The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1888-06-14
BIAS, from copiah

by District Attorney X. N Miller
ct the Copiah Democrat County
Convention were adopted:
/. That the present constitution
Of the State Of Mississippi, in our
deliberate judgement, It is not IN
harmony with democratic princi-
pies, in that it takes too much pow
or from the people and places it in
the hands OF the Executive Of our
State. and we denouncc the system
Of an appointive Judiciary and in
asmuch as this is pretended to be
"a government for the people and
by the people" we demand the
right Of the people TO name at the
ballot box those who shall execute
tie functions Of this department Of
the government.
?. We demand a provision Of our
constitution vesting the great pow
er Of pardons in a Pardoning Board
composed like the one Of our sis
ter State, Louisiana, or otherwise.
3. We are unalterably opposed
to the present lease system of the
penitentiary, which at least de-
prives the State Of one Of her
most solemn obligations, to-Wrt,
the entire and absolute control of
the convicts, and therefore tho OPP
portunity to protect their lives and
their health.
4. That we demand the repeal Of
the law which gives the Gulf and
Ship Island Railroad the vast area
Of our pine lands which we demand
be held as a sacred heritage for
the education Of the children Of the
State. We therefore also demand
the cutting loose of this monster
who, through the lobby and inn
proper influence Of State officials.
has coiled itself about the State
and fastened its fangs IN her heart.
8. That having observed the pre-
vious efforts TO accomplish these
reforms by amendments to the
constitution, where it requires
two-thirds vote of the Legislature
to pass an amendment, to end in a
failure, and believing that these
necessary reforms in our organic
law, together with other needed
reforms, and the safety Of the time-
honore1 principles Of the Demo-
cratic party and its pledges solemn
" made from 1869 to 1878, can on
" be accomplished and redeemed
by the assembling of the people in
THEN sovereign capacity in a con.
stitutional convention, we there
tore demand that our next Legis-
lature call such a convention.
The following by Hon. ]. L.
Ramsey were also adopted:
That we, as representatives Of
the Democratic party of this coun-
ty, believing that the present adj
ministraton Of our State, in most
of its executive departments, is by
no means IN harmony with the will
Of the people, we therefore pledge
ourselves to leave no honorable
effort untried TO relegate these gen
tlemen-every one Of them in sucl
departments-to a position wher,
the vanity and pride Of power an'
place, which they have so long en-
joyed, may in time be taken on
Of them, and they may learn anew
at the feet OF the sovereign majes
" of the people the principles o
the Democratic party.
Resolved, That this convention
has heard with much regret an
greatest displeasure that the pres
ent Governor of the State felt cal
ed upon TO snub and insult so larg
proportion Of the people of tn
State through the committee Of th
Alliance recently, who but excl
cised the American citizens deal
est right Of speaking to any depar
ment Of their government by pet
ton, and weunqualidedly condem
the same.
The action of the Hon. G.
Dodds in refusing to allow II
county to present his name to Il
voters Of the seventh Congressio
al district was regretted, and del
gates instructed 70 cast their vot
for Hon. c. f. Hooker.-Meridii
na-anrwaF