The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-11-21
REMARKS Of HON. III. H POWERS
ON THE VAGRANT ACT.

! IA sA% Oh EzOS. m. kSO w X ~
ON THE VAGEANT ACT.
The bill entitled can Act to amend the
Nagrant Laws of the State" before the
House, an amendment was offered to the
last section, providingtha the law should
not be In force until the lst day of Jan.
uary, 1899. Mr.. Powers spoke as follows:
| | offer this amendment, Mr.. Speaker.
| because believe 1t to be the only thing
which can make the bill acceptable to the
| people OF Mississippi. ! do not believe
mat they are yet prepared to receive such
blil as this with any degree of favor
| lhey are not yet emancipated from those
/ decisions under which both we and our
ancestors, which were established by the
Common Law, by the Constitution of the
| United States, and by that of the State of
Mississippi. They still hold the stubborn
prejudices which have characterized the
whole Saxon race against any interior
ence with their every day private rela-
lions; against all systems OF surveillance
and espionage; against any abridgement
II their personal liberty.
But what does this till propose to do?
The first section makes a Justice of the
Peace the cestouian of the whole conduct
of every man in his beat, and gives him
absolute power TO fine and imprison that
man at his pleasure.
! | read from the first section of the bill
some of the offences which constitute va
grancy, and some of the classes which are
10 be considered Migrants. "All persons
who neglect their calling or employ
| Who is the judge of this neglect? A JUS
! tice of the Peace.
| Now, sir, suppose some man concludes
| to go fishing; Justice of the Peace learn
! ing the fact, and knowing that it was a
fine day for blowing, believes that the act
| constitutes a neglect of business; an Of
| fence which he knows it is his sworn
| duty, under this law, TO punish. He,
| therefore, arrests this man, fines him, and
commits him to the county Jail. But this
obstinate fisherman, not having Invested
! himself sufficiently of old pref udicas, con-
slders this hardship, and sppeals to the
| County Court, provided he can get any
one to 60 on his bond.) The County
Court is composed of the Probate Judge
and two Justices, who having reached the
same high point of enlightenment as this
| Legislature, or being, perhaps, not much
! fishermen themselves, again condemn
! him. That is the end OF this unlucky
! fisherman. He can 60 no further for
| redress, for their decision is final.
Another class of Migrants are :" those
who misspend what they earn" Who is
to be the Judge of the misspending? a
| Justice OF the Peace.
Now, suppose that my friend here, upon
my right VINO is fond OF smoking, should,
in the view a Of Justice OF the Peace, inv e5L
a quarter in the purchase OF a couple of
| cigars; the Justice Is not a smoker, or II
he IS does not believe in cigars. The
thing is plaintiffs deprayed legislator IS
misspending his earnings. The Justice
knows his duty, and the penalties OF sec
ton three hang over him. He marches
the representative to prison, whence, if he
is unwilling to abide by his own law, he
appeals to the County Court-the Probate
Judge and two Justices. They likewise
are no smokers; the appeal goes against
him, and he is left in a prison cell to
mediate upon the beauties of bill No. 3.
Here are few more classes of Migrants
-.'All idle and dissipated persons. y
Who Judges Of the idleness or dissipation?
A Ju stice of the Peace. "All night walk
ers" That, l suppose, is intended to put
a stop to coon-hunting.
"AlI persons lewd or lascivioUs IN
speech, or behavior" Who judges of the
words they utter? The same omnipotent
Justice of the Peace, Every mans lib
erty and property lie at his mercy.
! N
not vet learned to admire such a law
as this, that have been trained in a far
different school. They still adhere CD,
stinately to their cid foolish prejudices in
favor OF personal liberty and Constltu
,ional right. When that chosen people,
the colunlsts of Connecticut, first settled
) in their new home, they framed code o.
laws which fully recognized the obllga'
ton ofwat ching over, not only the morals
J tut the manners OF the citizen. That
code was known as the blue Laws"
True its provisions fell behind those of
this bill in stringency, but Legislative
science has no doubt advanced since that
, time. Yet | do not believe, sir, that the
, people of Mississippi have yet got up
) with this state ofprogress, They require
to be educated up TO it. 1t is taVorite
phrase with the North that the South
REQUIRES to be educated up" to a certain
; state of affairs. Give them time to be
; educated up" to the principles of this
bill.
) Thirty-three years is, believe, said by
J staticians to be the average lifetime OF a
generation, | have, therefore, proposed
to defer the operation of this bill until
/ the wear 1899, because | do not belle
tn At the present stiff necked ererAtion,
/ will ever be willing to acquIesce IN a
= measure which not only takes away their
C personal rights and liberties, but com
t pleteS the Joke by in section !, by multiplying
e the Constitution of the State of Miss )
9 sippi.
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