The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-06


selves with q copy Of the act.
The exact responsibility that q member o
the Legislature owes to his constituency has
Just been determined in California, q commit
tee of the Legislature of that State having haC
the matter under consideration. We notice.
some time since the election Of one Bones t
the Senate of the Golden State by the Com
munist- Workingmen of Alameda county
The 'Worlingmen" celebrated this glorious
victory In whisky and shouts; Bones was
presented with watch and chain, serenaded
carried on the shoulders OF tho enthusiastic
mob TO Sacramento. and everywhere greeted
as '.the champion Of down-trodden labor
The champion of labor hurried to Sacramen
and took his seat in the Senate Of California at
once; he was the sole representative OF the
Workingmen's party, but that made little diff
ference the workingmen had ut last a repre-
sentative In the Legislature, one who had
promised to beard the bloated bondholders
and gold milonaires OF that time-serving
body. But Bones, fierce and hot among the
Communists OF Alameda, became, when he
reached Sacramento, most extraordinarily
conservative. The millionaire bondholders OF
the Senate were Radicals and Communists
compared to him. He voted for every grab
and steal that came up. favored every mo-
nopoly and corporation In the State The
question OF the constitutional convention
came before the Legislature; the people had
actually ordered convention by large ma
jority, but the monopolies, fearing for their
existence, asked the Legislature to nullify
the act and vote Of the people.
Behold Bones, representative Of the people,
schampion of the workingmen," voting with
the monopoies, and against O convention
This conduct of their representative surprised
and alarmed tho workingmen OF Alameda
When their Senator voted $l5,000,0 600 to the
Spring Valley Water Company, there was a
good deal OF growing, but Bones particular
friends pretended that it was merely igno-
rance on his part. A committee Of twelve was
accordingly appointed to see to tho matter,
and direct Bones Alright The recreant Sen
ator was notified to appear before this COM
mittee, and informed that In view OF the fact
that he had made several mistakes In his
votes, he should not be allowed to vote in
future until he had consulted this committee.
All questions coming up In the Legislature
were to be submitted to 1t, and 1t alone was
to decide what action Bones should take on
every measure. The committee, In fact, was
to be Senator, with Bones as spokesman.
The treacherous Bones refused to hearken
to this demand, and denied tho right of
the committee to dictate to him. The re-
suit OF this refusal has been such an out
burst OF rage In Alameda that Bones had
~
OF past days, never to return home. He has
been served with Ku-Klux notices, cross
bones pieces Of hemp, ETC., and the commit
tee appointed to instruct him In his senate
rial duties has been converted into.a Bones
lynching committee
The worthy Senator, good deal disturbed
by these outbursts of popular rage on the
part of his constituents, appealed to tho
Senate for protection, and demanded that
committee should be appointed to inquire
into his case, and decide whether he had acted
properly or not.
This committee has just presented its re-
port. It is one that must prove exceedingly
welcome to all Legislators. Bones, they say,
acted very properly in the matter. A Senator
has as much right to his own opinions as
,8nyDOuy elSe. IL hO uhlCASuOO Vhuo
the views of his constituents are nor on what
platform he was elected; nor what his own
pledges during the campaign were. Ii, after
meeting the other members of the Legisla-
ture, be chooses to change his views and
ideas on leading questions, this Is his privi-
lege. and any denunciation abuse or threats
against him by his constituents is in bad taste,
improper and unjust. The committee there
fore, decides that Bones is right and the peo-
pie of Alameda wrong.
This decision will afford a great relief to a
number Of legislators who have been undeci
ded as to their exact rights and their duties
towards the people. There can be no better
Judge as to the duties and rights of legis-
lator than a Legislature itself, and that OF
California has decided that when once elected
a member is no longer responsible to his con-
stituency for his opinions; he Is entitled to
his own views and should not listen to the
wild bowling of the mob.