The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-08-15
OF STATE DERT ORDINANCE

HISTORY OF STATE DERT ORDINANCE
Letter from Hon. T.. J. Jotlriou.
NEW ORLEANS, July 10, 1879.
hssitor MsrksUiNc VINages:
On Friday, nth Inst, the ordinance
relating to the State debt came up be.
lore the Convention for Its 'final pas
sage. Upon calling tho ayes, and nays
1t was soon discovered that tho Repub.
1cans were voting unanfmously against
the ordinance adopted by the assistance
of their votes, on aprevious day,
thereby preventing its final passage.
The excitement soon ran very high;
in short time it was whispered that
they were acting under directions from
headquarters, both for political and
mombors Were divided, each faction
holding firmly to its position. g, The
party was seriously threatened with
disruption, caused by the action Of a
smaM ,minofIty OF Republicans who
could SHIFT their positions and prevent
any and all, settlements. 4, En- tho OK
element, an earnest appeal was made
BY Democrats, that Democrats should
take this question and settle 1t as a
party measure. Tho Convention thon
took . recess, and q caucus was imnie-
.diately called. The feelings OF true
Democrats were appealed to, by men
who had heretofore occupied middle
grounds, and we were urged to keep
united the ranks aof the Democratic
party ordinance after ordinance was
antro<1uced without result, all hopes
o. an adjustment were we'll nigh gone,
and ns a last resort four extreme mon 4,
nom each side were selected, with
Gov. Wiltx as ninth man, to form a
committee and report IAN ordinance
which would receive a majority of
Democratic votes in CAUCUS. ~, ., ..r,-..
After many hours of conference tho
committee reported an ordinance re-
cogntxing tho face OF tho debt rs
funded, with 2 per cent interest for five
years, per cent for fifteen years and 4
per cent thereafter, with n tax limita-
tion not to exceed three mills for its
payment, or an alternative proposition
OF scaling the debt 25 cents on the
dollar with 4 per cent interest, tho Or
dtnance to he submitted and voted for
separately from the Constitution. IL
adopted, taxation not to exceed six
mills for all purposes, and If defeated,
the tax limit to be Ave mills. A ma
jortty of the caucus carried the above
again and the ordinance was submitted.
voted with the following conditions
recorded in the journal:
81 vote aye because the Democratic
caucus has made 1t q Democratic meas-
| ure, and for the further reason that L
am voting to submit the whole propo-
sttton, relating to the State debt, to
the will of the people for ratification
or rejection, and for the further reasons
that my rights are reserved to approve
or oppose the ordinance nj tho proper
time. Il. E.J.JoEFRrON.u
In casting my vote against my per-
sonal convictions, did SO believing It
was the only chance OF keeping the
Democratic party together, and upon
It's unity depended tho prosperity of
the people of my State, and for tho
further reason that believed it was
tho most favorable settlement for tho
people that could be obtained in our
body AS 1t is constituted ed---reaching thut
conclusion after having cx hausted every
effort to obtain better terms and for
tho additional reason that tho people
themselves had II right to accept or
reject the ordinance mt tho ballot box.
Tho excitement was so great, tho SUBJ
ect 80 grave, tho danger of tho party
disruption so plain, and the conse-
1uences Of non-action on the State debt
10 disastrous, that many of us sacrificed
our personal convictions and matto
reserving our rights to
vote against the ordinance when sub
nitted, II after mature reflection we
ound 1t to tho interest Of the, people
70 to do. ''" ''
will soon be back in Marksvilic,
Ind must sny, TO my great Joy.
"a Yours, &C., Ip1h oat '.ai.
~, .,.F...,..,.,, ,. f. ]. j JOEFRIoN.n
! A market man was mcrcilessIy swim
lied in the town Of BG-.2 Ills mis-
fortune gave him avery unfavorablc
opinion OF the residents, and ho cx-
pressed his OOiniOn of them nv saving .