Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1870-04-30
H KNOT.


Governor Alcorn is unchanged
bic; he is indifferent to the appeals
Of the people; turns 3 deaf ear to
all statements as to his short com
ings and disregard Of law. Since
this is true, we must turn in some
other direction to secure the pro-
lection of the people. Governor
Alcorn has virtually admitted that
he is not authorized under the
Constitution to appoint municipal
officers, by his persistent refusal to
make other appointment save that
Of G Webber,to be Mayor ofthis
city. This is shown in the fact that
hehad already prepared
ment, a list of Councilmen for this
city, and when he was shown by
the HERALD that he was not au-
thorized to make the appointment,
he destroyed his list and refused
to make COuncilmen of the gentle
men selected by him. Certain
members Of the Legislature, also,
entertain the same opinion, as Il
bill has been introduced to EN-
power the Governor TO make mum
icipaI appointments. The viola
ton of that particular clause ofthc
Constitution in which Gov. Alcorn
claims to find authority for his &C
ton, was not the only error CON-
mitted by the Governor in his &c.
ton with reference to the Mayor
atty of the City of Vicksburg. He
violated and disregarded the
clear command Of the fourth sec.
ton of the franchise article Of the
Constitution, which says that 'no
person shall be eligible to any Of
fee of profit or trust, or to any
Office In the militia in the State,
who Is not q qualified elector."
To be q qualified eleCtor, q man
must shave resided 10 this State
six months, and in the county one
month next preceding the day Of
election at which said inhabitant
offers to VOTE" and must be "du.
ly registered according to the re.
%quirements OF section three Of
same article.
Now, then. at the time Genera
Webber vas made Mayor of Vicks.
burg by Governor Alcorn he had
not been in the State six months
was not a qualified elector, wasno.
aregistcred votcr;and consequent
", under the provisions of section
four, Just given. could not legally
he appointed to any "Ollice o.
trust or profit" This is not the
only violation of law, Of wbicl
Coy, Alcorn has been guilty il
in this transaction. He has over
ridden the chartered rights an,
ordinances Of the city Of Nicks
burg, which have not been repeal
cd, and which do not conflict witt
the Constitution. Under the Law
Of the city OF Vicksburg, if it wcr,
the wish Of all the citizens. Gen
Wcbber cannot be legally elected
Mayor Of the city; and if the citi
zcns cannot legally make hin
Mayor, Gov. Alcorn certainly can
not.
Ifthis violation OF %law--unpar
donable as it is-wcrc the onl'
thing to be considered in thi
question, we might possibly b
willing to submit quietly to tn
temporary outrage, since, by tn
|. military domination and tyrann.
! Of the past five years, VIC have be
come somewhat used to outrage
, but theIN are serious ills resultin.
J from it which are visited upon tn
people fthc city, There is not
: lawyer who is not willing to declar
that Gen. Wcbber is illegally occU
l pying the office of Mayor in thi
city there is not a Judge who wi
! not render a similar decision if tn
question is brought before hin
What is the result of this! Sin
ply that every thief, burglar, rol
Der murderer, and other violate
of law, imprisoned by his ordeI
, has only to sueo out a writ ofhebeo
corpus to be heardbefore any iudg