The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-08-29
NhrAi cMGrrAt-S Star
49, 900 49,
A COAL BLACK NEGRO IN OUR CONSTI.
TUTIONAL CONVENTION.

On the 11th:iusi. little was don't
in the Convention, except 10 coh
slider the contested election case
from Bolivar county. There wa
y majority and minority report
The majority report, signed by
three members. favored seating
The contestants, Prarman and
Moore. Democrats, on The grounds
that they received more Legal
votes than the sitting members
that Il majority of the election
commissioners rejected the Cleye'
land, or Jones bayou toX that Il
majority of the commi- sionerS lille
gally received and counted the
Jumpers store box that all Of the
ballots cast for the conleStees, eX-
cept nine for Melch0ir, were illega,
and void. but nevertheless count
ed for contestecs ballots were it,
legal because they contained a de-
vice bv which they could readily
be distinguished from The Demo
cratic ticket; that they were only
about one.third the length Of The
Democratic ticket and names
printed 50 far apart that they could
be readily distinguished from the
Democratic ticket that all said
ballots failed TO disclose what
offices the coutesteeS were voted
for, whether for delegates for Boil
var county or for the State al
large.
The minority report, signed by
two members, dissented from this
view and reported in favor Of con.
testees Melchoir and Montgomery,
Republicans.
Parish and Henry spoke in favor
of the majority report, using the
argument contained therein.
Moore, one of the contestants,
spoke tor himself.
Ex-Attorney-Gener Ford and
Montgomery, cOlored, conteslee,
spoke in favor of the minority re.
port. General Ford made d iorci
bic legal argument, favoring con
testees. His logic was invinclble
and he had an array of The highest
legal authorities sustaining him.
He contended that the tickets cast
for conteStees were not illegal un-
der the meaning of the code ; that
the names on it were printed
three-quarters of an inch apart
and that The code did not regulate
the maximum distance, but said
the names should not be printed
closer than one fifth of an inch of
each other. The fact that the
tickets did hot contain Bolivar
county was an lmmalerial point,
as the most ignorant voter who
cast one did so with the idea thai
he was voting for that cUunty'S
delegate, and the intent of The
voter should govern and control.
Mr.. lsllam Montgomery conclu-
ded the argument in his own be-
half, and was listened TO with the
closest attention. At the cOnclu
sion Of his speech he was vigorous
ly applauded, being the only one
receiving this honor. Montgomery
is a coal black negro, of medium
height and weight. He is an intel
ligent man aud has considerable
property in the Delta. He is a son
of Benz. Montgomery, who was a
devoted servant of Hon. jefferson
Davis, living with him after The
war Till his death, and seems proud
of his ancestry. His speech ably
presented his case and his prerOra-
ton was eloquent. He said he
stood in the convention the only
representative Of three-quarlers of
a million Of people, and IN deter
mining the question he only asked
the convention to do so on terms
of justice and fairness; that this
was a higher body than The Iegi>la-
ture or supreme court, being ham.
pered by neither, and lhatit should
rise above all technicalities and
partiSanship and decide the ques.
ton on its merits.
The convention overwhelmingly
agreed with him, and by IA vote OF
10 to Is decided that cOnleotees
their seats, so Montgomery
continues TO be the solitary negro
representative on the floor.
A resolution was introduced
providing Ter the sale of The peni-
Tertiary building in 1895, when the
resolution iOrbidding the further
leasing goes into effect.
Privileges of The floor were eX-
TO governors, ex.governOrs
and supreme judges. The cOnven.
ion refused 10 extend privileges
o other State officers. Ii is now
known for a certainty that the ju-
committee will report that
he fundamental conditions of
Congress readmilting Mississippi
ntO The Union are unconStiiution-
Al. These conditions state that no
person shall be denied the right TO
vote who is vesled with that priv.
lege by the present constitution.
Il will be seen that this would pre-
rent The conventions dong any, '
hing effective with suffrage.
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