The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1868-06-11

was arrested and imprisoned. Gov. Sharkey
was appointed in his place. The latter, at
the instance of the President, called a State
convention to adopt constitution. This
convention assembled in Augu t, 1865, and
adopted a constitution Republican in form-
abolshing slavery, protecting the rights of
freedmen in all respects, but not comforting
on them the elective fl flanchise.
Under this constitution the Legislature
convened The State was regularly organ
lied in all its departments. All State officers
were duly elected, and Congressman and
Senators were also elected and sent on to
represent us in the Federal Government. Our
Representatives were rejected on the ground
that the freedmen were not allowed to vote
CONGRESS EXTENDS ELECTIVE FRAN
CHISE 70 FREEDMEN.
Congress then passed and submitted to
the States for ratification, what was called
the l4th article, as an amendment of the
Constitution of the United States, intended
to confer the elective franchise on the feed
men. This was rejected by our Legislature
Then came the Reconstruction acts-the
object of which was to compel the people
of Mississippi, with other States, to enfran
chIse the negro. These acts provided that
the negroes should vote in common with the
white electors, not disfranchiSed, for the
delegates to the convention to be assembled
under said acts-and that when said con-
vention should adopt constitution extend
ing the elective franchise to all male adults,
of whatever race, color or previous con-
dition, twenty-one years of age and upwards,
etc, said States should be admitted to rep
.resentation in Congress. The convention
was accordingly elected-lt assembled at
the capital and could have performed all
the duty assigned it by striking single
word from our present constitution.
nIvTv OE CONVENTION
The electoral clause in the present consti-
tuition provides, that Every free rhife male
person of the age of twenty-one years and
upwards who shall be citizen of the
United States ard shall have resided in this
State one year next preceding an election,
and the last four months within the county,
CITY or town, in which he offers to vote, shall
be deemed a qualified eiectOr.'
By striking cut the word "schite, In the
first line of this clause, it would include all
free male persons of the age of twenty-one
wears and upwards, of whatever race, color
and previous condition, and this would have
been full adoption of the act of Congress
and n compliance with its terms.
THE first section of the bill of rights of
tho nresent constitution also declares THAT
ali treemen when thev form a social COM
nact' are equal in rights" As the negroes
were made free by special ordinance. ap-
pepded to this constitution n August, Iooo'
they are included in this declaration OF the
bill of rights, and hence it is seen that the
only objection which Congress ever mace 10 70
our present constitution could have been
remedied by the convention, by striking our
the said word white; and this work couid
have been accomplished within twenty-foui
hours after the convention assembled, ana
the body could have adjourned with three
DAYS after its organization, with its WORK
all complete and at a trifiing expense to the
State.