The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-12-07

enjoyment. As parts of the Constitu-
ton, they override all mere statutes,
technicalities and forms created by the
Legislature. Whatever else may be set
aside, they are to be enforced. What
ever else may be destroyed, they are to
be preserved. They declare who are en-
titled to enjoy the high privilege of suf-
frage, and it is not to be annulled by
virtue of any statute, or of the omission
or commission in the performance of any
mere form of duty assigned to persons
charged with its execution.
The official who has taken the oath to
support the Constitution of the State, as
above quoted, and is instrumental in de-
priving legal voter of his right of suf-
frage by casting out his ballot because
some particular form of law has not been
complied with, is peUurer. The mem
Der of the Legislature who in the same
manner assumes to set aside the suffrages
of majority of the legal voters of a
county in order to assign seat in that
body to person not thus chosen to rep
resent them, is guilty of perjury.
There is no possibility of misinterpre-
tation of these clauses in the Constitu-
ton. They prescribe who are entitled
to vote and the preliminary oath which
is required to be taken to complete the
qualification. When these conditions
are fulfilled, it is the privilege of the per-
son so fulfilling them to vote, and it can
not be abrogated by the wrong-doing of
others. But it is abrogated to all intents
and purposes when registrars assume to
set aside returns in making a statement
of the canvass and furnishing certificates
of election.
In the attempt of sundry defeated
Radical candidates in this State, who, to
foist themselves into Office by robbing a
portion of the electors of their votes and
the majority of their right of choice, the
grounds assumed for annulling the above
fundamental conditions of the Constitu-
ton, so far as they have been made
known, are utterly PrepOsterous and un-
tenable.
In one instance it is alleged that the
requisite oath was not administered to
the Inspectors of election until portion
of the votes were cast, and though there
is no evidence that single vote was re-
ceived from any person not constitution
ally eligible, it is proposed to throw out
the vote of the entire box, and thus an
null the decision of the whole county
In another instance it is proposed to
defeat the choice of the people of coun-
ty for Representatives, and of district
for Senator, on the ground that those
who were charged with the management
of the election established an additional
box for public convenience in a given
precinct without giving the full number
of days notice required by law, although
it is not charged that this omission occa-
stoned the casting of single illegal vote,
or that it resulted in depriving any cleo
tor of his privilege of suffrage.
In another instance it is proposed to
annul the provisions of the Constitution
which constitutes the essence of Rupub-
lican government, by throwing out the
votes of the whole body of white electors
of county embracing a majority of
nearly seven hundred of the voters there
of, in consequence of an arrangement
that the colored members of the Board
of Registration should swear the voters
of his race, and white member should
administer the oath, to the whites-the
former happening to be the second mem
Der of the Board, on whom the law de-
wolves the duty of administering the
oath. = ig 1a'in agoa s.o
In one instance it has come to our
knowledge that one of the grounds relied
upon for throwing out returns and COM
missioniRg the minority candidates is,
that the minds of voters were unfairly
Influenced by alleged false representa-
tions-these representations having ref
erence 10 the profigacy, extravaganza
and wholesale plundering of the party in
nowerf i4of i-t -
Poom'ei ri a48 eaila s- xso7
Now. when the fact of these insult
Gent causes for setting aside the elections
it complied with the known fact that
omissions and commissions similar to
those above recited, are to be found in
the management of the election in q
humber Of Radical counties, the scheme
,of the defeated Mongrel place7hunters
appears in light still more disereditsble
| to them. In this county of Kinds sig
nal example Is furnished. The electors
oath was administered to nearly every
voter in the county by the first member
of the Board of Registrars, instead Of
the second and if one of the grounds
above recited be tenahle for annulling
the election it would operate to defeat
lit in the county entirely q q.
j. Whatever may be the disappointment
Of individual place-hunters in the Radi-
| cal party in consequence Of their rejec'
ton by the people, we are not yet pre-
pared to believe that the party at large
win load itself with the infamy Of such
an outrage as 1t Is now invited tol per
form for their exclusive benefit