The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1868-06-16
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SPE ECH IL
OF
GEN. JNO. D. FREEMAN
nae Hosus Constitution Dissectea
and Exposed.
S p e ECH
DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES.

\
you on the topics of the election go ~ G 20
LEU 70 fatlfy or reject the Constitution nro
po5eu Dy The late Radical Convention f'o
0n0 constitution of the Democrat
) palIy, adopted throughout the State. we are
I ITTqulleu TO support the Constitution of the
and eu States States ana OF the State ofMississippi
IT, az h laws passed In pursuance thereof.
~ .as ever been the province of the Dem
ocratlc party to defend the CONSTITUTIONS
liSnCs' ana especially the reserved RIGHTS of
cue people The Bill of Rights of the State
CONSTITUTIONS reserve certain inalienabI.
privileges, which are excepted out af the
general powers of government. These arc
EN- phatlcauy the peoples rights. and the
oAlocfatic party had its origin in the de-
IehoG OF these nights in the early history of
tAe united States, and maintains that nosi.
Cioh Today. Hence it is that while MANY
| other parties have arisen and fallen tbo
democratic party has always maintained its
organization, and will continue to do so nm
I'll the constitutional forms of government
snail nave succumbed to despotic power.
Inc recent attempt of the Radical mart
IN congress to impeach and remove the
PRESIDENT, was an effort, by a two-tbirds
majority, to overthrow the Executive De-
partment OF the Government and install a
uespotlsm OF numbers over the the constitu-
tlonal form OF government. Although Pres
ldent johnson was elected to office bv the
hadcals' In opposition to the Democratic
candidate, the Democratic party sustained
him In opposition to the Radical party. and
the result is that the Constitution is main
| tanned and anarchy prevented
| The principal charge against the Presi-
| dent was his vetoes of the several recon-
struction acts of Congress. By the Consti-
tuition OF our party, we hold these acts to be
| unconstitutional ALSO and this brings ms to
the discussion of the acts of the late Radical
! Convention in this State, and the Constitu
tlon 1T has proposed for the ratification or
rejection of the people
| We held, in common with the Democratic
| party everywhere, that the State of Missis-
sippi alone has the power to form, alter or
! amend her constitution.
| THE AMENDED CONSTITUTION OF 1868
| ABOLISHED SLAVERY, AND PRO
| TECTED RIGHTS OF FREEDMEN
Immediately after the surrender of the
Confederate armies, the Legislature was
convened by Gov Clark for the purpose of
calling a convention of the people to amend
the constitution so as to conform to the
| Constitution of the United States in all
| particulars. This Legislature was not per-
mitted to act upon the subject. Gov Clark
was arrested and imprisoned Gov. Sharkey
was appointed in his place The latter, at
| the instance of the President, called State
convention to adopt constitution. This
convention assembled in August, 1865, and
| adopted a constitution Republican in form
| abolishing slavery, protecting the rights of
| freedmen in all respects but not comforting
| on them tie elective franchise.
| Under this constitution the Legislature
| convened. The State was regularly organ
| lied in all it's departments. All State officers
we're 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 TO FREEDMEN.
! Congress then passed and submitted to
| the States for ratification, what was called
| the 18th article, as an amendment of the
| Constitution of the United States, intended
| to confer the elective franchise on the freed
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 a constitution extend
ing the elective franchise to all male adults,
! of whatever race, color or previous con-
dition, tw enty- one years of age and upwards,
| etc. said States should be admitted to rep
resentation in Congress. The convention
| was accordingly elected-it assembled at
| the capital and could have performed all
| the duty assigned it by striking single
| word from our present constitution.
DUTY OF CONVENTION.
The electoral clause in the present consti-
tuition provides that Every free tchite male
person, of the age of twenty-one years and
| upwards who shall be citizen OF the
| United States ard shah 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 qualified eleetor,
| By striking cut the word "tChtte, 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 compliance with its terms.
| The first section of the bill of rights of
| the present constitution also declares That
all freemen when they form social COM
| pact are equal in rights. AS the negroes
| were made free by special ordinance. ap-
| pended to this constitution in August, 1000,
| they are included in this declaration OF the
| hill of rights, and hence 1T is seen that the
| only objection which Congress ever made TO
| onr present constitution could have been
| remedied by the convention. by striking out
| the said word white; and this work could
have been accomplished within twenty-touI
| hours after the convention assembled, ana
/ the body could have adjourned with three
DAYS after it's organization, with It's WORK
] allicomplete and at trifing expense TO the
4 State. e
| REPEAL. OF STATE CONSTITUTIONS
| REJECTION OF BILL OF RlGHIe'
| Such however. was not the purpose noI
the line of conduct pursued by this most
remarkable body OF men, ,.a4;o,
| They claimed and asserted Jurlsdlctlon
| over the entire body polite. They have ae'
clared total repeal of the present eon rs
tion and adopted another radically dlneren'
in many vital particulars. sectlons |: 2. 30 Q
/ d. Is. 26. 27-parts of section ~ ana ~
and the conclusion of the Bill of Rights arr
| entirely omitted. These omissions are a.
follows:
sEc.1 That all freemen, when they Torn
a social compact, are equal In rights, a4 .t
that no men, or set of men, are entitled .
exclusive, separate public emoluments o.
| privileges from the community, put III coh
/ sideration of public services. ;.
SEC. 2. That all political power Is IN
i ,asa,,t i, the people and all free govern