The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-20
THE CONVENTION.
Debate on the Resolution of Dele
gate Simon Instructing the
Committee on State Debt.
Further Consideration OF the Report
Of the Committee on Taxation-
"a Long Discussion Over
the License System.
THURSDAY. June 10, 1879.

THURSDAY, June 10, 1873.
TIE Convention met at Al 80 O'Clock q. m.
President Wilt In the chair, and 90 mem
bers present. y,
Delegate Simon asked unanimous consent
TO take up at this time his resolution further
instructing the Committee On State Debt, but
objection was made.
Delegate Blanchard presented q report
from the Committee On Federal Relations,
advising that Congress be memorlalized to
establish q naval training school ut this port
The report Was adopted.
Delegate McGloin presented a petition
from the free market men asking for such re-
lief as the Convention can grant. The petit
tion was referred to the Committee On Cor
porate Rights.
me communication from the Auditor an
nouneing that the Convention fund was almost
exhausted, was referred to the Committee on
Delegate Grimes offered q resolution pro
yiding that all ordinances which have been
acted upon be printed IN II pamphlet pa 16pa etc form nc Tor
The petition presented by Delegate Robert
.son on Wednesday relative to the State debt
was referred to the COMMITTEES On tho State
Debt.
Y#E InG UTGHUlDIb alQ ESsO1ubAJu lutlVuuGE&E NY
Delegate Simon on Wednesday was taken up.
It reads as follows:
Whereas, the actual oppressive. so.called,
state debt. has. for the greater part thereof.
lawful consent. and 10 destructive OF their pros
Wherein. the larger portion Of said debt Is III
the hands OF third parties, who may or not be
considered rs innocent holders thereof. and
among whom II may b. impossible to discrimi-
Resolped, Tint this Convention. through the
on State Debt, will consider and On
tertain propositions coming from the bond.
holders for the settlement and compromise Of
aai1 debt at fifty cents on the dollar. evidenced
by bonds bearing four per cent interest.
DELEGATE SIMON a=
addressed the Convention in support Of the
resolution. He said:
III. Ihesident-Were 1t not for q feeling Of
utytoWard those that sent me here. and the
flial love that burns In my soul for my native
Sta g 1 would remain mute and silent In the
seat I occupy In this assembly. leaving unto
others the discussion Of the great question, Of
now ngitates the public mind. ,.
Thu magnitude of ne responsibllity which
saaafas a g H. ae nsI r tr rae HenY i,Fa the u ns tnls
leaf lest / may give Inference 10 Thoughts and
sentiments ct variance with the expectations, Of
M aho1 pseapD Dnn MI aag the p p9blio WHARF reeas = Vna'
Mr.. President. the prosperity and honor OF
Louisiana Interest me beyond any other sub
@JBGLs i Hu lmUHtl6uG huu Ibbtf0tb W b0o u0I 10.
sumo. before I pass away. her former glorious.
resplendenr and honored attitude among the
States Of the American Union; to. rebuild her
rreatness, and to Uphold her eminent renown
Is what we have been sent here to do.
Ground to the dust BY Q merciless foe. this
noble State, proud OF her great achievements In
pence az we'll as In war. always defiant. has been
made, during many years. TO drink 70 tne very
a sF,e ii 1Rs nit anti up pat e sof ossse apf G a 81 3 Tlr.
tue. until she could endure the pains no more.
Let those, who are bind to her pre9ssnt, dis.
whose exnbsraut fancy have drawn hers such
FLOWING pictures OF her actual resources, and
Imagining capacities 70 pay that enormous
debt when grim perjury and deSOlat1On Is the
reverse of the picture. cease to ignore her
MI. President. Louisiana. rich. IN departed
Glory, rich In the love OF her children. rich by
her moral grandeur. Is poor indeed. The In
tolerable load OF taxation. which she has carried
1d dunn p e aeNa fe a q zassa Ill ag uDnrIsh Hnon h esl zen 81
her iairest hopes and paralyzed her indomita-
Members 81 this Convention, representatives
of the sovereignty Of the people, whose UNI
bounded powers you possess. Notwithstanding
prove the. contrary, 1t behooves you to remove
Eheir burdens as well rs preserve their sacred
honor.
whose a@ s eIoa u leefh has tiTnHsa a III. ~ ssem aHGg,
lis ramiacations, II 4 BE- 80, then this Conven-
unacquatnted with the intricacies Of the legal
profession. and unaccustomed to deliberate on
Iaw points s..1 j not the proper e forum tEa na f0g The dis ias
CHS hhnise subject has Been na s%urrounded Be t tran
g B sas f saa e dy j sxse 4 h ssts ' tne Question 60 Be
solved is only a political one. the settlement Of
which demands. eonsumate statesmanBhip.
When II Was nronosad IN nv district N sand
me here. / must confess / had but a confused
notion Of what should be done for the relief OF
mind, and these were. as they are now. 10 reduce
taxation to Its lowest point and reduce legtti-
sznately this excessive public debt.
WI Bt. M artin. I had suffered and mourned over
her!desolation. had stood by and Witnessed.
from Isss e 1s4a tha. aaxer nm me ~, e forever NOM
ton to unprincipled spectators. one-half of
her territory to pander to the i~nsatiate appe-
't snifs5y o Il hungry nae sr lsE,s,atorsMi oeea olne p t Sa1 H. Ia
Federal vandals who has swept over that beauti.
ful land, like the hordes Of Attila aud desoiated
III, tina government has closed its ears again {
the WailinRs Of the widow. the orphans and the
destitute. w
Iaboring under these painful impressions, +
Convention Us the dawn OF q better day. for at
last that badge Of our servitude, the oonstitu-
ton OF 1868, was TO be torn to pieces, taxation
reduced and tbs State debt cut down through
means to reasonable proportions.
Ave, sir. when this is accomplished. Phuenix-
like you will see Louisiana rise out Of ner
ashes and again expand and again resume her
But. Mr.. President, upon. what principle Is
the reduction Of the public debt justifl 4ble2 Is
1t upon the theory advanced here that the gov
eminent that created it had no legal existence?
Is 1t upon, the declaration made here, that the
infamous avs passed by a corrupt Legislature.
giving rise to this debt, are unconstitutional
!Is II upon the assumption tn t the contracts
made with our creditors are tainted with fraud
.ab into. and therefore null and void? These
are all questions IF law. the solution OF which
can find no place here.
The only just and true principle by which
our action In the matter can be based. one
eoeval with the formation Of rational govern
ment among men, and so often worked in an
Gent. as we'll as In modern. time. that princi-
pie. that higher law which. omyerrides a! other
OF the country is the supreme law" Salus
nutfie supreHa lea. $a@
Sir, the enforcement Of this supreme law is
nov, demanded at the hands Of this body Its
application to this matter should be guided by
the highest wisdom and the most. exalted
statesmanship. But Il must b. done. It cannot
s9e ayoided. The people expect 1t. The people
demand rest,