Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-01-21

. AeAt6 - &c klD4 AEA NAAACA--g - LtAA1
! &c thus seen how tue constitution is said
! Gen. Gillem- So 23l for; 63 $50 against.
/ Msjority against, 1929.
Committee Of Five g, ,624 for; IS 92I
/ against. sIsjority for, 37t3.
/ On this barefaced and altogether IN
warranted declaration, there being no-
I where in the EecOnstrGction acts ga au-
thGFity for a convention TO thus proclaim
results, it Is asked that Congress declare
/ the reconstructed Constitution Of Missis.
sippi duly carried, AID admit the State
into the Union under il. Committees
pro snd con. have bsan- for scrne weeks
past before the Reconstruction Commit
tee, but as yet 40 definite resnit has been
attained, though the Indications would
seem to snow that 8 new Convention
viii be provided for 70 frame 9 less OBJ
noXiOus instrument. The grounds Of this
belief, i5 is proper to state, however, are
not OVer-strO0g, and it may not imprOb-
sbly be the case that Congress wiI de-
clare ths Constitution carried, despite its
most fiagrsnt ana open defeat, ss was
done in the else of Alabama.
SUFFRAGE.
In this view it becomes of Interest 10
note the prominent provisions OF this IL
s.rument, and first Of the article on fran
ehise. THIS, in is essential parts, is as
follows:
ART. VII-SECTIoN 1.-AII tie cleo
tiOns by the people shall be By ballot.
Sec. An msle Inhabitants OF this
State, except idiots and insane persons,
aud Indians rot taxed, citizens OF the
United States, or Rstaralizad, twenty
one years old and upwards, who hsve re-
sided in this State six months, and in
the county one month next preceding
the day OF election as which said iEhab-
itants offer to vote, sLd who are duly
registered according to the requirements
OF section three Of this article, and who
are not disqualified by reason Of any
crime, are declared to be qualified cleo
tors.
Sec. 3-The Legislature shall provide
by law for the registration OF ali persons
entitled to vote &C any election, and 81,
persons entitled to register shall take
and subscribe to the following oath or af-
frmation;
81, -, do solemnly swear (or affirm
in the presence Of Almighty God, that | |
am twenty-one years Of age; that l !
have resided in this State six months, !
and in - county one month; that |
will faithfully support and obey the Con-
stitutiOn ana Laws o. the United States /
ana Of the State OF Mississippi, snd will !
bear true faith and allegiance to the |
same that l am not disfrRnChised IN 1
any Of the provisions Of the sets known |
as the Reconstruction apts Of the Thirty-I
ninth and Fortieth Congresses and that
I admit the political and civil equality of |
sll men. So help me Cod"
Provided, That If Congress shall at
any time. remove the disabilities Of any
person disfranohised IN the said 4 con- /
5tructien aets OF the said Thir5y-niuth
and Fortieth Congresses land the Legis-
lature Of this IS ,sse shall concur therein. |
then so much OK this oath, and so much
only, as refers to the said Reconstruction |
acts, shall not be required Of such person |
90 psrdOned, to entitle hira to be regis /
tered.
Sec. mo persoa shall he eligible to
any Office of profit or trust, Oh to any OF |
fee in the militis OF this State, who is
not qualified electOr.
Sec. 5.-No person shall be eligible to
any Office of profit or trust, civil or mill
tary, in this State, who, - 3 member of
the Legislature, voted for the call OF the
Convention that passed the ordinance OF
or who, as delegate to auy +
Convention, voted for Or signed any or
VI oGEEcGlOA&f VI " lAO LaNb NOAuLl-
tary aid, eOuntenaRCe, counsel or encOur-
agement to persons engaged IN armed
hostility to the United States. or who
accepted or attempted to exercise tne
funclions of any Cffise, civil or military.
under any authority or pretended Gov
eFnment, authority, power, or Constitu-
ton, within the United States, hostile or
thereto, except all persons who
aided reconstruction by voting for this
Convention, or who have Continuously
advocated the assembling OF this Con-
ventioD, and shall continuously and in
good faith advocate the acts OF the
same but the Legislature may remove
such disability provided that nothing
IN this section except voting for or sign
og the ordinance of secession shall be {
% construed as to exclude from uffiee the
private soldier OF ths late go called Con-
ederste States army,
Sec. 6.-In time OF war, insurrection
" rebellion, the right to vote at sueh
)laee, and ip such manner sE shall be
prescribed by law, ana shall be enjoyed
)y sll persons otherwise entitled thereto, |
Who may be in the actual military or
naval service Of the United States or
his State; provided sueh votes 5e made
o apply in the county or precinct where
Il they reside.
1t is here seen that, by this instrument, |
he possession OF the elective franchise Is 8
made matter OF opinion, and not rightly i
'eing given TO him who will swear TO I
srtain belief on q much vezed political ,
I1esliOn, and denied him who will not,
further, it is to be seen that on snch
,pinion is also made TO depend eligibility {
0 any Office Of profit or trust in the {
Itate; and even, by implication, the s
militia right, guarsnteed in the Consti- |
uiion of the United States, "to keep {
nd bear arms"
AMENDMENTS.
Beside provisions similar TO those in. /
he other reconstructed Constitutions, !
social equality iD public con- |
Teysnce, power to compel education, and
peculiar section requiring all officers
q the State militia to take the test oath,
u iron clad, there is the same OBJ !
tEuction in this Instrument Of the popu-