The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1882-05-03


STATE, AND MAKING AN APPRoPRIA-
TIoN TO PAY EXPENSES THEREOF.
Be it enacted by the General As
sembly of the State of Louisiana
SECTION /. That an election of del.
egates to a Convention to frame
Constitution of this State shall be
held on Tuesday, the 7th day of No.
vember, 1882, which election shall
be ordered by the Governor by pro.
clamation published in the official
journal of the State at leas. thirty
days before the above day, and shall
be regulated by the laws now in force
for elections: that the returns Of this
election shall be made as now re.
quired, and the Secretary of State
and the Governor shall together open
and compile them, and cause to be
published the names of the elected
delegates in the official journal of
the State.
SEC. 2. That the number Of dele.
gates shall be ninety eight, who shall
be apportioned as Representatives IN
the lower house of the General AS
sembly are now apportioned, each
Parish and representative, district
being entitled to the same number OF
delegates that it now has of Repre-.
santatives; that each delegate shall
receive two hundred and fifty dollars
for the whole session.. or all the ses-
sions, of the Convention, however
prolonged, which sum shall be in full
and in lieu of per diem and travel
ling expenses, and all other ex-'
penses.
SEC. 8. That the delegates shall
meet in the State House at Baton
Rouge, at - o'clock NJ. on the first
Monday of January, 1883, and the
Secretary of State shall deliver to
them the roll of elected delegates
certified under the seal Of the State.
ESEo. 4. That the sum of twenty
four thousand five hundred dollars
is hereby appropriated to pay the
delegates, and three thousand dollars
or 80 much thereof as may be ne
cessary, is appropriated to pay all
other expenses of the Convention.
:,he inefaciency, costliness and
clumsiness Of the government under
the Constitution of 1879 is conceded
by all. :, 1t is not susceptible of
amendment because its defects are
too numerous. The above Bill sc,
cures a new Constitution, and has
these merits:-
l. The election Of delegates will
cost nothing. An election of Repre-.
sentatives in Congress must be held
next November. The expense of
that election must be incurred. The
election of delegates is fixed on the
same day, and entails no additional
expense.
2. At present there is no officer to
be elected next November except the
Congressman. There is dagger of
apathy and indifference unless To-
cal incentive be applied. The cleo.
ton of delegates supplies that in
centive.
8. The number of delegates is q
medium between two extremes.-
They are apportioued precisely as is
the Representative body, and will be
the most perfect expression of the
popular will. The absurdity of com.
bining Senatorial and Representa-.
tive delegates in one body has been
recognised always, but has been
sometimes adopted for .Constitu-
tional Conventions to satisfy the
clamors of tie too numerous aspir.
ants for seats.
4. The pay Of delegates is usually
the same as Representatives, i. e.
four dollars day, and not more than
thirty dollars for travelling expen-
ses. If the Convention shall sit IF
ty days the salary of each delegate
as fixed in the bill is sufficiently libe
raj. The Constitution of 1852, the
best the State has had, was made in
less time.
5. Economy is Of the highest con.
sideration for 8 poor people. If the
Convention should cost $40, 900 more
than the sum mentioned in the bill,
1t will be less than a single years
cost Of the Circuit Judges.
6. The Constitution of 1879 with
its 26S articles, meddling with de.
tails Of every conceivable kind, has
produced the same effect that all Of
fcious and preternaturally busy DO.
dies do. It IL not q coherent sys.
tenn, but an ill-digested mass Of cru.
dities, a conglomeration Of separate
and inharmouious plans which were
not pruned and shaped into symme-
try, nor so adjusted as to be capable
Of practical working.
FIRE DEPARTMENT NOTES.-The
arrangement committee of the fire