The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1890-02-22
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Should IL be submitted for Ratification
or Rejection :


on August IL, will decide whether or
not the Constitution 1t makes shall be
submitted to the people for ratification
or rejection, unless, when elected, the
delegates are instructed upon this
point.
We are an uncompromising believer
In the RIGHT Of the people to elect their
own official and make their own laws.
Especially is it the right of the people
to approve the organic laws upon
which the whole civil system rests. On
the other hand it will be admitted that
in the adoption of a State Constitution
the highest intelligence of tho people
should be appealed 10 aud should be
free to act, and when this intelligence
is hampered or overcast at the polls by
an ignorant majority, that the main
condition upon which the submission
of a State Constitution to a people
rightfully rests, is wanting.
1t might be said, that IL people are
competent to select their wisest men to
frame a Constitution for the State,
they, the people, are also competent TO
judge whether the Constitution so
framed should be adopted or rejected.
As applied to any community which
has large number Of ignorant Hitter
ate voters, this supposition would not,
we think, be true. The most densc!y
Ignorant men will vote for a man
whom they know to be able and honest
to represent THEM in convention, while
they would be easily lod to vote against
the work he helped to do In conven-
tion. In short, Democratic govern
ment is supposed to rest not only upon
its intelligence also. For If Intelligence
does not direct, representative govern.
ment must fail of Its purpose.
Again, when community selects its
purest and ablest men to "represent IL
In a convention to frame State Con.
stitntion, unless the people order other.
wise, the men so chosen speak with the
voice and are clothed with the author
ity of the people. The laws they make
are supreme and final uutil they arc
amended or repealed by the people
Of a surety the people may choose tc
establish State Constitution without
having deprived themselves of any o.
their rights, for they would be exercis
ing a right, or, being in any way shorr
of their sovereignty. The unfortunate
condition of this State as to the unfit
ness of great body of its voters il
known of all men. They have threat
ened and continue to threaten the In
telligence of the State at the polls il
every election. II is a black clout
hanging over us, for evil or not, as W,
shall protect the interests of the Stat,
against It.
We disagree entirely with our abl,
correspondent in this issue, when h
SAYS; "Thc only argument agains
such a course (the submission Of th
proposed Constitution to the peopl
for ratification or reiection.-ED.)
that 1t may be endangered by th,
negro vote. This, to me, is an argu
ment against our entire elective sys
tcm.' That the negro most unjustl,
and absurdly had suffrage thrust upol
him is, to us, no argument against tn
elective system. It rather proves il
strength and value, that for years
co I'D stand so enormous a pressure
until the relief, which cannot be ia
distant, shall arrive. And Furthermore
as 1t seems to us, the most far-reachin
and important work the coming Con
stitutional Convention will have befor
II will be proper, reasonable solutio
of the "entire elective system" of thi
State, to the end that the intelligen
voter may not be overwhelmed at tn
polls by the reckless, ignorant vote
unless indeed the former swindles th
latter out of bis "legal' rights.
If the delegates to the Constitutions
Convention meet this and other gray
issues, as conservative, true-hearte
men, regardless of self and mindft
only of the best interests of the whol
people of the State, acting alway
within the limits prescribed by the lai
amendments to the National Constitl
! tion, we are at present disposed to b,
: lieve that SO far as the ratification of
Constitution framed by them is col
: cerned, "the elective system WI.
prove failure-that prejudice an
ignorance combined at the polls woul
! defeat any State Constitution whic
. meets the necessities Of our situation
= We have attempted to discuss tn
! question suggestiveIy, rather tina
: otherwise. All will concede It's in
: portance. We shall welcome to OF
colums communication from oil
readers upon thla and Kindred subject
Discussion, BY and before the peop
: upon The questions which win come b
/, fore the convention. il, or may be,
! vital importance.-W -WoodvilIc Repu
lican.
+ u.