The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1890-04-24

proper consideration.
S. s. CAIHooN.
TIM T.. COOPER,
J. NJ. STONE,
GEo. n. GOvAN,
ROs'T LOWRY,
NARCELLUs GREEN,
w. l.. NUGEST.
GENTLEMEN-I comply with your
request and hand for publication the
result of my reflections on the best
method of accomplishing what all
profess to desire. My motto is, "Prove
all things; hold fast to that which is
good" aud if my conception is valu-
able, it will commend itself to the in
telligent and thoughtful, who are
seeking a way out of our difficulties,
and, if it is not of value, it should be
rejected. The way to test it is to put
it before the people in whose intelli-
gence and patriotism / have cOnfid-
dence.
lam for vesting the power of gov
erning the country in the electors pos
sessing the intelligence and property,
for the good of all, and suggest, as a
sure means of doing this, to preserve
the right to vote of every one now en-
titled, and to add a provision that
every such qualified electOr shall be
entitled to cast one additional vote for
each forty or eighty acres of land
owned by him or his wife, in the coun-
ty of his residence, and one additional
vote for every five hundred or one
thousand dollars of real estate less
than forty acres owned by him or his
wife, where he does not own more.
The details of the plan may be easily
adjusted. The quantity of land may
be any number of acres determined
on, and the value of the homestead in
town or country, not amounting to the
quantity of land prescribed, may be
fixed so as to preserve the proper ratio.
In order to prevent the few very large
land owners from undue power as vO-
tiers, maximum number of additional
votes, so as to strike general average
of the country, may be prescribed.
For instance, if the average of real
estate possessions is, say four hundred
acres, and eighty acres should be
adopted as the basis for an additional
vote, let the greatest number of addi-
tiOnal votes one may cast be five; If
forty acres be the basis, the limit
would be ten additional votes.
This scheme consists perfectly with
the Constitution of the United States,
and with the Fundamental conditions
of the act of Congress admitting
Mississippi to representation in the
Congress of the United States. 1t de-
prives no one of vote. 1t applies
and operates in favor of the negro,
as we'll rs the white. 1t simply siezes
upon existing conditions, and places
the governing power in the hands of
the intelligent voters and land owners
of the country. 1t would at once, and
beyond doubt or contingency, because
of existing conditions, secure the over
whelming supremacy and control, in
every county in Mississippi, to the
whites. Adopt this, and we may have
free and full vote, and a fair count,
without fear of the result; unless we
are afraid to commit the government
to white electors of intelligence and
real estate possessions in the country
Ii deemed wise this scheme may be
confined to the election of State and
county officers. Other useful provis-
ions, such as longer residence in State.
county and precinct, and payment OF
required tax, as a condition of voting,
may be added, and to meet the case of
men of intelligence, who are not land
owners, additional votes may be al
lowed for their educational qualifica-
ton. The whole matter may be ad-
justed, with the plan outlined as ba-
sis, consistently with every useful de-
vice to further the great object of all
patriots.
A secondary and subordinate effect
of this plan, and one of great value,
would be its tendency to aggrandize
land owning, and to stimulate the de-
sire for it, because of the importance
to be derived from such ownership.
The yeomanry of the country would
govern it. This would avoid the ne
cessity of changing the basis of repre-
sentatiOn, as proposed by some. II
would dispense with all indirect meth
DDS. 1t solves the great question on a
just basis, and has advantages too
numerous to be mentioned now. No
fears need be entertained as to the
practical working of it, for all evils
may be guarded against, and any sup
posed difficulty removed.
Our claim is that the intelligence
and wealth of the South are chiefly
with the whites; and therefore, they
should govern, in the interest of all
classes. Let us embody this in our
Constitution, and secure the result we
prefer to desire. 1 shall rejoice to
see this plan improved on, and am
ready to embrace better one when
suggested. l offer this as the best
that has occurred to me, as a basis on
which to build, and hope it will be
fairly cOnsiderd by the intelligent and
patriotic, and such use made of it as
it merits.
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