The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-03
seeker, and that his motive was not hopper
hand habove board, don't you know.
KEEP TOGETHER.

the majority report In regard to the action Of
the Convention.
This bad temper was pointedly eyineed BY
Mr. Lott In the discussion on Tuesday.
When Mr.. Ogden moved to amend the ordi-
nance as reported, By striking out article |,
which declared the principal Of the State debt
to be valid obligation, and that 1t should re-
main inviolate, that gentleman stated that
his motion was prompted through Difference
to the views Of large number OF Democrats
Oh the floor who had upheld the right OF the
Convention to readjust the debt. and who
could not support the ordinance SO long as 1t
contained this declaration, which was con-
strued by them as denial OF this doctrine.
This was q proper concession, and 1t was very
Justly demanded, and the Convention prompt
" passed the amendment and struck out the
obnoxious article.
But, more than this, this little Incident APP
peared to Indicate that the extremely diverg-
emit views that had been advanced In regard
to the debt had been in q measure reconciled,
and that the Convention was In fair way to
reach settlement of this vexed question,
which would prove acceptable to all parties,
except. perhaps, very few Of the most ultra
advocates Of the majority report. It was at
this point that Mr.. Lott arose to rudely dis
pei this pleasing Illusion. The arrangement
which had been reached. as established In
Delegate Stones amendment, which fixed the
interest on the debt at 8 per cent for fifteen
years and per cent thereafter, he charged,
was the result OF combination between the
middle men and the Republicans In
the Convention, and they should be
allowed to perfect their own ordinance.
He hoped that the gentlemen who had acted
with him, and who held the same views with
himself. would have nothing to do with 1t.
Coming from man OF Mr.. Lofts high stand
ing and influence, this expression bodies moth
ing but evil. It Is to be hoped that It was
but the ebullition Of temporary feeling OF
disappointment and vexatfon on the part OF
Mr.. Lott, and that 1t does not indicate COM
mon sentiment and settled purpose on the
part Of the large number OF gentlemen In the
Convention of his way Of thinking. Il this
be not the case, II there does exist an
organized and matured intention Of forcing
the alignment suggested by the Delegate
from West Carroll, between the middle
men or more conservative Democrats
and the Republicans It portends nothing
else than serious and perhaps trreconcila-
bic split in the, heretofore, solid ranks OF the
Democratic party. This Is calamity which
all good men In the State can utdeprecate at
this vital period, both Of State and national
politics, and which they should use their ut
most exertions to avert In view OF the ire
mendous issues which the campaign Of next
year is to dispose OF, there is scarcely any
concession which true men and loyal Demo-
Gratis ought not to be willing to make In order
to preserve the unity and discipline Of their
party. The detection and dissatisfaction 81
men like Mr. Lott, at such momentous pc
| Rod Of our political history, would be an
irreparable calamity. But we shall
not allow ourselves to contemplate
such q thing as possible. We believe that the
differences which now appear so threatening
| will be healed In time, and that our people
shall again be found together, presenting q
solid, unbroken front under the banner Of the
| Democratic party.
If there be anything In the suggestion OF
Mr.. Lott In regard to the combination be-
tween the middle men and the Republicans,
why have we not heard something OF it
earlier In the session Of the Convention? We
heard nothing of such coalition when six
teen Republicans voted with Mr.. Lott and
his friends to limit State taxation to five
mills. Mr.. Lott should have begun to draw
the lines at an earlier day.
| This LIS one side OF the question: but on the
other hand, we deprecate not less such ex-
pressions as those INDUCED in By the Euening
News on yesterday. That paper declares
that the ordinance adopted by the Convention
allowing per cent for fifteen years and 4 per
cent thereafter would not be accepted by the
bondholders, and that they would rather re-
sort to the Federal courts to enforce their OBJ
| legations against the State. This Is simply a
threat,and a most senseless and impotent one,
and 1t was doubtless made for no other purpose
than to negative the extreme views which
came from the other side. III such was its
purpose, it was simply ridiculous II it was
seriously made, 1t was a misrepresentation,
doubtless not willful one, but none the less
calculated to produce dissension and bad
feeling. From the beginning the Convention
| has been threatened with the interference OF
the Federal courts in the settlement Of the
debt question. The Times Illuminated this
sort Of thunder for weeks before the
| Convention met, and the DEMOCRAT pub.
lished column after column Of com.
munications from learned attorneys
maintaining these same views all Of which
we refuted in our editorial columns
The Convention chose to adopt our interpre
1 tation Of its powers and of the constitutions
limitations on the judicial powers of thu
general government, and 1t has gone along tt
Il tha aatfIempnt of the debt question without
the slightest reference to the threats Of thu
bondholders, their organs or attorneys.
Il The Convention has long since reached /
just appreciation Of these threats, and tn
repetition of them can only serve to irrttate
while they can subserye no practical purpose
In addition to this we have every reason t.
believe that the statement made by the Ne,r
) is not authoritative. The adjustment reached
by the Convention, we are given to under
stand, was adopted on the most direct ant