Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-09-02
THE A CONVENTION.
Propositions for the Consideration
of that Body.
Restriction Of the Sufrage---Sketch
Of the Appointing Power.

on the subject of reforming the Con-
stjtution ca the State, l promised 20
resume the subject again. With Your
permission l now redeem that promise.
Not with a view, however, OF urging
any additional reasons why such a
Convention should be called, except
so far as stating some things which
think it aught to do may be SO con
sidered. Two things, in my opinion,
should mainly engage the attention OF
such a body. The first, a proper divis-
ion Of the representative power of the
State; and secondly, lessening the
number and frequency of popular
elections. In a government carried
on by representatives, l take 1t there
are two sources of power entitled
to be heard to-wit: Persons and
DrODeyty. Neither should be in
dulged TO the exclusion of the
other, as is now done. The pOr-
ton of power lodged in the hand of
the property holder is not put there
because he is wiser or better than the
n~on-property holder. Nor is it placed
in his hands as a favor to him, or for
his benefit, but for the protection OF
the property Ofthe country. To make
this the more clear, we have but to
refer to the proposition, which Is I'M
doubtedIy true, that property Is a dis
tict substantive power in the State;
as much 80 as persons. Now let Us
suppose the State to be under the nee
essity, from any cause, of calling an
army to the field. She calls for fifty
thousand soldiers, and at once she has
at her command that number of able
bodied men. But these men must be
clothed, fed, armed and supported.
Whence the means to do ali that?
The answer is, from the property OF
the country.
The State must have a Governor,
Legislature, Judges and other officials
to take care of and conduct the bust
ness Ofthe State. They must be paid;
and whence the means, answer the
property of the State. She wants
institutions for the blind, the deaf and
dumb, the sick and the INDECENT, as
we'll as the means to cOnfne and pun
ish bad men, all which requires
money, and that money must come
from the property of the country.
What would 4" the power y OF the State
amount to without money? Nothing.
And where is the money TO come from
unless from the property Of the State?
Property, then, IS an essential and IN
disDeusible power" in the State,
without which all other powers are
useless. Why, then, should its rights
be wholly overlooked in adjusting
the representative agency of theState?
To do so is manifestly unjust and I'M
wise. Let us then, Mr.. Editor,
return to the lessons of wisdom taught
Us by the early fathers OF the country,
and place Uha Government once more
upon the 50 al basis upon which they
built, and from which we have so I'M
wisely departed. Keeping then in
view the great evil of representa-
ton by Que power of the State to the
exclusion of the other, and too ire
quent recurrence OF popular and excl
ting elections, let Us seek the more
prudent course indicated by those who
originally framed the Government. l
am aware Of the delicacy and difficult
" of the task. l am, too, satisfied
that exact and equal justice is not TO
be attained. Yet / hardly suppose it
be impossible to approximate equdli-
ty. Suppose, for instance, that in the
election Of members OF Congress, Gov
ernor and Representatives IN the Leg
islature, YOU allow the largest
range of the right Of suffrage,
but in the election of State Senators
son required property qualification III
the electors. This, it seems TO M,
would f0rua aL0Et Il fair equilibrium.
For the purpose, however, Of eucour-
aging a healthy ambition, / would
have the way to promotion open tG
talent end virtue to all the Offices OF
the State, SlthOut requiring any pro-
perry qualification IN the office. This
would give to the property Of the
country fair projections, and would go
far, in my judgment, To secure justice
and fairness in UGr Legislature. 1t is
lust. and therefore right, and bearing,
a it does, the stamp of wisdom from
the hands OF u patriotic fathers, 1t
ought TO command the TesFect % their
children. Our next work should se
10 Tree the country Of the danger or
either the manifest evil resulting
from the too frequent recurrence
of popular elections. and here too,
fortunately for Us, if we have the
courage to use il We have the example
of the early founders OF the Govern
ment. When you have got together
the representative wisdom OF the
State, composed, as it Will be, of MEM
bers from every county, if they have
the wisdom and virtue necessary TO
make laws for the county, they GER
tainly ought 10 be able TO select dis
Greet and prudent men TO act as mag
istrates in each county, and they in
turn ought certainly TO be competent
TO select men of like character 10 fill
ali the county offices, from Sheriff
down. ieS, every one Of them; and
see to it that they give sufficient bonds,
ia all cases, when bonds are required
by law to be given. Now let the Gov
efncr Of the State, in connection
with the Senate, select the judges
of the county ef record, and each
Court appoint its Own ciark, This
done and you will have swept out Of
existence an evil of more than forty
years growth, and which has
certainly reached gigantic pro-
portions. Slavery out of the way
there would but little remain
TO be done To place the State once
more upon the high road TO peace and
prosperity. / am aware that these re-
forms will form a theme fort he dema-
gOgUes just as they have done in
times, and in listening to
whom we have been lead with wild
and UtOpian schemes that have
ended i'm blOOdshed and national ruin.
When / was a school boy and used t6
run foot races with my playmateS,
we used to join hands a few feet
in the rear of the starting point, and,
advancing slowly until our hands
touched the pole, we lOOsened hands
and made a start for the race,
If anything happened az the stating
or near to it, that gave either a
manifest advantage so as TO prevent a
taIr trial Of speed, the call of no
fair start" brought the parties back to
il owe again. As d nation we
had not more than reached the point
for a real start in the great race for
national glory and power, before we
found ourselves involved in serious
and appalling difficulties. We did not
take a " fair start" Let US, then, my
oOuntrymen, get back once more to !
the place Of joining hands, and see to
that this time we get a fair start, so
as 10 avoidth rock on which we have
split, and laying the plan Of operation
with due caution, Onee more begin the
race, determined to be governed by
the signpOsts of wisdom, truth and
erected by our fathers. Avoid
ing on the one hand a bigoted adhe-
renee to narrow and CONTRACTED views,