The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1880-01-16
THE SENATORIAL QUESTION.

1no ueCex9lty VI VIC oeuSEUA xA6oetu'
bly, choosing at Its present sitting, a
United Stated Senator, would be de-
plorable, II 1t were purely, and not APP
parently, duty not to be neglected.
Under the requirements Of the u. s..
statutes, the General Assembly must
proceed to ballot for Senator. That
much goes without question, or denial,
since the provisions of the statute are
explicit to the effect that the legisla-
ture chosen next preceding the expira-
ton of tho term of the sitting Senator
must proceed on the second Tuesday
after its organization, to the election of
his successor.
The matter of the election d9 sue
cessor to Kellogg, or to Judge Spot
ford should he be seated, has been pre-
cipitated by the trainers of the new
constitution of the State, two years, by
providing for the election of a legisla-
ture only once in four years. The ex-
listing trouble will be readily under
stood when the two enactments-that
of the u. s. States, and the provision
Of our constitution just noticed-are
construed together. The present legis-
laturo must elect.
The trainers of our new constitution
builded wisely, perhaps, in many res
poets; but In this matter-as in some
others-their Investigation of law and
contingencies, was at fault. It was not
intended that the legislature first elected
under the new constitution should
choose U. s. Senator, particularly
during its first session, If at all. We
undertake to say that this particular
contingency was never dreamed of in
the Convention, and certainly was not
by the people. The main, leading idea
was the restoration of the State to its
riglltful sovereigns and to the estab-
lishment and perpetuity of a good
home government.
The absurdity of proceeding precipi-
lately to the election of a Senator is
certainty existing in the minds of our
legislators and in those of prominent
journalists as to the proper man to be
chosen Senator. 1t was an unheard-of
question until a few days ago. But the
more important, because 1t was not
thought Of
The duties of a member OF the legfs-
lature are matters of deliberation. How
are our legislators to deliberate upon a
qdestion-and grave one-never seri-
ously discussed? What is their knowl-
edge of the preferences of their consti- |
-tuents? Can our legislators fairly and |
wisely represent tho views of the peo- |
pie on this subject, when the people |
themselves have not considered it?
The absurdity, we might say, is too
apparent for lengthy comment, or seri- |
GUS dispute; but a little elaboration of
an absurd proposition is Mt times not
only allowable, bat, as in this case,
justifiable.
The members of the General Assem-
bly, will understand us when we assert
that they were not chosen to select
Senator this year. They will appreci-
ate the fact that they do not know
what their friends think of the candi-
dates, positive and probable. The gen.
tleman who may be chosen during the
HASoSAS SASVAuk AldS W. u HI CuOACVS Oul
we submit that Wagner's music of the
future is not q part of the Louisiana
Democratic platform. Who knows
what will be the political standing, in
1888, of the candidate now to be
chosen? We are not accustomed in
this State to look as much as three
years ahead in politics. It may be
seen, now, that there are leaders in
public affairs, who three years ago
were inconsequential factors in the
great work of redeeming the State, and
that men who were of consequence
then are of none now. We may fairly |
infer that at the end of the next en-
suing three years, the Same change of
estimates may be made.
We approach no delicate subject
when we say that times change, and
men with them. There Is hardly any
recollection of politics in this State SO
familiar even to the average Louisian-
ian as that men have come to the front