The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-03-11


a constitutional amendment IN other
words, they favored that policy as rule,
but we're opposed to law preclnding
them from making exceptions to the
rule should any emergency ever arise
making an exception desirable. i.
The misfortune of our friend who
wrote the foregoing letter is that lie has
undertaken to put construction on the
acts Of the Convention which the record
does not warrant. What was the judy
ment Of the Convention on any subject,
can best be known by what it did. Our
friend claims that the Convention ex-
pressed its opposition to second term.
We claim that it did not, but did ex-
press its opposition to a third term. To
sustain him a refusal to nominate Gov.
STONE is relied on. To sustain US we
refer to the rejection Of the resolution Of
Mr. HARRIS.
When the Convention assembled Cow
STONE was, according to our view and
the view of many of our contemporaries,
a candidate for a third term. He had
been elected but once, it Is true, but
before his election he had served part
Of the term of his predecessor, which
part was equivalent to full term, in
that duringits continuance the executive
patronage dispensed by him was equal
to that which usually falls to full
term. We believe that the Convention
acted on this view Of the case, but
whether it did or not, it is not to be
doubted that it did not act on the view
Of our correspondent. Whether the
short term to which Gov. STONE succeed.
ded, together with the full term
to which he was elected, made
two terms or one term and half, is moi
material, because our position would
not be weakened by admitting, that while
the Convention refused to declare
against two terms, it did declare agains
two terms and half.
We cannot agree that there was not
fair expression of opinion on the HAIR
RIs resolution. The committee to whom
it was referred was large one, composed
Of representatives from every portion o
the State BY special resolution O
! Judge KIMBRoUGH. of Benton, a mum
Der of names were added to the origina
/ Committee to represent specially TIN
views of the agriculturalists. Of thi
Committee, General WALTHALL wa
the leading member, though not the
chairman, and their report was unani
nous. 1t IS hardly possible that tn
report of such Committee would hav
been altered in any material respect ha,
the state of the weather been different
though there may have been, and doub
less were members Of the Convention
who would have endeavored to amen,
it had the circumstances been NOR
favorable. The lamented TUCKER, VIII,
has been enormously quoted as bein
opposed to a second term, Joined in tina
report.
We do not know how many delegate
there were "who favored the establish
ment of the one term policy as part
custom rather than by iron rule in tn
shape of Constitutional amendmen t.
If there were any they were not hear
from. We suppose that our corresponden
held such views, but they were nc
disclosed, and, for aught we know
influenced no other member of tn
Convention. Considering the fact ths
party custom has been in favor of a SCI
ond term, is it not more reasonable t
conclude, in view of all the CT
cumstances, that the Convention di
not desire by law to preclude il
, dorsement of competent officials b
nomination to a second term?
, the present state of the law an il
: dorsement can be given or withheld az
cording to the emergency. Had ii
HARRIS resolution been adopted,
would have been tantamount to decl
ration that it was the judgment of II
: Convention that no Governor should |
elected for more than one term. Th
l declaration the Convention refused [
5 make.
t After all, it is not matter of niue
: Importance, practically, whether the col
/. illusions of our correspondent or on
: selves are best sustained. The nel
t Convention will act as may then see
{ best. That it viii act wisely we do n,
: doubt So fixed are we in our bell
that the result will be entirely satisfa
f tory to us that we are not disposed
: take sides with the advocates of opposir
t views and interests farther than to pr
vent the founding of an erroneous clai
= on a record enormously quoted.