The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-18
MR.. SEM MES PLATFORM,


third ward. In an interview with o repre-
sentative Of the DEMOCRAT he I, Gently laid
down the bold and startling propositions
that, IL the convention shall undertake TO
| repeal or modify the five and half mills In
terest tax the United States Courts can ana
will undoubtedly enforce Its collection. Ihis
is doctrine which has come in with the
reign Of the bondholders and ita bold enuncia-
ton, by a distinguished and able lawyer, as
platform on which he claims an election TO
constitutional convention, plainly shows the
inroads which the money power Is making
upon our theory OF government as estab-
lished In the constitution and 1t should warn
the people that, unless they put the seal of
condemnation upon such theories and con-
sign to political death those who assert them,
they must expect In the future to become the
mere bondsmen OF o moneyed oligarchy. 1t
Ia we'll known that tho holders of the bonds
Of this and other States are maturing
plan to carry out the very doctrine Mr..
Semmes advances and obtain It's recog-
milton by the Federal courts Many eminent
lawyers, Of course, arc to be employed
with large retainers and doubtless some Of
the distinguished attorneys Of our own bar
will be engaged In this great suit TO nulify
the constitution strike down the sovereignty
Of the States and force upon tho lmpover
ished people the recognition of debts. most OF
which were created to maintain illegal robber
governments. 1t is Of the highest importance,
| therefore, that the people Of these States
| should plant themselves on sound principles.
| and rebuke and Danish from their confidence
those men, however able and eminent. who
are taking the lead in this revolutionary
| movement.
The eleventh amendment to the constItl-
| ton expressly declares that 'the judicial
power or the United States shall not be con-
strued to extend toany suit In law or equity
commenced or prosecuted against one Of the
| United States by citizens OF another State
| or by citizens or subjects OF any for
eign State" Daniel Webster was certainly
not an extreme States rights man, but we
believe that it will be conceded on all hands
that he understood the theory OF the Ameri-
can government. and that he comprehended
the American constitution, and that illus
trious lawyer and statesman took an entirely
different ground from that assumed by Mr..
Semmes and other later day statesmen. In
Webster on the powers Of State to contract
loans and the means OF enforcing payment.
In reply MIR. Webster, with the constitution
In mind, addressed the firm a very able and
exhaustive paper on the subject. In the course
Of which he said:
The security for State loans Is the plighted
faith OF the State. Rs political community. II
rests Oh the same basis as other contracts with
| bnptG.
example. az loans made by the United States
under the authority Of Congress.
Ii has been said that the Stntps c.nnot be sued
on these bonds. But n. ither could the United
States be susd: nor, as suppose. the Crown o.
, England. In like case.
, This was the opinion Of one OF the creates
and most patriotic of American statesmen Ii
1880 At that time, standing upon the consti
tuition, the supreme law of the land, h'
held that the States, SO far as their liability
to be sued, stood upon the same plane o
, sovereignty with the United States govern
ment and the crown Of England. Such was
the constitution In 1899, and such was ther
the sovereignty Of the States. VIII Mr.
Semmes enlighten the people whose votes ht
is soliciting to-day by telling them by wha
constitutional amendment, or by what reso
luton or authority or miracle, the character
OF this government has become so com
petely changed and the sovereignty q
the States destroyed, that the members
OF this grand confederation may be pur
sued like common creditors by the
Federal judiciary There has been no such
constitutional enactment; there has been NJ
such change; the relations of the States tt
each other and to the world their rights ant
their sovereignty, are to-day what they Were
In Mr. Webster's day The doctrine advanced
by Mr.. Semn,es Is an invention Of the lawyers
of the bondholders and the representatives o.
the money power. Ii anything could justify
reputation pure and simple 1t would be the
fact that the bondholders have advanced this
dangerous doctrine and threaten to destroy
the constitution and revolutionize the institu
tions Of the country In the enforcem ent O
their claims.
An esteemed correspondent OF this paper
ID. @. l." who has written very ably on Mr.
Semmes' line. in one OF his recent communi
. cations quotes from Mr.. Websters letter. bu
says that since Mr.. Webster wrote '1aten
resources have been developed in the judclar,
which Mr.. Webster never dreamed Of" w
are forced to concede that our correspondent
Is correct The power OF the Federal court
to indict, drag from their homes, persecut
and prosecute citizens Of the States for thei
political views, is a latent power the judiciar,
. has developed since Mr. Webster wrote and D
which he never dreamed. There are other la
: tent powers of a like nature which the judiciar
has developed. And we now find Mr.. Semmes
Democratic candidate for the constitutions
convention, and our esteemed correspondent
I'd. G. l." laboriously engaged in attemptin
to develop this latest, most dangerous an
pornicious latent power in the judiciary.
We have no personal animosty toward MI
Semmes, though must say very frankly tina
his political course has not been such as
- commend him to the support OF the Democrat
! of Louisiana; still he is an able man, dstir
guished citizen and lawyer and If he WEI
standing on sound principles we believe the
he would make a valuable member of tn
convention. But standing on O platforr