The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-11-29
Address TO THE PEOPLE OF
LOUISIANA.

LOUISIANA.
Rooms DEMOCRATIC CONSERVATIVE }
state Central COMMITTEE.
New orleans, Novcmb.y II, 1879.
To the People Of Louisiana
You are called upon II this prIi;i
cal campaign :" EXPRESS Your opinion
upon the abroyation of The cons,itu-
ton foisted upon this State uud.r the
reconstruction policy d the Federal
Congress and the adoption OF a new
constitution, prepares. by u conven.
ton Of your own free choice, and by
1t submitted to your ratification. At
the same time, considering the adop.
ton foregone conclusion. tina. con.
vention Ia ordered the simultaneous
election u State officers and Of the
General Assembly under that cousti.
tuition.
Such are tho grave and ali.;mpor.
tant issues OF this political cam paign.
For ten years have the Democratic.
Conservative people OF this State, in
State conventions assembled at dit.
frrent times and places, denounced
the so called constitution OF 1868, not
only for its dement's and internal de.
frc's, but also for its vice OF origin,
Considering il az u badge VI servitnle,
,iNty have invariably demanded it's
abrogatioD, and pledge themselves
to lend u willing aid to reseal it at
the first OppOrtunc moment.
Fellow.cltizeDs. that moment has
arrived.
In the winter Of 1876 and 1877, un.
der tho leadership III those distin.
anished sons OF Louisiana, +. T.
Nichols and Louis Alfred Wiltz. the
Democratic. Conservative masses OF
our people overturned the usurpation
and established the first government
VI their choice since the advent OF
the reconstruction laws Of congress.
Your State government. supported
aud prompted by public opinion,
assiduously set To- work 10 redeem
the solemn pledges proclaimed bv lie
reop'r. As It. was next to impossible
just after emerging from q direful
opillct 10 rush into another by the
Immediate ahroga'ion Of the recon.
strnction constitution, our State gov.
eminent proceeded at first, but Wig.
Orously. with the important reforms
necessary to alleviate the burdens OF
our taxation. Having discharged
this mission the other pledge by
which our final redemption as State
Is to be cOnsum mated was Rrappled {;
and FOR that sole purpose you have
witnessed the spectacle OF u General
Assembly, just elected and installed
IT. power. vacating their seats after q
brief session. eoHsecrated to the call
OF n constitutional convention.
The convention. composed OF the
best elements ~ our people, and
thoroughly representing all their In.
terests. material, social and political,
has, after an arduoMs session Of three
months, proposed Tor your adoption
the constitution Of 1879.
The question IA whether you will
vote 10 ratify that constitution. or
| signify your Willingness tOllve under
that Of 1868. There Is no other alter.
native
To vote against adoption IA to de-
eide that the constitution OF 1868 Ia
the best constitution. despite its con.
coded intrinsic vices and defects and
its original Gin.
In other words, the two constitu
lions are candidates before the peO.
pie. Add IL It. possible. after maj ure
reflection and considering the issue
In its true livht. that We should h. si.
tate I? Our Stare Ominating cOnven.
ton AZ Baton Rouge did not hesitate !;
hut. speaking the voice OF the Dem
ocratic. Conservative masses. advo-
Gated aud proclaimed our advocacy
IT the adoption Of the new cOnstitu-
tion.
The Republican party, assembled
IN convention in the city OF NV o..
leans, declared. "rhat ~ to the
adoption OF 'hs constitution We rec
ogniz. an hones. and legitimate
.phere for differences II opinion aud
recommend that the question o.
adoption or rejection Of tue proposed
inssrumpnt be- left TO the indivi tusl
convictions Of the vOters." The post
ton thus taken by them Ia, on the
one hand. u tribute ~ the merits OF
| the constitution OF 1879. while on the
other IL IL tacit submission to public
opinion. which has consigned Ia pnb.
| lic nbloQuy the constitution Of 1868.
! Remember-and the official recor,t.
l EXHIBIT that, under the constitution
NJ 1868, and the legisl.tton under 1t
the expenses OF the Stute government
and OF the government ~ the city al
| New ORLEANS averaged ($8 1856. 43A ~
eight million three hundred aud
eighty. five Thousand four hundred
and thirty.four dollars aud seventeen
ceuts pev annum; while under the
new constitution. the expenses OF
both State and city govern lnents can
not EXCEED ~, 623. 692 3O) two million
| six hundred AMI twenty.three thou
aand six hundred ard ninety.two dol.
lars and thirty cents per xnnum,
npon the basis Of the assessment Of
1879.
A difference 10 favor Of the Demo.
cratic Conservative party Of five mil.
lloOs seven hundred and sixty.One
thousand seven hundred and forty.
one dollars and eighty.seven cents
yer annum "a, 7G1, TAI 81
| Tue ordinary expenses OF the State
| Il -. ID
lican rule, prior to the inauguration
VI the Nichols government, averaged
three millions five hundred and thir
ty.seveD dollars and sixty.One cents
per annum Ca, $50, $50 6l.)
Tue expenses of che NichOll's gov
ernmeut average two million anC
Gity.One thousand nine hundred anC
tlfty.tive dollars ~, O5l 1857, . yearly
: saving Of one million i've hundred
and twenty eight thousand i've hu0