The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-02-11
The Report Against Calling It.

To the Senate and House Of Representatives. OF
the State Of Mississippi:
The undersigned, consisting of one half
of your Joint Committee, would respectfully
report:
The Joint resolution adopted by the SEN
ate and House Of Representatives, creating
this Committee, enjoined upon them the
consideration of the following questions, to-
wit:
l. The expediency of calling Constitu-
tional Convention.
2 The time of holding the same
3. The expenses to be incurred.
If the fundamental and organic law of
the State is so defective, and the necessities
of the State are so urgent as to require its
revision or the adoption of another and diff
ferent Constitution by Convention of the
people, the questions of time and expenses
are all of minor importance. A settlement
of the first question ought to dispose of the
other two.
First-Shall Convention be called?
To answer this another question must be
asked and answered Is it necessary? If it
is not, then Convention ought not to be
called. We apprehend that there can be
only two cases when it is necessary for the
assembling of a Constitutional Convention
one where there is no Constitution, and the
other is where there is Constitution so
radically defective that it cannot be amend
ed in the ordinary manner. Is the present
Constitution in that condition? We uH-
hesitdtingly answer that it is not As said
by distinguished iurist of our State, The
Constitution of 1869 is faithful copy of
1882, with few changes and few addi-
tions."
Surely there ought not to be any objec-
ton to a Constitution which had for its
model an instrument framed and adopted in
bn of he fpyV
changes and few additions" have been made
in accordance with the progress of events
and the wants of the people. The history of
our State shows that the spirit of our peo-
pie is opposed to frequent and extraordinary
changes of the Constitution. The Conven-
ton of 1868 was the necessary result o the
revolution begun in 1861, and ended four
years thereafter. The work of that Con-
yention was the present Constitution, which
was, as said before, faithful copy of that of
1882, such additions and alterations being
made as were thought consistent with the
changed state of affairs. The material al
terations made and now existing, may be
briefly stated as follows:
1st The creation of the office of Lieuten-
ant Governor and of Commissioner of
Immigration.
End. A provision requiring the subdi-
vision of lands sold under judgments and
3rd. The failure to provide that each
county shall have at least one representa-
tive in the Legislature.
4th. A provision directing legal adver-
Using to be made in loyal newspapers to be |
designated.
9Th. The Acknowledgement of negroes
9th. A provision requiring all taxation |
to be equal, uniform and according to its
valuation.
7+b raou;rar,on+ that +l,o o-o,or+1r - 8
shall be taxed as that of indi-
viduals.
Sth. The prohibition against pledging or
loaning the credit of the State to a corpo-
ration.
9th. A like prohibition against counties
and towns from lending their credit to any
except by vote of two-thirds
of registered voters.
10th. A provision requiring that the
same principles of construction shall be
given to tax deeds as to Sheriffs' deeds.
18th. A provision prohibiting lotteries
and making the establishment of them a
crime.
18th. The abolition of the Probate Courts,
and the merging of its Jurisdiction in the
Chancery Courts.
18th. The registration of voters.
18th. The appointment of Judges and
Chancellors by the Governor.
10Th. The establishment of the common
school system.
Of these it may be said that in regard to
the new Office of Lieut.. Governor, an in
effectual effort was made, within a few years
past, to abolish it by a proposed amend
ment to the Constitution From that it is
fair to presume our people desire no change
in that respect And the Office of Commits
sioner of Immigration may be very useful
and important one in the near future The
omission to provide that each county shall
have representative, has been remedied by
appropriate legislation. The fourth change
Or addition may be considered as directory
only, and has, in point of practice, long
been "dead letter." The enfranehisement