Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1838-04-14
VOL. 3.--NO. Is.

q HldIuFlly VI NotSlo at u lCHul uHu COHSll-
tutional election have chosen Representa-.
tives they arc the represe iatives of the
whole people, by the will ofthe whole peo-
pie declared in their constitution and laws,
and every man is bound to sustain them
who acknowledges the government Of the
people.
Are Messrs Prcntiss aud Word now
your Representative by the sovereign will
ofthe people, or are Messrs. Claiborne and
Davis.
IL Messrs. Prentiss and Word arc your
representatives by the constitution and
laws, the others, Messrs. Claiborne and
Davis cannot be, as you cannot have dou-
BILE representation both constitutional and
both legal. Here let me remark, that no
man can held any Office, either as law
maker, Judge or governor, who cannot
shew his right by the constitution and
laws. 1t is this which makes all men, rich
or poor, learned or ignorant, free and
equal. No man can. compel another to
obey his commands, unless he is authori.
sed to do so by the constitution and laws
Of the people, and then he does it only as
the Representative or servant of the PEG.
pie.
Are Messrs. Prentiss and Word now
your Representatives What say your
Constitution and laws. They say an cleo
ton for Representatives shall be held on
the first monday and day following in No
vember They command the Sherlfis
in each county 10 give notice of this
election; TO appoint judges to preside
at the polls; receive all legal votes,
count them out, and make true returns to
the Office Of the Secretary Of State. They
command the Secretary 10 surnup the votes
from all the counties, and publish in the
public newspapers, the result of the cleo
ton, and declare what persons are elected
They command The Governor to give GER
tifcates to the persons elected, as the evil
dence oil the returns and result OF the cleo
ton TO be presented to the House. All
these things are commanded by your laws,
aud the SheritfS, Judges, Secretary and
your Governor, all take an oath to obey
and act in obedience to these laws. No
man will be SO bold as 10 deny this state
ment No man will dare say, that such
are not the laws of Mississippi, because
every Mississippian knows it, and no one
can be deceived by any such false state
ment Messrs. Prcntiss and Word, last
November were elected Representatives
to the 25th Congress, in conformity to all
these commands Of the people. The cleo
ton was held in November, the Sherhs
gave notice of the election, Judges presi-
ded, every voter in the Stale who chose
TO do so, voted for Representatives, the re-
turns were made to the Sccreiary'S office,
the Secretary published the result, and de-
cared Messrs. Prentiss and Word cleo
ted, and the Governor gave them the GER
tiGcutes. All these officers acting under
oath. Can any man pretend TO say,
Messrs. Prentss and Word are not our
Representatives by the constitution and
laws Of the State? If not, is Go.ern
McNutt our Governor He was elected
at the same time, under the same Constl-
tuition and laws, and by less number Of
votes than Mr.. Prentss.
The House have as much right TO re-
solve, that Mr. McNutt shall not act as the
Governor Of Mississippi unier that cleo
ton, as that Messrs. PrcnlSs and Word
shall not nc; as Representatives.
But the House Of Representatives re-
solved Messrs Prenliss and Word were
not entitled to seats in the 25th Congress.
Here then is the question 10 every yo-
ter. Your constitution and laws declare
Alessrs. Prentiss aud Word are your Rep
resentatives, the Resolution Of the House
declares they shall not have the seats Of
Representatives. Your Constitution and
laws are the will Of the people Of Missis-
sippi, the resolution is the will ola major
ily Of the Representatives from other
States Which must be obeyed, your
and laws, or the resolution of
the House. you vote for Messrs. Prem.
tiss and Word, you will say by your vote
the constitution and laws, the sovereign
will Of the people must be oboyed. II
you vote for Mcssrs. Claiborne and Davis,
and you will say the resolution OF the
House must be obcycd Which govern
ment will you support, by your vote, the
democracy Of Mississippi or the arisiocra'
CIV of the House. Which is it your duty
to support. Can any other question DC
placed in competition with this question.
ifyou give up your constitution and laws,
and surrender the sovereignty OF The peo-
pIe, what is there worth contending about
What matters il about abolition, nation
nj Bank, a sub-treasury system, personal
preferences for Prentiss and Word, or
Claiborne and Davis, If you surrender
YOUR constitution and laws, your Liberties,
the sovereignty, the freedom and the in
dependence of the people Of Mississippi.
What matters il whether you chose or yo-