Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-06-25

tiOn-sThe Rights Of the Pes-
Ple-ssTalghts Of MlnsFiIisa=s-
How ApPoIhsmOnts May be
ObtaInea-.DangoP Of Gem bIna-
tlOns-.RssPonsIbIIIIY 90 Public
OPlnien.
To THE PEoPLE-
The State Constitution pro-
vides the means for u change in
any article. No convention is
needed for this purpose. BY a
vote Of two thirds of each House,
proposed amendments can be sub
mitted to the people, and on three
months notice the vote shall be
taken, and II a majority be for the
amendment, the same shall be in.
serted as part Of the Constitution
by the next Legislature. The 18th
section of the Bill Of Rights can
not be altered prior to 1885. No.
body wishes to change that. By
the plain and easy mode above
provided, without expense, and
without excitement. Some men
fear discussion. The public mind
and morals are improved by dis
cussiOn OF principles.
| might ask those who oppose
the rights of the people to assign
some reasons. None have been
assigned so far as have heard
Those who favor the Executive
appointment, by and with the ad.
vice and consent of the Senate,
must rely on securing officers,
more honest md more capable,
than those ThOm the people woUld
elect. 1t does not meet the case
TO say that officers as worthy will
be gotten into public service, II
this be so, then popular right is
taken away, without any benefit.
! deny that the chances of merit
are as good before the Executive,
with the Senate at his heels, rs
before the people. OF what ele-
ments is this unity, called "the
peopie,' composed? Is there q
good man in the State eXcludcdy
None. Are there not men of
wealth, education, moral char.
acter, high intelligence, hon
csty, purity, mselilsh patriot
Nem, in the people and part Of
the people? | think there is no
county in the State which has not
moHy men ot The pcoplG who will
compare very iavorably with any
one of the Senators representing
it. Is there a man in the State
who will seriously affirm that
Mygatt and Stringcr, the Senators
from Warren, monopolise the in.
tclligencc and honesty Of the two
counties they represent? mean
no disrespect to these persons by
naming them. ! illustrate my
argument by examples, and ask
the people tn apply the ill"stra-
tions in every county. Is it right,
is it safe, is II Republican, to con.
fer on two men the power OF ad-
vising and consenting to such ap-
pointments as the Executive may
choose to makeY The Govern
ment was instituted for the people,
and yet the advocates Of ''univer-
sal suffrage practically deny the
rights of the people If the cleo.
tion is made directly by the peo.
pie. one result will follow,
worth all and moro than all
thai can be claimed by the
most ardent advocate Of arbitrary
power, caucuses, calumnies and
combinations, and party exclusion.
The day for these things will have
passed by, l hope, forever. 1t is
manifest that before the people, no
man can be slain, either in charac
ter or fortune, without an oppOr-
tunity of vindication. The false
charge will recoil upon its authors
and plague the inventors. History
bears me out in this assertion.
What motive have the people to
commit q great wrong, and what
hope Of a combination strong
enough to accomplish it? None.
An able Senate once was induced
by party zeal, vaulting ambition,
and the thousand bad influences
which may surround II, and gen
orally permcate its chambers,
to disaonor and condemns on
false charges an illustrious citi-
zen. He appealed to the pco.
Pile; they yindicatcd his char
acter, and carried their rcpro0I
of his accusers so far as to elect
him President Of the United
States. Inecl not indulge in any
remarks as TO the method pursued
To put men in and 10 put them
out Of Office, hy the combined
action Of the Executive and Senate
The whole plan may he briefly
described as the tickle me, and III
tickle you system.
Is it necessary to continue The
odious caucus, party nomination
system any longer: We are moi
engaged in war, civil or foreign
The country is at perfect peace
The heroes ofthe late war may wei
rest on their laurcls. Few Of the
most clamorous Of them are men.
toned in official reports, in which
we ought to look for some notice