The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-09-03
Mr. Chairman and Gsntlemec of tia
f1operniffee.

Judge of the court of appeals of this stat
IN ordar that may accept the responsi
bility that the great convention you rep
resent has put upon me, without possible
prejudice to the court to which had tht
homes to belong, or to tho eminent mem
Ders Of the judiciary OF this state, o
whom may now say as . private either
| am justly proud.
At the very threshold of this response
ard before dealing with other subjects
must, In justice to myself al to re-
iieve my sense OF gratitude, eY7ress ns
profound appreciation Of the confidence
rePnzed Id me by the convention. After
nominating nae and subsequently receiv-
ing communication declaring that
regarded the gold standard as firmly
and iereyocably established, matter
concerning which felt it incumbent
upon me to make known my attitude SC
that hereafter no man could justly say
that his support had been secured
through indirection or mistake, the con-
vention reiterated it's determination that
I should be the standard 1gEarer of the
partyin the present contest. This mark
Of trust and confidence | shall ever es-
TEEN as the highest honor that could be
conferred upon mean honor that,
whatever may to the fate of the cam
paign. the future can in no degree lessen
or impair.
The admirable platform upon which
the party appeals to the county for its
confidence aud supportclearlys states the
principles which were so well condensed
IN the first inaugural address of Presi-
dent Jefferson, and points out with zorce
and directness the couraS to be pursued
through their proper application in order
to insure needed reforms in both the
legislative and administrative depart
ments of the government While UNI
hesftating in its promise to correct
abuses and to RIGHT wrongs wherever
they appear or however caused; to in
Festigate the several administrative de-
partInents Of the government the con-
duct Of whose officials has created scan
dais and to punish those who have been
guilty Of Preach of their trust; to op-
pose the granting of special privileges
By which the few may profit at the ex-
Dense Of the many; to practice economy
IN The expenditure of the moneys Of the
people. and to that end to return once
mere to the methods Of the founders of
the republic by observing In disbursing
the public funds the care and caution a
prudent individual observes with re-
spect to hisow still the spirit of the
platform assures conservative, instead
OF rash action; the protection of the in
nocent as we'll as the punishment Of
the guilty; the encouragement of indus
try. economy and thrift; the protection
Of property and a guarantee Of the en-
forcement for the benefit of all of mans
fnaltenable rights, among which, as said
In the Declaration of independence, are
life, liberty and the pursuit Of happi-
ness. Liberty, as understood IN this
country, means not only the right of
freedom from actual servitude, impris-
cament or restraint but the right of one
t. use his faculties In all lawful ways,
tc live and work where he will sand to
pursue any lawful trade or business.
These essential rights of life. liberty and
property are not only guaranteed to the
citizen by the constitution Of each Of the
se9eral states, but the states are by the
fourteenth amendment to the ccnstitu-
ton Of the United States forbidden to
deprive any person of any one Of them
without due process of law.
Occasionally, by reason of unneces-
cary or impatient agitation for reforms,
or because the limitations placed upon |
the departments of government by the |
constitution are disregarded by officials
desiring to accomplish that which 10
them seems good, whether the power ex-
lists In them or not, it becomes desirable
TO call attention to the fact that the peo-
pie. in whom all power resides. have
seen fits through the medium OF the CON
sfitutfon, to limit the governmental
powers conferred and to say to depart-
ments created by It: ''Thus far shalt
thou go and no farther To secure the
ends sought the people have BY the CON
stltution separated and distributed I
among the three departments OF gov
ernment-the executive legislative and |
1udiciai-certain powers, and it iGs the
duty Of those administering each de-
paEtment SO to act as to preserve, rather
than to destroy. the potency Of the CO
ordinate branches Of the government,
and thus secure the exercise of all the
powers conferred by the people.
Thomas Jefferson, In a letter to Will
liam G Jarvis, touching the perpetuity
OF our institutions, written many years
alter he had retired To private life. gaid.
the three powers of our government
maintain their mutual independence of
each other, it may last long, but not so
Il either can assume the authority oe
the other" 1t must be confessed that
In the course of our history executives
have employed powers not helongfng to
them; statutes have been passed that
were expressly forbidden by the consti-
tuition and statutes have been set =asi6a
as unconstitutional when it was difacult
to point out the provisions said I'd ~
against IN their enactment. all
this has been done with good purpose.
no doubt, but In disregard, nevertheless
Of the fact that ours is government Of
laws. not OF men. deriving its t'iust pow
efs from the consent of the governed. ),
II wefvould gave our government con
d Il = i