The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1890-06-20
Plural Suffrage.

Judge Campbell, in a letter to the
Clarion Lesiger of the 18th, thus de-
tends his suffrage scheme:
The only objection urged against this
plan worthy Of notice, is the alleged
danger of leaving so many whites un-
provided with additional voting power,
If land is the basis, as to create divis-
ion among the whites. | do not share
this apprehension, but my desire is to
invest every white man, as nearly as
possible, with plural votes. | would
gladly include every one if an allowable
basis for it could be found. My whole
purpose has been declared to be to vest
thepower to govern in the whites, not as
against each other, but thenegro hordes
enfranchised among us, without fitness
to participate in governing.
have suggested land as basis and
still adhere to that, because of its many
advantages heretofore adverted to, but
have urged the principle ofplural voting
rather than any particular basis for 1t.
! have shown that so or 80 OF a hun
dred of the whites would. on this basis
have plural votes. As declared, at the
outset. the scheme is flexible and adj
Unstable, and may be moulded to meet
varied views and conditions. If pre-
ferred, plural votes may be based on
tax receipts for real and personal prop
erty or either, for a prescribed sum in
stead of land. The homesteads in coun-
ty and town may be taken as the basis
and where a voter has no homestead,
give him the plural votes for certain
sum paid for taxes on property, and, If
the sum named is greater than is paid
By the average negro, the result will be
that nearly every white voter will be a
plural voter. On the basis Of land, at
least 80 per cent of whites will have
plural votes. and on the basis Of taxes
paid by such as have not land, it may
be so arranged, in my opinion, as to
give plural votes to ID per cent more
Of the whites, and thus the number not
having them will be small, and certain
ly smaller than viii be excluded by any
requirement of property or education
which may be made. / am confident
that bases may be found to give sddi-
tional voting capacity to at least 80 or
% of every hundred of the white men
Of the state.
Adopt the principle Of plural voting
and the best basis will be found and
used, and all details adjusted The
sole purpose is to vest securely In the
white race, in theory as it is in fact,
the power to govern. This power will
carry responsibility to govern wisely,
and all will be gamers. Its advantages
will be incalculableto our country, which
needs the confidence that would, inspire
more chan anything else. Now, with a
majority of 5000 or $4,000 negro vo-
ters, being constantly increased, all
feel the danger of the possibilities in
volved. AS long as this state of things
continues, none can feel secure from
the agitation and strife liable at any
time Of political contest TO occur or the
result possible 10 be reached. The ne
proes, as well as the whites, are suffer.
ers from this condition The contem.
plation of possibilities is matter Of
anxiety, and causes the only estrange'
ment between the races Remove that
and mutual dependence and communi-
ty of interest between them viii pre-
serve most harmonious relations Fret
the negro from all concern about pol
litics, for which he is totally unfit, and
llet his attention be turned to pursuits
for which he is suited, and he viii be
both happy and useful. Let the whites
have the power and let the rights Of ths
negroes be fully protected
AT present, they are not fit 10 gov
ern, and will not be allowed to do it
and the honest and manly way is to 50,
90, and make the theory and the prac
tice conform to each other Then ther'
win be no deception or room for mlsun
derstandinr.