The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-18

/ UUaIu WHICH Heb III NOW IoIh, DuI ulu nc
think that Eif even $4,000 fraudulent bond
had been funded, as was claimed, 1t was an
reason why the honest bondhOlders should
made tor suffer as heavily as was proposed
The proposition amounted to virtual contisca
ton. The Convention might as well contis
cate the farm Of the farmer, Or the goods o
The merchant. Many Of the bonds had bee
4 purchased upon the pledge OF the Nlcholl'
| government, the bondholders believing In tn
good faith OF that government. 10 tax
away q mans property in the manner pro
4 posed was no less theft than to enter
mans house and rob him Of an equivalen
amount.
There was really no such thing as Stat
1 sovereignty, Of which SO much has beel
said. It was q chimera, held only b.
O few Democratic politicians, and Of which tht
publle mind has been disabused by the law
Ihe State could not interfere to prevent thu
bondholder from calling for the fulfiilment o
The contract made with him by the constitu
tIonal amendment. The courts could manda
| mus the Auditor and compel him to pay The
| Interest on the bonds II he refused. he woult
De Kept in jail until such time as he concluded
| to obey the order of the court. Another State
could also sue on the bonds, and enforce theil
payment in the United States courts. The or.
der could be issued to the various tax collect.
qTs, and they would be compelled to obey it
1t had been said that this cannot be done. II
Wtac tdlSO SttlA bllhl DIhl6 COulu uOU Dc Co
creed; but everybody knew that idea had been
exploded. 1t was useless to say that the
courts could not enforce the payment OF the
bonds.
He, was in favor Of giving some relief to the
people i 1t could be done honestly and honor-
expenses Of the government and the reduc-
ton OF all salaries. great deal Of money
could be saved in this way. Then 100000 a
year could be saved by reducing the interest
bondholder to contribute that much for the
relief OF the people. He WAS willing to 60
further. For a term of years he would favor
the payment OF only per cent interest. Such
an adjustment OF the matter now before the
Convention would be honorable and Just. 1t
would at the same time relieve tie people.
The State came out Of the war with only
honor left to her. The Convention should sus-
tain that honor.
DELEGATE MOORE, OF ST. LANDRY,
followed Delegate Hough. His remarks are
annexed:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen Of the Conven-
ton-T, like most Of the speakers who pre-
reluctant to engage il this discussion, because
I feel that l lack that confidence which d
more Intimate knowledge OF the question Id
all It's bearings requires at the hands OF any
one who attempts to speak upon 1t. At the
same time I feel called upon by the friends Of
which 1, az member OF the committee, have
approved and signed, to give my feeble views
which Induced me, after a somewhat unsatis-
factory examination Of the question, to sign
the report and give the reasons why, In nv
opinion, that report should be adopted.
j am met In the outset OF this discussion Nv
an objection, which, ii well founded, puts an
end at once and forever to all debate and de-
aud cuts short the whole question
IN favor Of the holders Of the bonds of the
| q rYInty ~
Oblectlon, that you are poWerless to lay your
hands upon the bondholdeTs: that you are
poWerless to deal with the question: that it
has been decided by o power greater than
yours: settled adversely to your pretensions,
and favorable to the pretensionB Of the bond
holders. Although / have not examined the
question as fully as have desired, and have
not examined the authorities upon this grave
point to that extent that / should desire be-
gre meeting % you, yet am bound here with
q state that !. do not hesitate to say
hat that question, as well as every
other question that concerns in the
'emotest degree the interest and welfare of
t1fnnfh ssntaseltn and in
no other judicial power, no other legislative
power that can take this question from you.
Why. gentlemen of the Convention, what are
you? "A convention OF delegated representa-
Ives Of the people Of the State Of Louisiana,
,he General Assembly, but called here to take
In all the departments OF this government;
called here to take into conside ration the fun
iamental law upon which they rest; called
whether the present fundamental law under
which the present State government exists,
ind upon which every department of that
government Is formed, Is suited to the best
interest Of the State OF Louisiana or not
That Il The question Ter Which you have been
rom one end to the other, have
9een for years past complaining that
heir wants have not been met BY the legis-
ators that heretofore represented. or pre-
blamed that everything has been weighing
Upon them to such an extent that nothing
short of convention OF the people OF the
State could relieve them OF their burdens.
They have, it is true, BY virtue OF an act Of
lere to give them relief; they have sent you
here to meet every exigency that might arise;
hey have sent you here to investigate every
lefect Of the present organic law, and TO cor
,ect 1t, II it be ia your power There are
vas a limitation as to time. You were linn
ted to sixty days. Will you regard that linn
tation? You were limited to 81 a day. We
will regard that limitation, and why? Sim
oly because we choose to 90 50; They have
United you to q session Of sixty days In which
% do your work. Ii you find that you are
unable to do the work In that limited time,
will you recognize the. power Of the Legis--
ature to close UP this Convention and send
you back unsatisfed to your constituents It
strikes me not. But, gentlemen Of the Con-
vention, If you have no power to reach out
Ind touch this question of the public debt,
hen you have no power to reach out your
hands and touch any other matter that needs
.eform ID the organic law. II you have no
1ower to take hold Of the public debt and
grant relief from oppression, then you have
10 power to meet any question on any griev-
lnce that grows out Of the imperfections Of
he organic law Of the State or the statutory
provisions Of the Legislature. l will meet
he gentlemen upon their own ground. They
lave boasted here and held 1t up to our faces
hat the present State debt exists not only by
tirtue Of an act Of the Legislature, but BY
yirtue Of q part Of the organic law OF the
State. When you meet them with the obiec-
ion that there was fraud and extravaganza
N the part of the Legislature, upon the very
loors of the House, and beyond doubt that
sscharged, and that there was bribery and
day and night throughout the ses-
ions; they say that all that Is cured; they
lold up the constitutional amendment of 1874,
hot fbn r,ffh o Ofoto IF