The Grenada sentinel., 1889-09-14
OBJECTIONS TO A CONSTITUTIONAL
CONVENTION.
To the Editor OF the Columbus Index:

puilJlCj WIEN NleWtu DOtH as 10 oul
: national and as to our local or interna
) interests. To view the question from Il
| national standpoint such conventio or
would undoubtedly help our enemies ant
injure our friends in the North. One
: object would be to discuss the fun
| damental question of suffrage, which j:
J fully protected by the organic law of the
Union, and Of Mississippi, and by act Of
: Congress. To open it would be to in.
tensify, sectionalism, to unsettle the policy
OF all our sister Southern States to justify
with themselves any ext eme legislation
which may be designed by our enemies,
and to disarm by our want Of modera-
ton our friends who have SO long and
SO heroically struggled for our consitu-
tional rights-the gallant Democracy Of
, the North
TIE great Democratic tidal wave
which swept over the North in the fall
of 1875 is all that made our present pros
) porous condition possible, Let us, by
our high and calm political wisdom, by
our justice, moderation and prudence,
by carefully guarding all of our political
actions as a people, sustain our friends
and eonfound our enemies, Nothing can
arrest us in the grand march of progress
but our own imprudence.
Besides, universal suffrage is wha.
gives the South her powerful political
leverage and is a weapon unwittingly
placed in our hands by our foes. AS
long as the white population of theSouth
are firmly united, the negroes are not TO
be feared. If we would open the Demo
cratic ranks as many would come to us
as we need for victory under any law
Congress could pass What we have
most to fear is the fierce Radicalism of
the North that would place ''black heels
on white necks,"
When We come to look to the local
effect of reopening the suffrage question
it would be intense. 1t would cause
doubt, discussion and concern in every
home in every cabin in the State. The
two races are now at peace. We have
given them good schools and justs laws,
and there is now confidence and har-
mony between the races. But open this
question and confusion would make his
masterpiece" Distrust and enmity would
take the place of confidence; labor would
be disorganized, property deprecated,
arguments would be put in the mouths
of our enemies against us, and the hand
on the dial-plate OF time which marks
our progress would be set back many
years, perhaps horrors might be opened
up too hideous even for dreams. 1t is
history that no class who have ever Of
tained suffrage can be deprived of it ex-
cept by revolution,
There isno races problem in the South.
Whatever of problem there may lie it
is not for this generation to settle. Our
policy is peace, quiet, development, trust
in God. What may appear to be a probs
lem now, will, if let alone, cease to be a
problem thirty years from now, and that,
too, without any violence orundue agita-
ton.
One more thought as to this suffrage
question. If large number of negroes
were disfranchised so as to place the re.
naming negro voters in a decided
minority, it would inevitably divide
the whites and cause that minority
of negro voters to be harder to
manage than the whole negro race at
present. 1t is the fear of negro rule that
keep the whites solid. Let US beware lest
we cut the very support en- which we
stand, 1t is not desirable then by
Constitutional Convention to touch, not
even discuss, the suffrage question,
As to the appointing power of the
Governor, / am Of the opinion that this
ia wise provision OF our organic law,
considering our present social condition,
1t is not for the Lest interests o tsociety.
however enlig ghtened may be itscondtion,
to have candidates for judgships solicip
ting suffrage and becoming fierce par
tisans in order to reach their positions.
would much prefer that an enlightened
Bar and deliberate Senate and respons
ible Governor should select them. In
order, however, to prevent undue use of
patronage, would limit the Governors
incumbency of office to one term of four
years. This change, however, and all other
desirable changes could be easily, safely
and quietly effected through the Demo
cratic party and the Legislature without
the great agitation and expense of con-
vention that would leave us more divld-
ed than we are now. The Democratic
party can, without expense or wrangling,
effect any change it may deem wise in
our organic law. A Constitutional Con,
vention would cost from forty to sixty
thousand dollars We are already taxed
beyond the Democratic standard, and it
is inconsistent for those who cry 80
vociferously for economy, and would
even cripple oureducational institutions,
to rush headlong into an unnecessary and
expensive convention that might bring
on us food Of ills.
There are many minor points brought
out by those who desire convention
but there are no changes that can be
suggested that had not better be made
in the way above pointed out. The ma~
ijority of the Democratic party would
never agree on any change that would
not be wise and suited to our condition.
Any discussion or differences in the
Democratic party would not affect the
whole people and our external relations.
ALI changes in organic law should be
made only with great deliberation and
after long discussion. Better to endure
temporary evils than to act hastily. The
British constitutions would not now
cover the greatest aggregation OF human
power if organic changes could have been
rapidly or easily effected. To be slow
IN such great matter as the change Of
organic law, illustrates the wisdom ofa