The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-04-04
Letter OF Hon. Fulton Anderson.
Messrs. John W Robinson, VIM. Ii.
Allen, Thos f. Helm, and others,

ions as to the wisest course to be
pursued 10y the people, under the act
Of Congress, establishing military
governments over ten Of the Southern
States.
About the time Of the reception of
your letter it was understood that
Congress contemplated additional
legislation on the subject. l therefore
thought it best to suspend any ex-
preston of opinion until the result Of
such proposed legislation should be
known. This is my apology for not
having given an earlier response to
your communication. Since that time
I Congress has adopted the supplement
tary act, the purpose Of which is to
call by its own authority, the Conven-
tions, which were contemplated 10y
the military act and thus to establish
I for the ten seeding States, COnstitu-
tions which shall owe their origin and
validity to the porer alone Of the
General Government Assuming this
to be the fnality Of Congressional
| legislation for the present, / proceed
to express the views which | entertain,
and in doing so, shall for convenience,
consider and speak of the acts of Con
gress as referring to the people and
/ State Of Mississippi.
The subject is one Ct the gravest
Importance, and certainly requires the
maturest consideration by every one
who feels an interest in the future
destiny Of his State or in the final re
suit of the now almost hopeless ex-
/ pertinent Of securing and Fcrpctuating
constitutional liberty under repubIi-
can forms Of government. have
given it much and painful reflection,
and shall express with dinidence and
reluctance the conclusions at which
have arrived.
IoJserye, in the first place, that
every step in the proceedings
10y which Congress proposes to
establish Constitution for the State
IS to be taken under It's authority
alone. The call of the Convention
the time and place of its session-the
qualification both of the delegates lcho
shall sit in 1T, and OF the voters who
shall elect them-the time, place and
manner in which the vote for the
delegates shall be taken and returned
the action OF the Convention itself
the very constitution 1t shall make
the mode OF Its opProral By such u the
people as Congress has authorized to
take part IN its creation, and It's return
to Congress for approval and adoption,
are all prescribed by the sole power
Of the Federal Governments and the
State IN its sovereign capacity as well
as the people (usIng this word in its
constitutional sense) are carefully eN-
cluded from any participation what
ever In short, the Constitution to
be established, will be the Consti-
tuition of Mississippi or its people, but
/ one adopted for 1t and them by the
Federal Government That this will
be violation oil the Constitution OF
the Chlted states cannot De doubted.
! IL Is SO clearly 50 rs not 10 ADMIT even
OF discussion. Inns pelh9 admit
teu' the question sun remains what
shouio DC uohe' mot oy the people as
UNDERSTOOD III your letter. but by
'"''' poI'Ion u Vnen whom congress
mas ae'eo'e'' ~ carry ouV us purposes
Iu'V - - say 'lose "ho' uhuer Tue
Mlllt"Iy blll ana supplement- nave
'i'' NJ ~ nave 'iieiI HaiIleS regis
Ceie''' anu ~ VOC lo' uele9''eS 20 Tue
Ooil' eii''oii' VI " lol'' sed'S III Ihe
s'iiIe NY oP''''oii 10 'N"' O"ey SHo"ta'
30 l'i 10 'ii'S can oonscleLlIlously 90
80 " ''N'ns 'ne PIesciloeu oaIh ana
having tuelr names registered partcl-
p'''1 'o," - 'o'e' > anu rs uelegates
- INC Oo''' 'u,'oi,' III "ooP'lhS oon-
S'''u''oi'' WHICH sIl"l' comply WIN the
requirements OF congress, In giving
''IlS "9 my OPINION L IeaVe out OF
Vle"' lor the present. the question so
much discussed whether the Judiciary
Department OF the General Government
can give reliel against these unconsti-
touohai ana tyrannical measures, be
! cause rs snail endeaYor to show,
that tueaaSaatelon ot1he people should be
the same, whether there Is a c0Hsutu-
tional remedy through the Courts or
not. If it were admitted to be true
that no such remedy exists, l suppose
that all will agree that the wisest
course would be to accept the terms
proposed by Congress. The least evil
consequence of a failure to do so,
Z wOul1 he tho aopaotaDpa Of thOce