tho question not only
affects New Orleans. but the whole State high
The Office holde oppose convention. The
State government heed not fear to be over
sD NATURAL wal R pnnf be By hs ss
and monopolsts oppose the convention. be.
cause they thiuk hat their called rights vii!
be taken away from them. We want fair and
the wishes OF the peonIe; therefore we ought to
have a. convention The amendments framed
by the Legislature do not answer the require
Mr.. Lea retired. and Mr.. W. r. Mills read the
following resolutions:
Believing that where sovereignty rests in the
people. they. and they alone, should create and
establish their organic law. under which the
powers OF TIL, II rep, esentatives are to be de-
termined and limited; and admitted-a. It is by
oil men-that the present constitution of Louis
lana was not made by the people of the
State, nor ever met their sanction. but, on the
contrary. has been source of evil and oppres-
sion therefore, be it
Resotved. BY this mass meeting of citizens of
Louisiana irrespective of parties:
1. That we are in favor OF n constitutional
convention.
.. That we request Of the Legislature now in
session the recognition of this right of the peo
pie to form In lis entirety their organic law by
at once passing the bill introduced by Hen. =.
E. Kidd. Representative of the parish of Jack
SON. having for it's object the expression of the
will of the people, at their next general election
for or against constitutional convention and
the election OF delegates thereto.
After the resolutions had been unanimously
adopted Mr.. Mills said that the people wanted
constitution framed by men who should favor
no particular individuals or party. He spoke
OF the 'Moffett Re lister bill" and said that
now even The liquors we drink are to be taxed
not to swell the school fund but to pay the in
terest on bonds.
The orators were warmly applauded by the
large crowd present,
The meeting W dismissed at o'clock.