Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-01-14
BY TELEGRAPH.
Night Dispatches.
TO APPEAL.
ARKANSAS.
THE UNAUTHORIZED CON
VENTION LAID OVER.
LEGISLATURE TO ELECT
STATE OFFICERS.
c SUFFRAGE.

Special Dispatch 70 Memphis Appeal
LITTLE Rock, January l3.-ConVen-
ton met at 10 O'Clock am.
The special order for the day, with
substitute, was made the special order
for Monday next.
Kyle made a motion that a committee
of three be appointed to inquire into the
e~xpediency of the Legislature e~ieeting
the State judiciary, Secretary Of State,
State Auditor and State Treasurer, which
was adopted.
Kinds offered a resolution memorable
ing Congress for aid in building levees to
protect the lands of the State subject to
overflow. Adopted.
Cypert moved to adopt, without mate
rial change, the present Constitution Of
the State, it being the same formed
March Is, 1864, under Lincoln's prOola-
nation, and approved by Lincoln.
Kinds moved to refer to the Commit
tee on P~enitentiary.
Cypert hoped that it would not be re-
ferred. He thought the Constitution
now stands good enough-the same in
substance as that OF Ohio and almost
every other Northern State. IL North
ern States denied the negro the right Of
suffrage, why should Arkansas accord
them that privilege? Should Congress
ask the State OF Arkanaas to give the
negro more rights than are accorded to
him in Ohio or other Northern States?
The people Of Arkansas don't want negro
suffrage. Her Oldest and most
respectable citizens were opposed to
any such measure. They would not
agree that men thrown into the State by
the advent Of the Federal army, or who
came since the surrender, mere adven-
turegs with carpet bag In hand, should
force negro suffrage upon the citizens of
the State--should elevate the negro above
the white man. He the speaker would
ever raise his voice and use his influence
against such an act OF injustice and
wrong. This is a white mans govern
ment, and white me should control and
rule It. He was a friend to the negro-a
better one chan the ~hypocritical gang of
sharpers who were using the negro "a a
tool but he would never agree that fran
chiss would ask negroes on the floor
here.
Brooks, Of Phillips county, sung ont
" order" aud said that the gentleman
on the floor should be most particularly
distinguished. Calling them pegroes
was derogatory. Cypert ruled the mo-
ton cut OF order.
In a speech Of half an hour be fully
demonstrated that he would make no
distinction as TO races, and argued
strongly in favor OF the adoption OF the
proposed ordinance.
Oae Gray, a negro delegate from Phil
lips county, thanked God that he was
then free, although not born SO. That
he and his ancestors were not the trainers
Of the Constitution was a Sigh. matter.
Every man should be made, without
distinction Of race or color, equal. The
negroes had made blood flow like
"atEl5 dG4 AAA GOuC AlLCu ~
cnish the late rebellion, which
without franchise no Regyo would be
equal with the white citizen in Every
particular. Give the negro a chance fer
eighteen hundred years and he viii prove
himself equal, if not superior, to the
white man. The gentleman ought to
accept the present situation. Give the
negro a chance-cut through the al
luvial soil OF prejudice down to
the hard, a~damantine clay Of justice, and
always contend for equal rights to all
men and was willing to stake his life on
the issue. he had always advocated
that principle, aud his record was equal
rights everywhere. The North was only
waiting for the South to swallow first the
bait OF negro suffrage, she would then
quickly tsse the dose.