Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-05-03
CONVENTION NEWS.
Editorial Correspondence.
New ORLEANS, April %, 1879

/ New ORLEANS, April ~, 1879.
| Since our last letter the "tug Of
war" has come in the Convention.
That body is now fully organized and
the crude proposition Of its members
are being submitted every day, to he
forwarded to the consideration Of the
respective committees. It Is amusing,
indeed, at times, to listen to the pro-
jects advanced by the delegates. A
friend remarked last night that there
are clauses enough already sent in
to fiji volume the size of Webster's
unabridged dictionary. Things nre
working smooth as yet, for the reason
that the questions contained in the
"papers" forwarded to the commit
tees have not begun to return. When
ever that time arrives then we expect
to see the "fur fly" The guns are
loaded to the muzzle and every mcm-
ber's breast is overlooking with clo-
qucncc. Our readers can easily con-
ceive what the result will be when
the "battle royal" commences.
On last Wednesday, a lively fight
was had in the matter of taking an
oath to support the constitution Of the
United States. The discussion took n
broad range, regarding the utility Of
reailirming our loyalty to the Union.
Sixty -four members voted to dispense
with it, basing their refusal on high
grounds. Sixty-thrce others, includ-
ing our humble self, concluded that
there was much "adO about nothing"
aud that inasmuch as we had taken
several oaths of loyalty on previous
occasions, that one more would not
break the camel's back, and that if
this renewal Of lealty didn't do any
good, it wouldn't do any harm, when
we considered that inasmuch as the
question had been raised, it was wiser
for several reasons to accept the pro-
position even without discussion, and
save thereby the expense occasioned
the State by useless talk, as the Hon.
Matt Lagan, q delegate Of Orleans,
impatient)y expressed the other day,
in his peculiar Irish way, while Il
lengthy discussion was In progress
"thorc it goes again--that useless
talk will cost seven hundred dollars"
| This excellent member that is always
on hand to support all that he believes
to be to the interest of the people, has
brought things down to a fine point.
He has calculated the cost of lcgisla-
ton per day, and knows how much
money is spent per hour. If his the
DRY be correct, some members arc
going to cost tho State thousands Of
dollars, in the way Of the time that
they will consume during the session.
AS it was predicted, a terrible press
ure is being brought to bear upon the
members, in different ways, on the
many important questions before the
Convention. The public debt, the
monopolics, the proposed system of
paying salaries to officials, instead of
commissions, the vacating Of the
places of the present incumbcnts, etc,
etc, are keeping the cauldron in con-
slant ebullition.
The Capital question, we are proud
TO say, is gaining strength, steadily
every day, as is evidenced by the ex-
pressions that we heard from the lips
of many delegates who at first were
rather of a contrary opinion. The
material composing the Convention
is undoubtedly among the best in the
State, and complaints are arising on
all sides that the influences of inter
ested parties are doing-and under
all appearances will work great in
jury by preventing the framing of
such a constitution as might be OBJ
tanned were the members less ham
pered than they are here, o
Many among the excellent men that
compose this assemblage, don't hest
tate in saying that they are now con-
vlnced of tho necessity of removing
the Capital where it will put the lobby
to some inconvenience to reach the
Legislators. They all acknowledge that
the st. Louis Hotel is totally unfit for
its present purpose 1t is impossible
at times, owing to the rumbling of
vehicles on the street near by, and
the throng in the lobby and inside
the railing, to hear or know what is
going on. It is worse than if it was
attempted to legislate amongst a
throng at political barbecue.
The Convention has plenty of
Backbone" and although a great
deal of time will be consumed that
would have been saved, had the ses-
sion been held in the country, we
entertain the hope that good will be
done.
Ere this, our readers will have seen
that the Democrat has changed hands,
Major Burke, our indefatigable and