The weekly clarion., 1876-10-18
Open Letter Of Hon. w.
X. Barksdale to Judge
Walton.

walton
DEAR sfR. At CsGeeville in your d is
cussion with Col. ManDing, on the 10th
lost. YOU charged the Demoeratie-Con-
servitive party Of Mississippi With being
unworthy Of trust in the matter Of con
tinuing public school advantages to the
colored people You we're addressing
yOurself at that time especially TO that
race. You roundly, aud without qualiii
cation, stated that IT Tilden should be
elected President Of the United States
in the coming campaign that the present
Democratic Legislature would next
winter stop all their schools, and
by requiring an educational qualification
OF all persons TO vote, thus practically de-
prive them wholly Of their right to vote.
Knowing thst i was a legal and eonsti-
tutOnal impJssibility for the Legisla
ture, Of which ! am member, next
winter, 20 do what you thus asserted
they would do, Hnd knowing that many
persons present knew / was a member Of
that Legislature, ! asked you e oH
would submit 10 a respectful inquiry by
way Of interruption. You we're cOur-
teous enough 10 do 20. supposed in ma
king such an assertion you had over
looked the 18th section Of the Bill Of
Rights Of our State Constitution. IL
reads thus: "No property or educa-
tional qualification shall ever be required
for any person 10 become an elector'
(voter
supposed further that you had over
looked article VIII Of the State Cons,i-
tuition, which protects section Is Of the
Bill Of Rights from being affected by
any amendment Of the State COnstitu-
ton prior to the year 1885. | supposed
YOU knew that both these provisions Of
the Constitution 10 which | have above
referred were, like all the provisions in u
written Constitution Of State, in Amer
lean Republican Government, limita-
tions on legislative power, and that the
cousciouces Of all Legislators were an.
chored 10 these restricting constitutional
provisions by an oath found in section
26 Art XIII Of the State Constitution
Thinking that in making this most ex-
trnordinary statement that you had over.
looked, for the moment, the legal and
constitutional impossibiity Of the Legis-
laturc ut it, next session, doing what
YOU thus told these colored people il
would do, asked whether il was not
impossible, in view of the above con.
stilutional limitations, that the Legisla
ture could 90 what you had told these
people itwould do. Your answer was
that the constitutional provision Art.
XIII protecting Sec rs Of the bill of right,
from the effect Of any constitutional
amendment, until 1888, was invalid and
uugatory, and there was no obstacle in
the way of the Legislature doing wha
YOU said they would do. You asserted
this a a constitutional lawyer, and saiC
no lawyer having competency to decide
the question would decide otherwise, anS
YOU called attention of the only part .
your auditory to whom your remark
we're then addressed, to the fact that
did not myself deny your constitutions
exposition. / announced that | did den
il, but | do not think in the noise tina
prevailed at your supposed victory owe
me by your especial auditors at tina
moment, my denial was heard Nov
Judge. these people were ignorant o
this matter of difference between you an
me. Their ignorance do not set to the
account as n fault. God grant that
could give them your intelligence an
mine by stroke of my pen, or wor
of my lips, or even by the undivide
labor Of my life, remunerated only by
competent provision for those who hay
on me stronger claims, the task and lab,
would be earnestly performed, and
precious results, the highest benefactiC
/ could make to my PROSTATE and b
loved commonwealth of Mississippi.
The subject you were discussing
the people was one on which they ha
manifested their greatest nervousness
and suspicion of my party and peopI
IL was your duty not to deceive the
people on this subject into a belief tn
In the matter of difference between y
and me, raised by my question and yo
answer, that was wrong and you we
right. Pray do not understand me
asserting or intimating that you purpose
and consciously, at the moment, p
duced this impression on them.
you cannot doubt now, that | was ril
aud you were wrong on this questi
III YOU do so doubt, do not think bef,
get through this letter any other law,
of your ability and learning will
doubt. Yet you must know that
these people went of with the notion q
you were right and was wrong in
gard to the matter of difference betw'
us, raised by my question and your
swer. Yea, more; they went off "
your declaration, made in loud vol
that / admitted this, they not hear
my denial, as / think. You recei'
from them the shout Of triumph VIII
error often gains over truth, wher
multitude, stepped in ignorance
swayed by prejudice and passion, is
arhiter. Such a victory does not
long, and to conscience brings no c
forting reflections.
And now, when we are both from
der the temptation TO gain shout
applause by the crowd, let us reason
geiher and see if you are as comic
now as y0g were tnen, that your col
tutioud exposition was right and soU
OF course, you will admit that so Ion
section rs Of the bill Of rights stands,
Legislature could not, by a Law e
that an educational qualification sh
be required Of any person to becoI
voter. Your position must have b
therefore, (and 50 understood it,)
this would be changed by a coustiIuti
amendment submitted by the Legisla
And here another insupera5le obs
would be encountered by the Legisla'
or the Democratic party, in accomI
ing what you told these people
would do, even II the provisO to Al
XIII Of the Constitution had no exist
An amendment proposed by
Legislature Of section Is, bill Of ri
so as TO require an educational qual
ton for n vote, must be affirmai
Vited for by a majority Of the {
fed electors voting tor member
the Legislature at the next general
ton. Asyou say, your party has |
ioritv of so, 900 in the State, it is h
likely that the proposed amend
would be adopted, unless the Demo
Legislature should declare the al
,,.nt In force in advance. and pI