The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1883-09-15

XbS@a6IVC auN. <ASSkSooANO AOu4OCA0so Va 9
Louisiana, but for whose tireless vigil t
lance. and undismayed manhood not {
not even the shadow of Reform would |
have been visible.
We,were about to inquire what be;
came of these Democrats and what !
was their standing in the confidence of
Gov. Nichols, but the reflection Is not
a pleasing one, and the length this
article has grown adrnonishes US to
hasten on to the printers dash rule,
which we still avert to remind the peo-
pie of Louisiana of the great and I'M
pardonable wrong-lnistake, doubtless,
but wrong still-in Gov. Nichols
refusal to act in harmony with the peo-
pie in their efforts to secure better
Constitution than that of 1868, which
was denounced by Democrats Eli over
the State pending the canvass, and
protested against by learned lawyers
like Chief-Justice Ludeling, Judge
Crawford and others, themselves dele
gates and members of the Republican
party. The apathy of Gov. Nichols,
liz, indeed, it did not swell in abeurdity
and momentum to opposition to
| Constitutional Convention, over
| shadows all the failures Of his admin
| istration, sau,ue OF which a contemporary
or two arc cnumcratiug, anu should
put an eNtinguiaher, as Il lesson for all
ambitions leaders in future, upon his
aspirations as the chief Executive officer
of the State. For tho people to forget
and condone this disregard OF trust
and duty, as it was by them under.
stood, were an act of folly eeregio,ls
and of forgiveness of that beatific odor
which canonized saints are alone sup
posed to know Of, or ever to feel.
We have not Gov. Nichols inaugu-
raj address, and cannot say what posi-
ton, If any, he took therein respecting
the redemption of Louisiana from Rad
ical thraldom through the wide-open
door of a Constitutional Convention.
It's absence, however, Ia immaterial,
since neither the Executive nor the
Legislative department, nor both COM
bined, during the first session of the
legislature--anatles Reform aN the time
thought proper to have the peoples
constitutional delegates convoked in
: convention.
Nearly twelve months elapsed, the
: press, meanwhile, clamoring, urging,
:, pleading, persuading and laundering
for Constitutional Reform, and the
, General Assembly convened once
:, again. The people had been thorough.
, ly aroused, and were indignant at the
apathy and disregard of public inter.
+ ests shown by their public servants
= Albeit, the members of the legislature,
at this second session, made no haste
toward Reform, the journals showing
, for many days only the usual routine
business transacted-such as bills tC
amend the Civil Code, Code OF Practice
O to change names, incorporate villages.
, etc., with a remarkable indulgence in
r, speeches, wrangles and the like, as fl
accomplishments. The people and the
: press began to effervesce, and to speak
, up, and to publish open letters, and tc
!, tell the legislators they were elected tc
:, bring about Reform, and if they did
not, they should surely be politically
damned forever. And the les, stature
lighted on its feet at last.
r But how about the Executive: Die
i. Gov. Nichols, the Wormley confer
8 ence out of the way, come forward ant
v recommend Constitutional Reform
v We need not to rely upon memory
: His second annual message, some l.
pages of book entitled Documents o
:, the second Session of the Firat Leg is
). laturc,' embracing more than iI0
pages, lies open brtur" ~, aud although
the temper ana tone nj both people ant
press-thc latter omly echoing tn
d wurds of the former NJ we hav
just represented, and although Gov
n Nichols had had ample time to revicy
Ie the record, consult tho people, an
j. reasonably anticipate the rcsultan
G. good, he absolutely framed and sent Il