The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-06-11
Consideration Of the Report Of the
Committee ON the State Debt.
The Convention Addressed at Length
in Favor of the Majority Report
by Delegates Lott and Land.
Further Consideration Of the Ordinance on
Public Education Office Of
Superintendent Of Public
m Education Retained.

IA
members present.
After prayer the journal OF the previous day
was approved.
Delegate Kidd, Of Jackson, requested per-
mission to occupy the seat OF MIR. Self, OF
Sabine, during the day. The Convention
granted the request.
Delegate Kidd then requested the President
to have read any communications or memo
rails bearing upon the special order Of the
day, viz: Consideration Of the report Of the
Committee on the State Debt.
In accordance with this request the Secre-
tary read the resolutions OF the Chamber OF
Commerce passed at late meeting and al
ready published In the DEMOCRAT. The reso-
lutions condemn any reputation OF the debt,
as advised by the majority OF the Debt Com
mittee.
Delegate Kidd then moved to take up the
special order of the day, and the Secretary
was instructed to read the majority report
with the accompanying ordinance.
since the memorials had been called for an
other petition had been received on the sub
Objection having been made by Delegate
Pardee to the reception OF the petition at this
stage OF the proceedings, the President ruled
the objection out Of order.
Delegate Forman then presented q petition
signed by 6492 residents Of New Orleans, as
follows:
10 the Honorable President and Members OF
the Constitutional Convention OF Louisiana:
Ger,tlenen-The people OF Louisiana having
at various times, by resolutions adopted IN. mass
meetings and addresses Of their committees.
given notice to the world that they intended TO
payment OF any, bonds or obligattons Of the
State fraudulently or corTnDtly issued by the
revolutionary and oppressive govern ments that
ruled Louisiana from 1868 to 1877. and your hon
orable body being the first authority to which
has been delegated the, sovereign power
to pass upon the ACTS t OF those governments:
the city Of New Orleans. beg you to stand by the
declarations of the people. and to reject all
@ ba e s auessoa aYR.s II ae o
no heavier burden be imposed upon the tax
payers Of The State than ts required by the
amount OF obligations recognized as legal and
binding by the majority report OF your State
Debt Committee.
They further beg yon to lial. The State taxa
mills, as the only means to afford real relief to
the people Of this city for their past wrongs and
Placing their only hope Of salvation in the
flrmness and patriotism Of your honorable
body. they remain. most respectfully.
On motion Of Delegate Kidd, the Convention
resolved itself into a committee of the whole
to consider the report of the Committee on
State Debt.
delegate George in the chair.]
Delegate Kidd moved the adoption OF the
majority report, with accompanying ordi-
nances:: He said ne would yield the floor to
Delegate Lott, reserving the right to close
DELEGATE LOTT
began his remarks by reviewing the past his
tory of the State. He pointed out the part
which past administrations had taken In the
creation Of the debt.
The chief actor in the play, lie said, had
passed away. First was presented scene
full of soldiers; our heroes were there and
played their parts well. The next scene
showed proud people, oyerrun and crushed
meating every highway and byway In the
land for ill-gotten gain.
The calling and assembling Of this COnven-
tion marked the close OF the revolutionary
state in Louisiana. It had been called for the
81 the people Of the State, which shall be
based upon the consent Of the governed.
| In the performance Of this delicate duty
great responsibilities rest upon the Conven-
tion. In the first place this Convention had
to bring together again the scattered and
tragmentary sections which once composed
the territory of Louisiana, and to harmonic
the people who have been estranged from
each other by the ravages Of war and the
pillaging Of the plunderers.
In doing this there were some lights from
the past by which the Convention might be
illumined, lights which would help the MEM
bers to avoid the grave errors OF preceding
governments. The effort, however, was not
50 much to avoid errors Of the, past. as TO
amend, adjust and harmonic those which
have been committed. Prominent, therefore,
before this Convention arose the question OF
the States Indebtedness. How far should be
recognized the obligations which these pre-
vious governments had attempted to impose
upon the people to-day and to transmit to
The Convention at an early day appointed
special committee who should have charge
of this matter and report the result OF the in
vestigation to the Convention. That labor
had been performed and the result had been
presented.
The Convention must agree as to how it
should handle the question thus presented.
The issue could not be avoided, and the
speaker, for one, would not avoid that issue Il
His constituents, residents Of the northern
section Of the State, were sagricultur1sts, de-
pendent upon their own labor for their sub
sistence.
They had been taxed, and their earnings
had been taken to support corrupt admins
trattons. Was it not just that they should
desire an investigation of the debts2 And they
| would do 80 with the highest regard for the
honor and dignity Of the State as well as q
just appreciation OF the honor and manhood
| of its citizens.
The speaker had been sent to the Convention
| to represent not such mysterious and myth
cal kind OF honor which is known only In pon.
derous ledgers and rotten parchment bonds
but that which is founded on 1.-THE highest
principles Of justice-a just regard for the
rights OF all who are too proud to do wrong
This was the feeling which animated the peo
pie at home and the feeling which would ae
tuate the speakers course In the Convention
Since me bdd has - n
de jave governments The answers to these
questions will at once suggest themselves Il