The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-07-23
mo. 49,.
PREPARING FOR DEFEAT.

+ IL u L Il u u FVh DE- II IL
It is not difficult to foresee that il
the Convention persists in arraying
itself in hostility to the popular will,
and continues to outrage popular
sentiment, as it has done, the work
of its hands will be buried by the
people when it is submitted to them
for ratification. If it refuses to af-
ford that relief, the patent necessity
of which called it into being, then
the people, who had right to expect
relief, will refuse to take a Constitu-
tion which is not in accordance with
their views. 1t is true this would
throw the State back on the Consti-
tuition of 1868, which is so offensive
to her people, not only because ofits
obnoxious provisions, but because it
bears the car.marks of her oppres-
sors; but this Constitution, if it con-
tinues to be put together as it has
been, will be as essentially and COM
pletely Radical as that which it is
intended to supplant. For no one
doubts that, were Warmoth and his
Radical associates absent from this
Convention, the Constitution would
be such as tho people need, and such
as they expected when the Conven-
tion was called together. There
would hardly have been any contest
at all on the debt question, but for
them, and it would have been settled
long ago by the adoption Of the ma
jority report. Nor would the Con-
stitution of 1868 operate any more
disastrously than that of 1879, for
the debt is so burdensome that no
attempt would be made to pay it,
and it would remain a dead letter on
the statute book. Moreover the Leg
islature could propose amendments,
which could be discussed before the
people, and incorporated in the Con-
stitution almost as soon as this one
could he ratified. It is true this has
been tried, and been found to be
more unsatisfactory than the calling
Of the Convention, but no one ever
dreamed then that any Louisiana
Convention would bring forth such
results as the one now sitting in New
Orleans has brought forth in the last
two months.
/ 1t may be that the Convention,
which has shown itself capable Of
doing SO many absurd things, will
take it uponitself to declare its botch
work the supreme law of the land
without submission to the vote Of
1.-THE people, as some. Of the delegates
have been threatening from the be-
ginning, as if with a secret con-
seriousness that their work would be
unworthy of approval and would be
sure to meet With popular condemna-
ton. There were even some good
men outside of the Convention who
would have been satisfied with such
a proceeding, but all those have
abandoned their position in the face
of the extraordinary legislation i,
has recently put forward. We say
to the delegates that any attempt q
: to ride over the people will be revo
lutionary and. that the people viii
; treat it as such. They will submit
to no Constitution made in that man
ner. There are large majority o
the people Of the State WHO are op
posed to the debt ordinance, which
is now on its passage. Not onl.
these, but many others, who hav
! grounds of opposition to other les
, important provisions, can be unite,
in opposition to the ratification Of
t Constitution which does not NEE
] their views. The only way, there
q fore, for, the Convention to avoid tn
humiliation of a defeat, is to retrac
its steps and make such a Constitu
. ton as the people called it togethe
: to make. = shreveport Standard
b -TRY tho WHITE and PEERLESS
q Sewing Machines before buying an
other. If you do not like Them, FEE
= GUSON e. SCHNACK, will take thel
i back.