The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-10-24
ACTING GOV. POWERS ON Me-
GIRO SUFFRAGE
He IhoughH the Negro - Danger
ous EIememt 10 Society.
To Guard agnisst its Ed consequences h
odvised Educational and Proper
tn Qualification.


0dUised Educational and Proper
ty Qualification.
Acting Governor Powers, although h
web knows that there is no class of per
sons in favor Of re-opening the questions
settled by the 18th amendment, is str
wing to convince the voters of color that
their political rights would not be safe n
the hands of the opposers of Radicalisn.
What will be thought of the course #
this wide-mouthed agitator, in view #
the following letter which he himsef
published in the Macon Beacon pending
the reconstruction MEASURES, In which be
declared the negro tc be ga dangerous
element in society the ''ballot WIS
a dangerous weapon in the hands of IS
norant blacks''-and argued in favor If
educational and property qualification?
WY Posi- ton.
EDS. BEACON Since the position hare
taken in the reconstruction movement nov
going on in our State exposes my actions to
public criticism, will thank you for space
in your columns to declare some ofthe prn-
ciples of my political faith, in order that
my motives may not be misunderstood
There are certain facts connected with
the present political situation in Mississippi
which we must consider in order to arrive
at correct conclusions. We cannot ignore
bv refusing to admit them; nor can we
avoid consequences by denying their exist
enee. Among these is the fact of negro
suffrage. It is the result of, and part Of,
hfnfa he
has been and is now passing. 1t is a spoke
in the revolutionary wheel; and it is as in
possible to remove it as 1t is to run the ma
chine backward. Even if it had not beena
condition OF restoration INSISTED upon nY
Congress in order that the State may re-
sumo her former relations with the general
government, it would have been question
which the people could not have long avoid
ed Taxation without representation Is
principle that cannot be maintained for any
considerable length OF time over any class
of society in republican government. 1t
is a common law practice, maxim in our
Dolitics Impartial suffrage is a popular
doctrine that has been advocated by every
political party which has succeeded in get
ting control of our government.
Since then. it is q fact, and in accordance
with the genius of free institutions, as WILL
as chief condition by which Mississippi
can resume her normal relations with the
government, why should we not recogn re
It and try to control and guide it rs far as
possible to good ends? The negro is DAN
GEROUS ELEMENT in society because he
is ignorant. Remove the ignorance and there
is no more cause for fear. It cannot be re-
naoved during this generation. The work can
be com menced. THE BALLOT Is A DAN
GEROUS WEAPON PUT IN THE
HANDS OF IGNORANT BLACKS. So
it is in the hands of ignorant whites, and
where the danger is imminent restrictions
should be thrown around it. The negro
composes the laboring class of the South /;
and here have word upon capital and la
Dor.
| believe it to be principle of sound pO-
litical economy that labor and capital should
not come in conflict. Capital is but the re-
suit of accum ulated labor held in reserve
for the uses of society, t. promote public
improvements, to maintain governments
and to support such members of society as
by reason of disability, extreme youth or
old age. are incapable of supporting them
selves. Without capital we could have no
asylums, no prison houses. no civil govern
ments. Without labor we could not have
capital. Capital being necessary to the well
fare of society should be protected. Labor
being necessary to produce capital should
be encouraged. Anything calculated to
bring them in conflict threatens To destroy
both, In the acknowledgements of the blacks
in Mississippi, they being largely in the
majority and very ignorant, with few eX-
ceptiOns, there is danger of false notions con-
cernin0 the relations beteoeen capital and labor
ectH obtain and property oeonerS be placed at
the mercy of ignorant masses. To avoid any
such possibility suitable provisions should
be made by the Constitutional Convention
in remodeling the State Constitution. ONE
WAY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WOULD
BE TO REQUIRE A PROPERTY AND
INTELLIGENCE GU A l. L f ICATION
FROM ALL ELECTORS FOR STATE
SENATORS. AND REQUIRE A TWO
THIRDS ASSENT OF THE SENATE
BEFORE ANY LAW AFFECTING
PROPERTY COULD BE PASSED. Let
one branch of the Legislature represent Ia
Dor and the other property, with such limi-
tations on the acts of such as that, neither
labor nor capital can be encroached upon.
With society constituted as ours is at pres
ent, some such guarantee is absolutely ne
cessary in order to establish feeling OF Sc
curity amongst all classes and without
which we have no real prosperity.
The proposition that social equality must
be national consequence of political equal
ity is most unreasonable and absurd. No
human law can enforce social equality
among any people; and good advice to such
white persons as distrust their ability TO live
in a community where equal political priv
ileges are enjoyed by all classes, without as
soeiating on terms of intimacy with the
blacks, would be, to avoid the temptation
by removing to locality where all are
(Signed,) r. G. POWERS.