The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-01-19

In q late number, IN describing the
business of the Legislature previous TO it's
speedy adjournment, by typographical
blunder we were made to say that it
ought to pass fair and just "appoint-
ment" bill; of course APPORTION-
MENT was meant.
We now repeat the suggestion then de-
signed. The Constitution makes it obi
gatory on the present Legislature to pass
a law apportioning the Representatives
and Senators among the several counties
and districts. Sec. SO, of Article 10,
declares:
The Legislature shall provide for the emu
meration of the whole number of inhabit-
ants and of the qualified electors OF the
State once in every ten years; and the nrst
enumeration shall be ordered at the first
meeting of the Legislature under this Con-
stitutiOn.
By act of the Legislature provision
was made for executing this clause, and
inhabitants and electors have been emu
merated. Sec. "a, of Art. 10, further
declares:
The number of Representatives shah at
the several periods Of making such enlnserd,
ton. be apporLioned among the seVerai
counties. or districts, according TO the mum
her of qualified electors in each, and shall
not be less than one hundred nor more than
| one hundred and twenty.
! And Section 35:
| The number of senators shall, upon such
enumeration, be apportioned according TO
the mum Der of qualified electors. &C. &.
In obedience to these mandates, the
initial step was taken at the last session of
the Legislature by special provision for
enumerating the inhabitants and voters.
If the officials on whom this duty de-
volved, have performed it, the Legisla.
ture is now prepared to proceed with the
apportionment And we will repeal what
the people expect and what justice de-
mands, that it shall be just and fair, Civ
ing to every county and section of the
State and all classes of the people there
of, the representation to which theil
numbers entitle them under the Constitu.
ton in the legislative department of the
government.
The apportionment under which the
present Legislature was elected, is mani
fostly an iniquitous measure, born IN the
corrupt and proscriptive spirit which
marked all the deliberations Of the aliens
and public enemies, white and negro,
who composed the black and tan conven'
ton of 1868 1t was framed VIGOROUSLY
to give the control of the present Legis-
lature beyond all contingencies, to the
Radical party, in violation of the princi-
pie laid down in the above quoted clauses
of the constitution The character OF
this measure was described during the
debates when it was pending, and in the
canvass of 1868. 1t is not necessary to
reproduce the figures The rule was laid
down in its construction, and inhexibly
executed, that the districts or sections in
which the white population outnumbered
should have representation below theil
numbers, and those in which the negroes
predominated should have an excess
And in the arrangement of the Senatori
al districts ingenuity was exercised tc
give to the black element, or to those who
controlled it, an overshadowing influence
This measure has served the purpose Of
its authors; and we may not unreason
ably ask that in the reassignment of Rep
resentatives and Senators, reference be
had to justice and honorable dealing with
both races, as well as to political expedi
ency. Besides, some of the Mongrel
rulers now profess so far to have reformed
their creed as to admit that it is wrong
longer to discriminate in the distribution
of the privileges and burthens of govern
ment against the white races. We will
see