The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-18
TIE NEW ORLEANS DEMOCRAT, WEDNESDAY, JUN Is 1879

Is 1879
the continuation Of the grant would impede
the workings OF the government, the people
other interests to the requirements of the
commonwealth. Ii this doctrine were untrue
the representatives OF the people might SO
grant away the power CT taxation as to de-
stroy the government.
Mr.. Chairman, ferventIy hope that the
creditor Of the State will not stand on the let-
ter Of his bond. lam told tIatover half OF the
debt is held by citizens of this State. hope
they will take dlspassionate view Of, the
don a part Of their debt for the relief Of the
people, and will meet us half way In q spirit
Of liberal and equitable adjustment. Even II
selfshness alone is to be consulted 1t will EVIL
IDENTIFY be to the advantage OF the creditor to
would cheerfully pay, than larger one which
must inevitably be defaulted on as heretofore.
preservation, Mr. Chairman, is the
paramount law to States as well as indi-
ment have failed the ,nnyielding and unwise
creditor cannot complain IL nothing but the
strict and narrow letter Of his contract Is
given him, and II all it's legal possibilities
are ,probed and its unguarded positions are
| used and occupied to save the people.
Mr.. Chairman, have had no ambition to
make speech, but, as stated at the outset
only wished to give the main reasons why /
cannot support the law propositions Of the
majority report, and above all to express o
fervent hope that such an honorable adjust
ment will be proposed and accepted as will
be satisfactory to the creditor, q relief to the
people, and will in no wise impair the good
name OF the State.
DELEGATE BAsKINs
was the next speaker who addressed the Con-
vention. He said:
Mr.. Peaident-It has been my habit to dis
charge what conceived to be my duty, quiet
ly and silently. Listening attentively to the
views expressed by others, have refrained
from obtruding my own. VI have pursued this
course, because I did not wish to add to the
time lost IN useless discussion, and because
the superior wisdom that has found express
sion here, has left nothing for me to add upon
the various questions that have been consid-
cred upon this floor.
And now, II | could, would willingly re-
linquish the task before me. and abstain from
the discussion Of this most important ques-
tlon. 1t Is task before which men Of much
more experience and far greater ability have
claimed to hesitate and stand embarrassed;
and my hesitation and embarrassment must
be greater In the proportion that my ability
and experience are less.
l feel that would be reereant to thetrust rs-
posed in me by the people who sent me here,
and u, the duty owe to the State ii 1 should
shrink from its performance.
Sir, I regard the matter now under discus
sion as the paramount questionable question
overshadOWing all others which this Conven-
ton will have to consider. 1t is one the people
have placed before US. We must meet it
fearlessly
Gentlemen say that nothing In the act Of
the Legislature calling the Convention, and
nothing from which the Convention derives
authority, places this matter before us. But,
sir, when the demand for constitutional
convention swept like q tidal wave over this
State it was the popular feeling In favor OF a
settlement Ct the State debt that urged it On
not changed. The people OF this State to-day
are looking to the action OF this Convention
upon this matter with growing hopes
and breathless interest. They de-
They. demand just reduction OF the debt,
principal and interest, and we know It, We
knew 1T when we were candidates before the
people. Can we forget 1t now We did not
! then tell the people that their demands were
unreasonable, illegal and unjust, or that TO
grant the relief demanded would sink the
State into eternal infamy and disgrace. Have
we waited Until now to give the people this
Information Did We pander to the popular
thought ID order to induce the people to send
| us here that we might betray them 7 No, sir.
| will not believe it OF any gentleman ON this
floor. We may, under d strong pressure,
hesitate for moment before this unpleasant
duty; but Sir, we must, we will be true to the
people, and discharge Il In the end.
I have had an opportunity Of seeing my
port has been before the Convention, and 1
know that they have not become less earnest
10 their desire for reduction of the debt than
they were on the eighteenth OF March last,
when they elected me TO represent them here
Other gentlemen will Judge Of the authority
they have from the constituents to whom they
will answer, but for myself / know that am
authorized by the people who elected me to
go into this question.
II, then, as believe, the great majority of
the people OF this State demand an adjustment
OF this debt, what matters it that we find
nothing about the debt In the act of the Leg
islature calling the Convention? We receive
our power from the people, not from the Leg
islature. The act Of the Legislature was
simply the result Of the popular feeling in
favor OF a Convention, and was TO provide d
means by which the people could carry
their will Into execution effectually and
without confusion, and create a representative
body greater than the Legislature, and which
would represent all the sovereignty inherent
IN them as State. There are certain powers
That reside In the people as part OF the ma
ton and which, by the constitution Of the
United States having been already delegated
to the general government cannot be exercised
by the people 10 the capacity ola State, nor del
egated to q State convention. But all other
powers still belong to the people and may be
delegated In all their fullness to q State con-
vention, and among these powers resides the
right Of the State to inquire into her debt.
The Legislature that called this Convention
was organized under the constitution Of 1868,
and was subordinate to it. 1t had no power
TO change that constitution or disregard 1t,
and gould not delegate any such power to
this Convention. Ii this be true the LegisIa-
ture could not have compelled any more than
II could have prevented q settlement of this
question by the Convention. Nor does this
Convention derive any of it's powers from the
Legislature; but on the contrary, the powers
OF the Convention, as I have said, come di-
rectiy from the people, and are untrameled
by the act of the Legislature.
The people having sent us here with the de-
sire and expectation that we would eliminate
the illegal debt Of the State, we have all the
authority that could be given us to inquire
into and settle this matter. will not go
into legal argument upon this branch OF the
case, because it has been rendered unnecessary