Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-17
MlssIsslppps CONVENTION.
The All-Absorbing Suffrage Question
| What Will Thev do with 1T
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tBy telegraph 70 the Dispstci

NEW ORLEANS. August ia Tines
D7nocrG, Jackson Miss special SAYS;
Such Of the constitutional convention
members as had business before them nave
been in session all day, and those having
no business TO dispose OF have discussed
the all-sbsorbing suffrage question and the
disposition the convention Is hkeiy 10
make out Of II.
A large number of delegates from the
velops. are little concerned over the sui
frage question. This section is so largely
white that it has never felt the danger OF
negro supremacy that 50 constantly me
naces the western or back portions OF the
State. This is not the case with all the dele
gates from that section, there being some
who feel the necessity OF efectuaily get
Ting tho question. A delegate from that
section to-day said he felt that some horoic
remedy should be adopted, but that his
people were opposed TO anything stronger
than the Australian system, and IN respect
70 their wishes he would oppose any kind
of educational or property qualification.
Many delegates here say they are moro
interested in securing a constitution that
will give them an elective judiciary than
to secure any change in the suffrage laws.
just how far this sentiment exists cannot
be told until the convention goes further.
There is n strong element here. however,
that favors an elective judiciary, and IN
order to secure changes in the suffrage
laws desired some compromise may have
have TO be made by those opposed.
Senator Mott, a prominent delegate, said
70 your correspondent to-day that he very
much doubted the practicability of the
Australian system, and he doubted the
conventions adopting it; that 1t would
encourage the establishment OF negro
schools sll over the country, organized Just
for the purpose OF teaching negroes enough
TO enable them to vote.
A prominent delegate from heavy ne
gro district said that no change IN the bal
lot laws was desired or would be accepted
by his section that did not insure white
supremacy for all time to come; that no
make-shift or eIpediency would answer.
His section favored strong educational or
property qualification. and nothing short OF
this. he believed, would do the work. Nearly
all the large counties in the State have
black majorities, while the small ones, with
only one representative, have white ma
jorities.
Both the plans of Senator George and OF
Professor Nayes propose TO cut down the
representation of tho black counties and
give it 10 the white counties, thus securing
the Legislature TO the whites, and permit.
ting 1t or some State body so constituted
to elect the State officers. Neither of these
plans propose any regulation whatever for
suffrage, but leave the laws "a they now
are. The counties losing their representa-
ton will bitterly fight both plans.
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION TOMORROW.
JACKSON. Miss, August lG.-,lhere was no
session of the constitutional convention
to-day, but tho Committee on franchise
held two sessions with closed doors. 1t Is
likely that the suffrage question will come
up for consideration by the convention
Monday and Tuesday.