Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-02-26
r.r AmENDED contribution.

THE AMENDED Contribution
Some of our exchanges come to us
f,om different sections Of the State with
lauditory pufs Of the amended Constr
tuition. but they fail to impsrt any good
reasons for thus favoring the work OF the
Convention. We are not disposed to
accent Constitution from the mere fact
that il was gottea up by our own repre-
ssutatiyes, for they are liable to err, and
have, in the present instance, most eyre
eiousIy. 1t will require more tnan
this to close orr eyes TO the gar
;rx defects that present themselves 10
almost every single change attempted 70
be made in the original law as 1t stood
prior 10 the meeting of the late Conven
ton. If one or two mistakes only had
been made 10 remodeling, what wss
thought to require the skilliul hand OF
the profound lawyer, then We might have
urged any public objection to the IN
strument as whole; but thare is not
single change adopted by the Couven-
tiou that recomu ends itself to the hearty
spp-oval of the people. As an exchange
sayp. the delegates took great pains
in framing this amended Consultation
ADMITTED TO the people. Aud that is
true, for the caution exhibited was en-
tireIy too great, and for that alone are
we compelled to vote sgaiust the insutfi-
Gent work Of the Convention. The ssle-
gates were SO cautions that they failed
in making the changes required 10 rem
dar the Constitution what it should have
been. These men worked as if they had
suspended over theithesds by single
thread, sword which, at any time, was
liable to be let loose upon them.
The fear of Congress fell spoo them ell,
with few exceptions, while they ssoidsd
doing anything that would render them
unpopular With the demagogues at home
What an unfortunate condition to be 10 !
We pity the old pcsit;eisDs from the
bottom of our hearts, bet it in
seires no admiration forttbeir cossti
tuition, whicS Is the legitimate fruit Of
souls that imagieeS they could feel the
iron enter them already. The first act OF
this constitutional body was to eievsts the
negco upon the same political platform
az ths. occupied by the whites. They
then thought this would be unpopular
with a great many in the State, so .
property qualification was put 10 as
kind of sei-off to the first gsast mistake.
Rat as the strait was rather marrow
one to pass through. it wasthought to
pot the property requirement down at the
smallest sum. thus placing it within
the power of the moneysd mea to buy up
aud pay 70, be large mass Of voters az
the State who are enable or unwilling, as
the case may be, to psy this tax as pre-
requisite to exercising the right q suf-
frsee. And to explain what We mean
ve will illustrate: II the tax be kxed
at one dollar. rs is permitted By the
Constitutes. il would enable a can
didase with Eve thoBsabd dollars to con-
troll almost that nu@6ef Of votes. The
aspirent in approaching the eisaicF would
solicit his support; wkereupOn the eat
fraKstor voBld reply that be had not ss
vet paid his poli-tsx, aHd could not in
form him Who be wos1 vote for on the
dsv Of election. The reply vosI ct once
follow. Well, as TO the psTmsnt o. tha
lax. thaf shall make no differences It viii !
le paid Tor you" Aud thersupon = re,
Ae,t win be made TO step around to The
of;ee, spd have dhe little stf-ir At
s5soriss. The difBoHiis 10 ibe way |
eve5ting this =ide-spreAd eouuplios
tar is not q Sufficient amouni