The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-10-03
THE SEVEN CONSTITUTIONS on LOUISIANA.
THE ONE OF 1852.

State government, Is shown by the I
constitution which they adopted and |
on when they asked from Congress
admission into the Union as d SOY
ereign State.
The firms of ordinary legislation,
in order TO he effective and binding
on the people of the State, was re-
quired to strictly conform to those
expressly provided by the constitu
ton itself, Thus, it was provided
that no less than majority Of each
House of the GeneralASsembly shall
f I'm a quorum to do business; that,
after bill shall have passed bolh
Houses,it shall not have the force OF
law until it shall have received the
approval Of the Governor.
1t was known to the trainers Of the
Constitution of 1912, that such forms
had been, by the Constitutions OF the
several states, made essential pre-
requisites for the validity ofstatutes;
and, hence, they were established as
essential forms Of legislation for Lou
isiana, and have proven so adapted
10 our system OF government, as to
remain unchanged, All Integral part
Of the organic law of every state.
The torms for changing the
Constitution itself were, likewise,
carefully, prescribed, and, as in the
processing Constitutions OF other
states, differed from the forms
prescribed for ordinary legisation;
and so differing hat demonstration
itself might be more fully protected
against unwise and Inconsiderate
change.
AS shown in our last issue, the
Constitution of 1912 was changed
in the manner Of it's own provision,
aud the Constitution of 1915, en-
bracing these changes, was estab-
Iished. The forms prescribed for
ordinary legislation by the Oonsti
tuition of 1912 were retained in that
of 1916; but ''the mode for revising
the Constitution" itself was, as
Shown, materially altered.
| BY the Constitution of 1872 the
changes thel Elm were to be deter
mined on eTcIusiUely by the dele
gates of - Convention, c0uvoked,
after two sevel al demands for it, by
a constitutional majority of dH the
citizens OF the State entitled to vote
tor Representatives, and such Con.
ventiOn was to possess unrestricted
power as to the extent and character
Of the change.
BY the Constitution of 1915, the
"mode of revision" through Con
vention of delegates, with full aud
absolute power 10 determine the
nature and extent of the revision,
was superseded NY that set forth
| i'll its title VIII.
"Apy amendment or amendments TO this
Constitution may be proposed i'll the Senate or
4 House of Representatives, aud if the same
shall be agreed to by Hiroe,ffths of the mem
beers elected to each House, and approved by
tho Governor, such proposed amendment OF
amendments shall be entered on their journals,
With the yeas and nays taken thereon, aud the
Secretary of State shall cause the same to be
i published, three months before the next gen
eral election, in at least one newspaper, in
French and English, in every parish i'll tue
State in which II newspaper shall be published;
aud it, In the Legislature nert atjaftgaTds
chosen, such proposed amendments shall DC
agreed to by u majority of the members elected
to each House, the Secretary of State shall
cause tho same again to be published IN the
manner aforesaid. at least three months pre-
ylous to the next general election Tor Repre-
| sentatiYes to the State Legislature, and such
proposed amendment on amendments shall be
submitted to the people d said election; and
ii majority of the qualified electors shall APP
| prove and ratiiy sucA amendment or amend
ments, the same shall become part of the
Constitution. If more than one amendment
be submitted at Il time, they shall be submit
ted in such manner and torn that the people
may vote for or against each amendment
separately"
The Constitution of 1916 was
formed IN strict conformity to the
| mode of revision provided by the
Constitution of 1872. Under it,
every department OF the State gov
eminent, the Executive, Legislative
and judicial, were organized.
Every provision of it was held
obligatory. Legislation followed
the forms prescribed by it. Even,
as stated in the article OF last week,
the modeprovided by it was recog-
nized as the proper enc for IT'S
re0ision by twoditterent legislatures.
Yet the Legislature, at its SEES
sion of 1852, after on February 11th
recognizing as tue proper mode,
that provided by the Constitution,
passed on the 23rd OF that month
an act, which met the approval Of
the Governor, being, in the Ian,
guage Of its title, "An Act to take
the sense of the people on the ex-
Ipediency of calling a Convention, TO
change the Constitution, and TO
provide for the election of delegates,
and the holding of the Convention"
It's first section provided;
"Ihat on the 18TH day OF April
next following, poll shall be open
ed at each OF the election precincts
lin this STATE, now established by
law, for the purpose Of receiving
the votes of the qualified voters OF
the State, for or against the calling
of Convention to change the Con
stitution.D
BY other sections of the Act the