The Southern reveille. (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1876-1890, 1890-04-18


that gentleman expressed himself
clearly and forcibly in regard 70 the
adyisability Of restricting the right
of suffrage. We qu tie;
"Tho chief work Of the convcn-
ton should be.toprovide for white or
intelligent supremacy by righteous
and legal methods. The Africaniz-
ing Of the state cannot be tolerated,
unless the white people leave IL.
And Just as true is IL chat we cannot
continue our present election meth
DDS. They are wrong in principle
and ruinous in results. They de-
bauch the manhood OF the state and
compromise us before the world. i
am. therefore, without reserve, in
favor Of limiting the suffrage, FIRST,
because it is right per Sc and sec
ond, because IL will greatly aid in
the solution Of our main trouble. /
would limit tho suffrage, first, by a
tax receipt, placing the poll-tax at
"a or s., and letting every dollar Of
it 60 to the public school fund; and
second, by an educational qualiiica-
lion, using the Australian system as
test. ! have seen various object
ions 10 this, but none Of them seem
to rest ON any rock, bottom Of COM
mon sense and right. Representa-
tive government must rest on two
pillars-intelligence and virtue.
The illiierate are an element Of
weakness 10 any government Of the
people. They must be carried by
the intelligent, and in Mississippi
the load is greater than can be car
ried with safety. The voting age is
fixed al q, because, in the judg-
ment Of mankind, that is the age nc
which the youth has gained intelli-
gence sufficient 10 wisely exercise
this highest privilege Of the citizen.
Now. i favor the extension Of this
essential principle to the whole voi-
ing population. The American bal
lot E uld represent The individual
jud mt enlightened by informa-
ito accessible to all through the
pr ng press.
is said that this will cut of
several thousand good white men,
and some of them soldiers. Thisis
sentimental, not so1d-- These men
must trust their fellow -cifizens in
everything else; why not in [ -.
They do not known that the ticA
they put in the box are not ii
tickets. 1t is known that illitf
voters arc often made 10 vote q
lv contrary 10 what they supM
The intelligent really doal. a..
ing any way. Why not dro
sham As IL IS, the dcmagM
who.is willing to pander to thd
ldiccs Of the illileraic. has
DR. ds Of votes against the one
Tor the straightforward man.
Gas 10 the old soldiers, thcN
patriotic men, as a rule, and,
question were put 10 them vi
they would forego the privilef
voting for the benefit OF the
they would say yes. But ,nnY
10 Is mOnstrOus stalesmanshul
would ieopardize the whole
preserve a privilege to q class
that class, confcssedly, cannot
ly use the privilege The q
ton should look at the subst
things, and be brave enough
right. Ballot reform is the sur
issue before rs, and we ougll
to play at il, but adopt genuip
form. measures T."
JUDGE cowAN's PLAN.
Judge Warren Cowan publ
in the Jackson Commonwealth
ter on The suffrage question.
proposes this plan:
"Let the convention provide
addition to those now entitled
vote, that every woman, who is
citizen of the state, who can RI
and write and owns forty acres
land in the country, or $500 vol
of real estate i'm city or town, AL
who rs not disqualified by law, b
reason Of any crime or misdemean.
or, shall have the right TO vote Il
any election. IL will be seen at
glance that this. would secure whitl
supremacy. The number of whitd
women thus enfranchised would
largely exceed the number Of color
ed women. and the negro majority
Of the male voters combined. Let
the convention then provide for an
electoral college c0mposod~oi clec-
tors, equal TO the number of the
members Of the house Of rcprcscn-
tatives, who shall meet when elect
cd and elect all of tho state. con-
gressional and district officers, iu-
dicial and executive, and The race
problem will be solved, and there
will be no reason why we should not
have honest elections. There IN
nothing in this 10 conflict with any
amendment or any part Of the con-
stitution Of the United States.
'If any reason can be offered why
an ignorant, besotted, preiudiced.
Immoral, worthless negro man
should vote, and q refined, educat-
ed white woman, who owns proper
~, pays taxes and performs al The
1 duties fiber citizenship should not
vote, + would like very much to
hear il. !"