Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-02-22
A SOUND ARGUMENT.
WHO SHALL GO TO THE CONVENTION

ana every sentiment therein con-
tanned, us having the true Democratic
ring:
''TlIc P!c"ynnc, Ii correspondent
writes us, has taken II very tirm stand
official or member of the Legislature
Tor the Convention, and desires to
know why the Ucmocrat, which has
led the fight against rings, has said
nothing on this important ututtcr.
We think our correspondent is in
error III regarding ;.ny question which
the Ticayunc ventures to disc ttsts us OF
any Importance. That j",rntl sys-
trniaticaly avoids assuming any POSI-
ton on any question of rrn! con>c-
uuence to the people of the State or
city.
GAS for our part, we hold that no
citizen be excluded from the convcn~
ton. A constitutional convention
represents the sovereignty of the pco-
pic Of the State and when ~ public
cxigcncy arises which requires such ii
convention every nnl, III the state,
whutcvcr lnly be his position, whether
he be Governor or plain citizen,
stands on IL level. There is rc:,-
son why tn" immediate constituency
of tho Governor should not elect him
to represent them in the convention,
uplcss it be that his duties nH ~ n,cn,-
Der Of the convention might interfere
with his duties Az chief magistrate OF
the State. But that is IL question for
him to determining, and if his people
elect him and he consents to serve,
no one has II right to object.
sit would be indeed !, remarkable
thing were it TO hc established, that
the men in whom tt," people of the
State and OF the several parishes have
displayed their confidence by clcctin@
them to State offices, and to repre-
sent them in tho Legislature and the
municipal governments were excluded
hy that very expression OF confidence
from representing them in IL consttu-
tionul convention. If such ~ policy
be adopted, then must The Parishes
ignore those whom in the past they
have most honorcl, and say 'lncausr
we havc tried YOU and because you
have served ls faithfully, therefore
N"u have loAt Your rights and claims
:,s i, citizen, and are unfit To represent
us in this ns~clnhly.' This ia simple
;hsurdity. Tho, argument has moth
ing i'll it. The people are sovereign
and if there be any State or municipal
official, OF amy member OF the Lcyi--
laturc, who holds their confidence and
who they desire to represent them in
the convention they have the right t"
elect him Il delegate.
"a constitutional convention il Il
representation OF tn, sovereignty of
II G people, and no citizen can be or
ought to be excluded from it. But if
this ancient and hoHorcd Democratic
doctrine is to be ignored, and certain
classes of the community are to be
excluded from Il constitutional con
vc,ltion, let us single out those classes
for prescription who have interests at
stake adverse to those OF the collective
body OF the people.
"Thr individual representing his
fcllow-citizens in public office, if he
be an honest man, has no interest an
tagonistic to that of the people. His
official station means that he has the
confidence and affection of the people.
That he has been once the recipient
Of the confidence Of his fellow -citizrl,s
is no reason why he should not be the
recipient Of it again, unless by his
official conduct he has forfeited his
claims upon it. The class to be pro-
scribtd, if any is 10 br prescribed,
rhick 'cc deny, is the class who have
interests ant:Sonistic to the taxpayers
of the State and that class il COM
posed Of the bondhol.icrs and their
representatives. We do not say that
holders of bonds or representatives of
bondlln:ders should be prescribed and
denied admission to the convention,
because VIC believe that the people, in
this matter, are sovcrcign, and that
they have the right to choose "}ton1-
so'vcI they please. But We do say,
before we prescribe the men who the
majority of the people have singled
ont for State and parish officers and
for members of the Legislature, and
deny them right of membership in the
convention, we should prescribe the
holders of State bonds and those who
represent them. We may oppose a
man who is ~ public official for spc-
citic reasons for Office, but we can
never consent to the proposition that,
because Il man has been selected by
the people for high public position, he
therefore becomes a political pariah."
THE GUARDIANS OF THE STATE
TREASURY.
While the Judges arc closely guard
ing the General Fund the charitable