The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-22
ADDRESS 70 THE PEOPLE OF LOUISIANA.
Rooms DEMOCRATIC CONSERVATIVE !
Htate Central Committee.
New Orleans. November al. 1879.

Rooms DEMOCRATIC CONSERVATIVE
State Central Committee.
New Orleans November al. 1879.
~ the People of Louisiana:
Won are called upon III this political cnm-
uaipn to express your opinion upon the abro
ration OF the constitution foisted upon this
state under the reconstruction policy Of the
Federal Congress AMI the adoption of new
constitution. prepared by convention Of your
own free choice, and by it submitted to your
ratification. At tue same time, considering tho
adoption q fare gone conclusion. that convention
has ordered the simultaneous election Of State
officers and of tho General Assembly under
Tint constitution.
such ars the grave and all-important Issues
OF this political campaign
For ten years have the Democratic Oonserva-
tive people OF this State. In State conventions
assembled mt different times and places. de-
nouneed the so-called constitution Of 1868, not
only Tor Its dement's and Internal defects. but
also for ita vice OF origin. considering n as o
mnnded Its nbroRation. and pledged themselves
10 lend willing aid TO repeal y ~ the tirst op-
Follow. citizens, that moment has arrived.
In the winter Of 1915 and 1871, under the lead
ership OF those distinguished sons Of Louisi-
ana, n. r. Nichols and Louis Alfred Wlltz. the
Democratic Conservative masses 81 our people
overturned the nsnrpation and established the
first government of their choice since the ad-
vent of Tho reconstruction laws 81 Congress-.
Your state government upported ana prompt
ed by public opinion. assihu0nsly act u work
To redeem the aolemn pledges proclaimed by
after emerging from y direfnl conflict to rush
into another by tho Immediate abrogation 81
the reconstruction constitution, our state GOV
the important reforms. necessary TO allevi atethe
burdens Of our taxation. Having discharged
this mission the other pledge by which our
vAHa
mated was grappled and for that sole purpose
You have Witnessed the spectacle 81 General
vaeating their seats after brief session, conse
Grated to the call Of u constitutional convention.
The convention, compose, !, Of the best ele-
setfsing all their Interests, material social and
political. has. after m arduous session Of three
months. proposed Tor your adoption the eonsti-
The question IL whether you will vote to
ratify that constitution. or signify your willing
ness to live under that OF 1868. There Ia no
10 vote against adoption Il 10 decide TINT the
constitution OF 1868 IL the best constitution. de-
apita its conceded intrinsic vices ana defects
and its original ain.
In other words. the two constitutions are can
siIdates before the people. And ia 1t possible
altar mature reflection and considering the
issue In is true light that we shou'd hositate2
Our Slate nomiuRtirg convention at Baton
Rouge I'D not hssiaa; hu speaking e. voice
Gated aud proclaimed cur advocacy OF the adop-
ton OF the new constitution.
The kepnhl can party, assembled In ronven-
don In The city Of New Orleaua declared:
That as TO The adoption If fhe constitution re
recognize na honest and legitimate snhare for dT.
ference Of opinion and recommend that The ques-
ss1iftent " iet ID the iadiriduul CONNECTIONS of
she peters." The position thus taken by them
is. on the one hand, tribute to the merits of
the constitution of 1879, while On the other II Is
n tacit submission TO public opinion. which has
consigned to public obloauythe constitution 81
1868.
Remembsr-aud the official records exhibit
that, under the epnsfitu ion OF 1868. and the
lezislation under It the expenses OF TIE state
OF New Orleans averaged KS $50 434 III eight
neiuions three hundred ard eiPhtVfre Mousd1d
four hundred and firtv four dollars niai screen.
teea cents per arntfm: while, under the rev con
stitution. the expenses Of both Sttte and city
governments ctnnot escead fs2 623, 500 aol hco
sir hundred and ninety tro dollars and thirty
cents per ann,ua uDon the basis of the ASSESS
mont OF 1879.
diff areneej IN favor OF the Democratic Con-
servative patty of ire millions screen hundred and
strtp- one thousand saren hundred and forty one
dollars and eighty sepen cents PEI d,H,t ss5.76l-
The ordinary AZ penses Of the State govern
Eaent for four years of Republican rule. prior
to the inauguration of the NICHOLS government,
averaged three millions fra hundred and eighty
thousand flee handrei and thirty sepen dollars
and sirtg enc cents pe, vea, tssSso,ss7 ell.
average TOO nations ana mn one thousand nine
hundred and fftp- fire doiarstsa.a5l 9sb yearly
saving OF one million fire hundred and tsrentu-
aigM thousand five hundred ard eighty hro dol
lars aud fffp caats !si.sas $50 90. as COMPARED
with the preceding kepnbican government.
When our people ref act that. under the new
constitution, the total expenses OF the state
government for all pnrpn:es will be less Hhn
ftceire hundred thousand dollars per d,atuni
law and the good fai Of the Damocratic-Con-
sentative party 10 thus redeaming its pledges VI
reform appear In id relief.
IL was wlse statesmaDehip. for the reasons
above Indicated not to call d constitutional con-
ventton Immediately upon uhtalni Ing posses ion
OF the State government. and 1t is no less Wian
craftsmanship now to ratiiy the proposed CON
stitution. Coming events cast their shadows
before; and we must. as q matter Of common
prudence, do all we can to have coDsummated
our final State redemption ny the installation or
a new government OF the pc pie under con-
Etitntion of our own choice before the mighty
shake tho very foundation OF our national
fabric TIE issue OF consolidation Of the Fed
eral government into o CENTRAL despotism, upon
the ruins of tho Unitad States constitution, Ia
slowly but turey forcing itself upon the Amer
lean people.
Before the Issues of tho all absorbing presi-
dental election OF 1880 will be npon let us
settle among ourselves, and oonsign to the past
all the great questions OF local government
which have distracted us for the past two
years. The now constitution being adopted.
the State government duly Installed under 1t.
the debt question removed from the arena OF
politics by The adoption of the debt ordinance
az " eompromtse measure, without reference
TO the conflicting opinions and desires may
nil entertain On TINT subj ~. matter, we can
then sobeily and resolutsy prepare for the
mighty events In store FIR III The near
future ALBERT VOORHEES, President.
o. NJ. TENsIsoS, Secretary.
Get your rlu ,Ohiug done ut Applegate's No.