CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION . · 379

the jurisdiction heretorre exerciset , criticised , in the most hostile manner , by justices of the peace and con - almost every act of this Convention , istring upon the district Judes the land have been unwilling to see any Iwer to try all these cases minor thing good in our work . In this I Cis - without a jury , anů to have a cannot say that I have been surprised . grand jury continually in Session and because , as far as my reading has to have the courts , heretofore sitting gone , I find that that has happened at various times tlıroughout the year , to every constitutional convention that in constant session in the parishes has sat in this country and that has We have also so changed the judicial faced any serious problems since the system that the delays which have so | date of the adoption of the Federal often resulted in a man being huns | Constitution in 1787 . I believe that by aniob will disapepar ; that every the criticisms that were hurled at the one accused of a crime may Secure a heads of the members of that conven speetly trial , and , if found guilty , re tion - at Washington himself , when he Seive his just punishment at the hands first placed this government in force of the legally constituted authorities . | - were no less severe than those which

Now I have gone through with what have been launched against us by we have done . I know we have done a large portion of the press of this our duty to the best of our ability State ; but my fellow - delegates , I be . And what we have done I have felt it lieve that the people of this State ex to be a duty to the Democratic partspected that we would have problems and to this Convention , so far as I to meet and solve , whose solution ( an perform that duty , to let the pub | would be open to criticism , and which lic know what we liave ai complished . could not be solved without arousing for they have never read the Constitu

antagonism . Therefore the people of tion , and I will stand or fill with you this State have vested in us a power all , and if you are to be condemned

greater than has ever been vested by I am to be condemned ( applause ) , and the people of any State in this ( ' nion if there be any disposition on the part

ne part in a constitutional convention . Other of those who want to make an assault constitutional conventions have put on the Democratic party for any act constitutions in full force and effect of this Convention , and you need help , without submitting them to a vote of and there is danger , old as I am , I the people ; but we , and we alone , have am willing to go into this campaign been expressly delegated by the people to vindicate the course 01 this Con of the State of Louisiana to frame a vention . ( Great applause ) I will go

constitution and put it in force without into the campaign with this Constitu

submitting it to the popular voice . tion in one hand and the priniciples of

( Applause . ) The people of this State . the Democratic party in the other with rar

with rare self - control , knowing from ( great applause ) , and we will see

the experience of the past that com whether the people will condemn plex questions would face us , protect either . ( Applause . )

led themselves against themselves and

provided that we should have absolute Hon . Ernest B . Kruttschnitt , Presi and despotic power to adopt any con dent of the Convention , aldressed the

stitution that we pleased , and to put

it into force and effect , and that it Convention as follows :

should be put in force and working or My Fellow - Delegates : When I was der before it should be open to any elected President of this body a little attack by the people . They did not over ninety days ago , and addressed select the papers of this State to you a few words from this platform . I make a constitution for them . ( Great I warned you that the people many of applause . ) They sent us direct from them , at least - would be doomed to the body of the people , and they are disappointment , because they expect willing to await the result of the ex ed the millenium to follow as the periment and to see what the result result of your deliberations . As time of our labors has been before they has passed , I would state that from I criticise us . The tendency among the actual contact with the people of the American constitutional conventions country during one trip , and from has been for the past decade or more , meeting prominent men from all parts not to submit the constitutions to the of the State , who have visited the city people . Especially has that been the of New Orleans whilst this ( ' onvention tendency in the South , where we faced has been in session . I have reached the difficult questions which have con the conclusion that the people of the fronted this Convention . The consti State of Louisiana have determined . tutional conventions of the States of before they piss any judgment upon Mississippi . of South Carolina and of our work , to see it place in operation Delaware , without a popular mandate and to await the result 01 the work on the subject put the constitutions ings of the new System before they of those states into effect without criticise it . Not thus has it been with submitting them to the people , but the press . A great portion of it has we alone have been expressly author