The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-09-08
Shall we Have an Election 1Or
Members Of Congress this Fan .

Shall we Have an Election 1Or
Members Of Congress this FAN
We have been anxiously awaiting to
see what course would be taken by the
Radical authorities in this matter. The
people are clearly entitled to an election;
but no steps have yet been taken to that
end. The Pilot, the official organ of the
State Administration, has performed a
valuable service in demonstrating that
an election should be held; and conse-
quently that the Governor will fall short
Of has duty if he should fail to order it.
As a part Of the grab game played by
the Radical managers when large num-
bers OF the citizens Of the State were not
permitted to vote, and the ballot box was
manipulated by unscrupulous men who
ii was understood would be employed to
CARRY the election without reference
to the votes really cast-they inserted a
provision in the State Constitution Art.
10, Sec. 25,) that Representatives in
Congress to fill existing vacancies shall
"be elected at the same time this Consti
tuition Is submitted to the electors Of the
State for ratification and for the fill term
snort succeeding their election" To show
the ihvalidity Of this provision, the Pilot
quotes art. l, sec. l, Of the Constitution
Of the United States, as follows:
The Eodse of Representatives shall be
composed Of members chosen ersyp Second
year by the people of the several States
The Pilot in proof Of it, position might
have continued its quotation from the
same section, as follows-''and the elec-
tors in each State shall have the qualifi-
"cations requisite fer the electors of the
"most numerous branch Of the Legisla-
''ture"
The electors OF whom it Is pretended
the present delegation were chosen, were
not the electors who are entitled to vote
for members Of the Legislature. Ia the
latter case every man is entitled to vote
who IS n years old, has been a resi-
dent Of the State six months and Of the
county one month, and Will make oath
that he viii faithfully support the Con
stitution Of the L. s, and Of the State
of Mississippi" In the election of the
present delegation to fill vacancies, no
person was permitted to vote who had
held any State or Federal Office requiring
ar oath TO support the Constitution and
had subsequently borne arms against the
United States or gave aid, or encourage
ment, to those who were engaged. Con-
sequently, not having been chosen By the
present qualified ELECTORS Of the most
numerous branch Of the State LegisIa-
''ture," the members elected last year
are not eligible to seats in the next Con-
gress.
Commenting on section 2nd, the Pilot
gives the following conclusive reason why
an election should be ordered:
This IS plain and explicit, and does not
authorize the election three years and a
half in advance, or the choice OF mem
bers for full term at an election to fill
vacancies. Vacancies may be, and often
are, filled at the regular biennial cleo
tons for members Of full term, or one
Congress, and many times the same per-
sons have been chosen for the vacancy
and full term at such elections But we
have neither law nor precedent for the
reversed order Of choosing members, and
to make everything safe and sure, we
think the members of the AID Congress
should he chosen this fall according to
the requirements Of the Constitution of
the United States, which is paramount to
the Constitution and laws of Mississippi.
That others who have thought on the
subject share our views, IS evident from
the remarks Of Col. Forney, who clearly
takes it for granted that we are to have
an election this fall.
1t is a matter Of Indifference to lis who
are chosen, 50 that we comply with the
law, and get good Representatives such
as we now have.
Ne hare no faith ia General Ames' double
certificates, and attach no importance to
them lrhoterer begoad the limits of the 41st
Congress-. We would he glad TO avoid
there are some ten or a dozen vacancies
in the Legislature to be filled by
election, zee suggest that Congressional
election BE- held on the Tuesday merit after
he Uirst Monday IN Norembcr for mem
bcrs OF Congress, end to I'LL the racant
seats IN the Legislature. This will make
sure of representation in the And Con-
gress, if the first session should COM
mence on the fourth of March next,
which il is more than likely to do
We fully concur with the Pilot. Its
is conclusive. Now let us
have an election, and LET the people have
4 voice in the selection of the persons
who are to represent them in the popu-
lar branch of the 42nd Congress. They
had no part in the choice Of Revels and
Ames to the Senate. They utterly re-
Dudiate and ignore them. Both cleo
lions We're frauds but let us have free
expression in the case of the Representa-
ives.
CROP PRosPECTs.-We have been
liligent in obtaining all possible informa-
ion on this subject. Reports which have
cached us through the press and other
ourreS have heen carefully considered /