The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1868-06-06

wv f"'Hsf"f F"%tHit Wv fnhu
10 devise : perfect rule uecs ihls
sahjert iIs must irsme rules n %.
smis upon sia@ss. and In ihIs wsy
indisiauols may bs denied privileges
who are every way qualified for their
sssfclss, and other. may b. SLOWED
them who are totally unworthy. This
Is unavoidable.
There are always exceptions 10
general rules, yet ths establishment |
Of general rules Il necessary. That
qualified suffrage Il consistent with
Republican" government, In the
sense In which that word was used
by the trainers Of the Constitution Of
the United States, h clear from The
consideration that only qualified suf-
fragc existed In the States by which
that instrument was adopted. On
this subject, In the ably written Life
Of james Madison by William c.
Rives, Of Virginia, there lisa passage
to which | beg the attention of this
body. In speaking Of the condition
Of suffrage in the States when the
Federal Constitution was adopted,
the author says,
"The regulations which then ex-
istcd in the several States on the sub
ject Of suffrage were Of a very con-
servative character, and left but little,
II any, room for men Of the most
sober opinions TO desire q change,
even IL an interference of the Fed
eral authority had been considered
admissible in principle. In very
large majority f the States, the pos
session Of moderate freehold estate,
or its equivalent in personal property
was required asa qualification for the
exercise Of the right Of suffrage; and
in not one Of them, II is believed,
was universal suffrage, as since prac-
ticed, then known. The wise men
who framed the Constitution Of the
United States, believed, therefore,
that they might safely leave the sub
ject where the peculiar delicacy Of
the relations between the State and
Federal authorities, with regard toit,
seemed to require that II should be
left-in the hands Of the States. At
the same times in doing so, they dis
tinctly recognized the necessity Of
Qualifications for the performance
Of this primordial function Of repre-
sentative government, as alike prin-
ciple and practice Of republican
Legislation in America. Qualified suf-
fragc, in contradistinction to unirersai
suffrage, was thus consecrated, so far
as depended On them, as the basis Of
the representative system Of the
United States. II did not enter into
their imaginations TO conceive that
the day would ever comet when, in
the eager race Of contending parties
! for popularity, every practical land
mark which guarded the purity and
sanctity Of the great franchise that
gives direction as we'll as motion "a
: the political system, was to be swept
} away" "insa at murut
The proposition is disputed by nc
: one, that, 10 framing a government
} regard should be had to the condition
, Of the society upon which il Is to op'
. crate. That form Of government
/, which Is suited to one state Of society
G may not be suited 10 another, and tn
!, most improved state Of society Is Ger
: tainly best adapted 70 the most fire.
government, if II Is not, indeed, th'
: only state compatible With Il. wha
: would be thought Of proposition
9 seriously made to establish rrpub
o lican government On The basis Of uni
D versai suffrage, for Brazil or Mexico
= or the continent Of Africas Doe
e any intelligent man believe that th
J, population Of these countries are ca
u pable Of mainsaining = free, popular
a representative government Indeed
/ the problem Of she sapsdty Of ma
for sclf-government, under the mo'
y favorable circumstances, may well b
= regarded q still nnsolyci. & Tn
q States Of the Union have all bee
Re moving in The direction Of uuiver.'
10 suffrage, and ny delibsqie judgmsr
/ Is, that Il would Be besler for ever
is step that has been taken In that a
At rccfiou to be rsssced. What b.
D universal suffrage precipisaisd a
q country into that gigantic civil VA