The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-04-26


cool and iudicious eounsels In the formation
Of It's organic law. | need scarcely say that
| shall take the deepest interest In proceed
ings upon which so much depends 1or good or
evil. Iod grant that your earnest efforts will
inure to the honor, welfare, happiness and
y,rosperty of our people. Nominations for
the Presidency of this Convention are now In
order.
The Hon. Louis Alfred Witt, upontaklng
the chair, delivered the following address,
To wit:
Gentlemen of The Goarrntio7,-- For the honor
conferred upon me by your paftlaai sn,lraRns
return to you my most cordial thahks ~
making mo the presiding officer OF this body
you have contided to me an important trust
aud impose upon me onerous duties; am
tinttered by your confidence, which nope 70
deserve, and shall try to fulfill as many OF
the duties Of this laborious position as my
strength and ability may permit. Even WIN
your good will and cooperation, and with al
the Incidental aid rendered by competent
officers and assistants. the task will be dill
cult; but any sacrifice OF personal comfort the
the service Of this body OF representative citi-
zeDs and III that Of the people whom you
wOrthily represent.
While anxious, ~ your presiding officer, To
act with strict and impartial Justice IN WI
respects and at oil times, am still conscious
pains, nor past experience, can Insure me
against errors, for which | ask In advance
your generous indulgence While shall try
to abide by and obey the will Of the Conven-
ton as expressed In Its rules, votes and reso-
lutons, / may ut times err as to the true
Interpretation and construction OF the
Conventions will and nets. In such cases
1t will be u kindness on the part OF dele
gates to note the errors promptly, ana
on every questioned or doubtful point that
m n ~ ariaa / ahalI m1Et phppTItfIIV call llDDn
the Convention for It's good Judgment In the
premises. There are certain rules OF decOrurn
common TO all delibefative bodies, and IN
their enforcement anticipate no difficulty.
as adapted to the exigencies OF such bodies,
and are spontaneously practieed all times,
and by IN instinct common to all who COM
bine good will with Intelligence.
In this connection let me advise and urge q
strict adherence to the established order OF
business. Those among the honorcd dele
gates around me who have had experience In
Legislative bodies are well aware Of the enor-
nous waste of time that results from habitual
disregard of the rules of debate, the maxlms
of parliamentary law and the customary
order In which business should be considered.
These rules, maSims and customs are oil
founded on reason and are matnred by the
experience ut successive generations OF law
makers. They arr the concentrated results
of the wisdom Ut Centuries Eand are TO be
found Ia oil authorities on parliamentary law
and usage. They IRE embaiied In the consti-
buttons and laws OF the states, rs well as In
the rules OF Congress aud State Legislatures.
earnestly recommend constant and strict
conformity to common and accepted customs,
and especially to such rules Us the Conven--
ton may establish for It's own guidance. Let
their operation be suspended only In cases OF
emergency. Let no anxiety or partiallty for
special subjects induce members to call them
UP out or their regular order and success
aim Thern mOfinDa which l 1hniI
put with more reluctance than motions
to suspend your rules, motions to take
UP business out Of its time and place, and
motions to assign designated business, by
special order, To fixed days and hours. Dis
satisfaction, delay md confusion are tho too
common results Of these motions. They are
only proper on extraordinary occasions. Per-
init me, furthermore, to advise you to discard
all craftsmanship, and to exclude from the de-
alterations Of this body oil political. sec
tional, social and clinical preiudces. Your
mission Is to establish government and fix
the rules by which 1t shall be guided aud
checked, until the people Of the State see fit
to reassume their power and sovereignty for
the purpose of delegating 1t to another Con
vention. That government must be for the
good OF all the people In all sections, of
all occupations, of all races, OF all ages, Of
all conditions. 1t must be broad. liberal and
have the least perceptible bias In favor Of any
sect Or party. The edifiee you are about To
build should haze its foundations deeply
grounded In justice, and to all its walls the
plumb line Of impartiality should be applied,
that they may lean neither to the right hand
nor the left.
AT this, the beginning OF your proceedings,
am profoundly impressed with the import
ance OF the task which we have undertaken.
The sovereign constituents OF the common
wealth have delegated to us out OF their In
herent power and sovereign prerogatives
pIenary and unguestioned authority to frame
constitution which shall be o covenanted
league and perpetual compact between each
citizen and all other citizens, until the people,
shall again see fit to recall their delegated
powers and form still another constitution.
we, who are few, bear the awful RESPONSE
bility Of oil the power which all the people Of
Louisiana might have and exercise II they
could possibly meet In a single body to frame
u constitution Of government for themselves.
We, who are q few, are authorized to act and
must act In the name and for the benefit Of the
great mass OF the people. Out of their original,
full and indefeasible power and right Of self
grant, in their name and on their behalf, sun
dry clearly designated and strictly defined
functions to each branch Of a threefoid agency
Of State government, by means Of a constltu-
ton which shall b. binding upon the people
and their servants, agents and substitutes
We are sent here to prepare, ordain
and establish such an agency rs will
the principles Of just government
and transmit them to future generations; o
government that will insure justice to all
classes without denial. partiality or delay; a
government that will uphold the law, main
tain order and preserve the public peace; a
government that will promote public: tran
qnllity.and happiness; government that
will prevent the abuses OF legislation, ward
off the Entertainments of external power and
provide for the general Defense; a govern
ment that will thWart the tyranny Of MAORI
ties and prevent hasty, needless and passion
ate public sentiment from assuming the
shape Of oppressive laws; a government that
will fortify civil and religious liberty, define,
secure and perpetuate natural privileges, and
look always to the welfare Of the people,
as Its highest aim; a government limited
in it's power to tax the people, but authorized
to prevent the oppressive abuse Of aggregated
capital; government that can encourage in
dustry, diffuse Intelligence. educate the youths
Of all races, secure the public health against
imported pestilence and protect alluvial re-
gions from floods; a government that will
the right of local self rule, secure
the freedom and purity of the electoral fran
chise, maintain the barriers which separate