St. Landry democrat., 1879-07-12
Record of the De1Mocratic-COn-
servative Party yOfLOuisiaMa.
v
N. O. DenOcratl |

OplnIoH is expressed as TO the pOllcy OF
the Democratic Conservative party in
the past upon the subject of the State
debt, and i'll view OF the criticisms
visited upon those members of the
party who feel themselves obligated by
this action, 1t is appropriate to review
the record of the party in this State
The ninth resolution of the platform
adopted August 25, 1874, at Baton Rouge
states:
That while we are in favor of meeting the
legitimate debt of Louisiana, we are opposed to
the recognition of the dishonest and fraudulent
obligations issued in the name of the State, and
we pledge ourselves to make a searching in
yestigatlon into tho matter. We advise our
people to vote against the amendments to the
constitution proposed by the usurping Legsla-
ture, and pledge ourselves on restoration of the
government to honest hands to provide for the
payment OF all the honest indebtedness OF the
State.
Notwithstanding the recommendation
of the Convention Of 1874, many mem
bers OF the party voted for the amend
ments because their adoption absolutely
limited the debt to fifteen millions of
dollars, and failure to adopt them
would expose the State to having an
actual and contingent debt fastened
upon the people of over forty millions
of dollars in case the Democratic party
should fail in securing possession OF the
State government, and with this view
the ratification of the amendments was
acquiesced in by the Democratic party
by a series of acts upon the part Of their
chosen representatives in the legislative,
executive and judicial departments and
in party conventions, which we recaplt-
ulate:
Act No. II, approved May II, 1873, supplement
faI a <
to provide for testing, ut the instance of amy
taxpayer, i'll the courts of the State. the legality
and validity of any itelns Of state indebtedness,
the legality and validity Of which may have
been or may hereafter be questioned; to pro
hibt the Board OF Liquidation, under said act
No: 3 of 1874, from funding the questionable
and doubtful obligations of the State, named or
designated in this act. until the same shall have
been finally declared legal and valid by the Su-
preme Court of louisiana
This bill emanated from the Com
mittee Oh Ways and Means, Hon. James
Jeffries, of Rapides, chairman, and
Blaffer as members. The measure was
universally approved and apparently
passed the House with the unanimous
support of the Democratic members.
Under its provisions the Nichols Su-
preme Court have finally decided about
nine millions of the various issues of
bonds and warrants as tcJGt and ,tundd
bic in the following cases:
No. G99-Levee bonds of 1867 and 1870.
No. 6S73-Baton Rouge, Crosse Tete and Ope-
lollsas, of 1863
Nos. 1869, 712s and sO3-Consoldated Associa-
ton of Planters, of 1929.
No. 7073-Seniinary bonds o! 1857.
Nos 1882 and 7l98-New Orleans, Jackson and
Great Northern Railroad, of 1858.
No. 7149-Warfants OF 1872.
No. 7212-Warrallts Of 1S71-72.
No. 7309-WaTrants OF 1870 and 1878.
fn hn nE fht dina nyt
embraced in act No. 3 of 1874 the Nj
cholls Supreme Court decided that
This amendment has become q part of the
constitution by its subsequent ratification by
the voters at the polls. I27 A, 5S3 % A., 511; 90
The Democratic Conservative Con-
vention OF 1876 assembled fourteen
months after the Democratic House of
Representatives had passed the suppSe-
mental bill. The fierce hostility pre-
viously exhibited to the consolidated
debt has been somewhat allayed by
the. fact that the representation secured
by the party upon the Funding Board,
and the scrutiny required of these
members and the courts, was calculated
to guard against dishonest funding.
But another consideration prevailed
in framing the platform of 1876. 1t was
we'll known that determined and bit
ter resistance would be made to the
Democratic party securing ascendancy
in Louisiana, a close presidential contest
was pending, and it was deemed wise
and prudent to avoid any declaration
that would drive away from party, or
array in fierce hostility to it, the moneyed
interests of this State and the whole
country.
The influence of the money power of
the North and East with President
Grant was duly considered, and the
supreme necessity of the intelligent
people of this State securing. control
of her affairs induced the Democratic |
to adopt q platform indioet-
ing the determination of the party to
preserve the public faith:
DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION OF 18TG-pLANK IN |
THE PLATFORM ON STATE FINANCES
We hereby pledge our party to the satisfac- |
ton of all legal obligations issued by the State
Of Louisiana; to the most strenuous efforts in |
the direction of reform and an economical adj /
OF the government, and especially |
to the abolition of all unnecessary public Off
ces; to the reduction of fees and salaries of |
officers to the standard OF fair remuneration,
md the consequent reduction of taxes to the
lowest possible limit commensurate with the
expenses of the government and the
presercation ofhe public taih.
And this platform was specifically re-
affirmed by the Democratic Convention
Of 1878.
Until recently no Democrat in the
State has questioned the fact that the
Legislature of 1S777-77S and the Nichols
represented the Demo-
,ratic sentiment of this State, and vet
We find that one of the first acts of the
Legislature of 1877 specifically indicated
he acquiescence of the Democratic
,arty in recognizing the Consolidated
Bonds. See act No. 5S, approved March
2, 1877, wherein the Nichols Legisla-
ure amended and re-eaacted the funding
Lct, known as act No. 8 of M74. This
lct is signed by Louis Bush, Speaker;
4Ouis A. Wiltz, President of the Senate.
md Francis T.Nicholls, Governor:
An act to enforce effectually the constitutional
proposed January "a. 1874. ratified
t tho general election held on the second of ,
Tovember. 1874. relative to the State debt and
he funding thereof to protect the interests of
he State and the holders of the bonds issued /
y virtue, OF said amendments; and for that
urpose, to amend and re-enaet an act entitled :
An act TO provide for funding obligations of ]
he State by exchange of bonds; to provide for
rincpal and interest of said bonds, etc., {
Why argue for days to prove that the &
Democratic party and the people Of t
louisiana are not bound by the acts of q
3A, when Democratic Legislature of
SIT has formally passed. and Demo- t
ratio Governor has duly signed, an act i
pecifcally reciting the provisions of t
lis same amendment. When this act | t
as passed the Democratic press Of this | t
tate were clamonous i'm denouneing all lr
ersons who dared to insinuate that the lp
icholls' Government or the people Of X
Ouisiana would think of such thing 1T
] renud diation of any part of the debt, Is
nd t,Hsir files, now before MS. were full t
appeals to our people to uphold the t
abl3 faith and thus give the lie to &
en- blican slander. " Hi
lin, when the demand was pressed Il