The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1880-01-10
Tine Constitutional Convention.
WEsrvILLE, Jan. 6, 1880.

EDITORS CLARION have read several .
recently in your valuable
paper. by N. r., discussing the question,
ashall We have a Constitutional COnyen- I
ton ~ VI. X. makes considerable effort TO
convince "all the world" and the rest Of
and more especially the Legisla-
ture, that the calling Of a Convention IS in
expedient, unwise and altogether unneces- I
sary. The whole tenor and drift Of his
effort NAV be summed up in one word I'm /.
periaiiSm," and why he used 50 many words !
10 tell what he might have told in one-we
believe is to throw dust in the peoples eyes,
divert their attention from the real points (
at issue, and make a mountain out Of a
mole-hill. We do not intend noticing all
the objections which ". K. thinks will hold
good against having Convention. He
thinks the expenses are too great. venture
the assertion that the economy new
Constitution would inaugurate, would
save money enough in less than two
years to pay every dollar Of the
expenses The offices Of Chancellor and
Northumberland would be abolished.
That Of County Superintendents of Edu-
cation and the registration system would be
80 changed AS not to lessen their efficiency,
but at the same time TO greatly reduce ex-
penditures lie thinks because the present
Constitution is largely copied from the old
therefore it is good enough He forgets to
say anything about the Radical innovations
which have been engrafted thereon-and
which the electors Of Mississippi have or
dained Shall remain only "a long as they
can be properly removed. Hear him: "ff
! 4 Fl,sla g
ment could be made less democratic and
more restrictive-the right Of suffrage
largely curtaled-the number of officers
elected by the people made less-duration
Of terms longer and larger powers intrust-
ed TO fewer hands, then he would favor call
ing Convention, and yet NJ. r. claims to
be a Democrat. In the language of one Of
MississippIs most gifted sons 'lf that is
Democracy | am not Democrat" If
every true Democrat in the State don't say
this is "Imperialsm" or king Grantism,
then we will confess we don't understand
the meaning of words. We infer that NJ
r. is either an appointee or expectant, and il
Grant ever gets into Office he will carry up
these papers as evidence Of the faith that is
in him.
hhNOCdblnR LuC lutdS IldJ VI. w. uOtF,
and yet proclaming himself Democrat,
what does he mean? Has Democracy
drifted into this channel? 1t may be that
his has; but not many others, hope. He
suggests that one amendment could be
made to the present instrument, which
would be benefit: "some Limitation upon
the right of suffrage" The people say
there are saveral. The office of chancellor
he abolished. All officers elected by the
people. County superintendent of educa-
ton, and the registration system amended,
and others we do not mention.
NJ. Il. thinks the strtes and chickering's Of
an election an objection. DO not these, ac.
cordng to his confessions, accompany ev.
cry election? Therefore we should have nc
elections at all. Oh! would not this con.
dtion of affairs be perfectly delightful to
him? He fears the result would be bad
the commissions would be terrible, leaving
behind traces and scrars for years to come
We apprehend nothing of the kind
Mississippans are not made of the
material to shrink from any res
possibility where duty calls This
has been demonstrated upon many vel
contested field. Since 1865, we have dis
posed of matters successfully of much gravel
Importance than calling a constitutional
Convention, and shall we shrink from this
because, of some imaginary breakers ahead
Hardly. We have managed the "ele
ment" he speaks of successfully, and we
can do it again, and that, too, without the
shotgun policy. Away with all fears in re.
gard to the whole matter. The Convention
will be composed of the best men in the
State, men: who have been tried and not found
wanting, Every interest will be repre-
scented by brains and honesty -
then who can doubt the results, the omin
Gus predictions of NJ. r., to the contrary,
If the Legislature does not call Constitu
tional Convention, it will certainly not re-
fleet the sentiments of large majority O.
the people. We believe Mississippi is the
only reconstructed State which has not haC
a Convention, and shall it be said that hel
people are any less intelligent or courageou,
than other States which have had Constitl-
tonal Conventions, and have those
States which have had them ex-
perienced any of the portentiou!
results which NJ. r. prophecies for Missis-
sippi? 1t is nice thing for appointed Office
holders to know that the dear people pay
the expenses and that they are beyond The
reach OF the populace-that the Office
belongs to them, and not to the people
When this state of things is quietly sub
mitted to, it is only the prelude to the
imperialism so earnestly advocated by NJ
Il.
If the present Legislature does not call {
Constitutional Convention the next acU
and there will be but little discussion wher
it meets in regard to the work to be done
The people of Mississippi are FESTIVE, living
under that miserable abortion, imposed
upon them by the Ames carpet-bag regime
to satisfy Radical hate. They have determine
ed that the foul instrument shall no longer
disgrace the fair escutcheon of her people
The decree has been writteni the edict
signed the work of our enemies must b.