Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1838-03-10

For the Liberty Advocate
1t becomeSevery freeman, who holds the
I elective fraN chise TO be sacred & inviolable
under thet Institutions of our Country, tc
e violently resist that oppression which
I corrupt party in Congress imposed upon
our State, in deciding that Mississippi had
not the right, ofGhoosng her own Repre-
sentatives at the late November Election
: merely for the qualification of party am
: bition. This is certainly violation Of
, the Federal Constitution, and also an in.
fringement upon the most sacred rights Of
sovereign State. Az demonstration OF
= this fact, need only refer to the Constitu.
ton Of the United States, under section
, second, "The House of Representatives
shall be composed of members chosen ev-
cry second year by the people of the sew
eral States; and the electors in each State
shall have the qualifications requisite for
electors of the most numerous branch of
the State Legisture."
i. This clause should certainly remove all
doubts, as to Messrs. Prentis and Word be-
ing duly & legally elected to serve through
out the 25th Congress; but Notwithstanding
this, our National Legislature has trans
cended its specific limitation, by overleap-
ing thebarriers of that instrument, which
they were bound by the most solemn obi
CATION, to support.
Where are our Representatives who
were elected at the biennial Election?
They have been sent home by an usurpa-
ton Of power. Is Congress now compos-
ed of members chosen by the people fthe
States, as the Constitution provides? Most
undoubtedly not. Mississippi has no rep
reservation in that august body. This is
unquestionably degradation of the high
character ofan Independent sovereignty.
And we are again called to the polls to
select Representatives to fill the existing
vacancy, occasioned by Claiborne and
Ghoson who stated positive falsehood,
in order to obtain their seats by dishonesty
and intrigue, and who are a disgrace,
and stigma upon the State of Mississippi,
and only worthy the intriguing office seek
ing party TO ,ShioIr tiIuy belong Anu now
shall we inHict punishment adequate to
their crimes unless we hold them in sour
rilous contempt, and sink them to the most
servile depth ofignominious shame.
Let US adopt the motto of our immortal
Jefferson, "for an abuse of power the ballot
box is the remedy" and 60 to the polls un-
trammeled and with unanimous voice re-
instate Messrs. Prentiss and Word in that
dignifed station to which they we're legally
elected; to which, their talents, and distin-
guished abilities will dohonor to the State.
Or shall we tamely submit to the dicta-
ton Of Congress and return those political
demagoguesG ! hope the highminded pa
triotic peonle Of mississippi; viii vii! never be
gulled out of their rights by party macinii-
nations. Awake, freemen, from that leth-
argy into which you have fallen, and arise
in the majesty Of your strength, and de-
fend those rights, liberties, and privileges
which the constitution of our government
has secured.
A free people jealous of their rights is
the only security against despotism, and
if we continue to slumber in that fatal ap-
athy which now pervades the country,
while Congress is usurping our rights,
viz: the right of suffrage, our Govern
ment must ere long find a resting place,
like the departed republics of ancient
times.
The only retaliation which is left us, i'll
we acquiesce in the decision of Congress,
is to re-elect those gentlemen which were
chosen IN November, thereby evincing to
the world that our State has right to be
represented by the men ofits choice. Mr..
Prentlss is champion and master spirit
OF the Wing party, and likewise his col
league The State Rights party Should
therefore rally around those men with
one accord.
Tho only fair test Of the will of the peo-
pie at this time, in relation to those men,
bers who have been elected from Con-
gress, is to be made at the next election.
Then shall they decide whether they will
calmly submit to the dictatorial power Of
Congress, or the exercise of their own
judgement 1t will no doubt be a contes-
ted election, and one that will be deter
mined by party strife; but can the demo-
cratic party be so reckless of conscience, so
regardless of patriotism as to cast their
suttrages upon such corrupt aspirants as
Claiborne and Gholson--who have Justly
merited the disapprobation of all pa rtiesg
II so, what could partizan--a revolving
satellite do, that would bring upon his
head the denunciatioh of his party. q
1t is reasonable to suppose, that the yo- Q
lers who gave their suffrages to the Wing q
in last November, will yet adj G
mere 70 them' unless party corruption pre- c
walls 10 such great extent as 10 bewil-