The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1890-05-08

remedy FOR the evil that is now upon
us. There is now negro majority OF
90, 900 or more voters, and it is rapidly
increasing. The prepayment of a
heavy tax or n price for registering IL
contingent and uncertain. The re-
suit depends on who pays. If their
religious or political leaders so advise
them, | think the negroes will as sure
" pay as they raise money to go to a
circus, and many whites will not pay.
do not oppose these plans, but they
are as Intellectual to save us from negro
domination as row of pins against
the waters of the Mississippi. desire
to awaken thought in direction
which offers security against the
dreaded evil or undesirable methods
to avert it,and ever recurring necessi-
ty for their employment.
There should be nothing startling i'll
the proposition to confer additional
votes, on a prescribed basis. The
practice is familiar in the business
world. In every joint stock company
men vote according to the number of
shares they own. Why not modify
this sound business principle so as to
make it safe, and apply it to govern
ment in our exigencyP One of the
great objects of government is the
conservation of individual ownership
of property. The prime object and
function of government is to protect
men in the enjoyment of life, liberty,
and property. Why then shrink from
making that fixed property, which is
the subject of general ownership by
the whites, as far as may be found
necessary, basis for augmenting the
power of its owners?
The United States is considered the
"model republic" and under its Consti-
tuition, u voter in Nevada Or Wash
ingtOn has perhaps, fifty times the
voting power of one in New York,
Pennsylvania or Ohio, by reason of
the fact that each State has two Sen
ators. The right to vote is political,
not natnral-a privilege rather than a
right. 1t belongs to every communi
ty to prescribe who shall vote, and
how many votes each person may cast,
and this may be changed at pleasure.
The people in whom sovereignty re-
sides, except as limited by the Con-
stitution of the United States, may
confer power to vote on whom they
please, and take it away when they
wish to do so.
| know full well we can continue to
govern this country. | have no fears
as to that. But, if we should have to
resort to shot-guns and Winchester
or to fraud, that would be too undem-
ocratic for me, and it would be de-
structive of that elderly, equality and
fraternity" so dear to us, and should
be avoided, if possible.
Regulate the elective franchise MS
proposed. and then provide for elect
ing judges and all other officers, by
the people; merge circuit and chan
Gerry courts in a court of general civil
jurisdiction; create circuit courts of
criminal jurisdiction, in lien of chan
Gerry courts, which cah be done with
ont increase of cost and to great ad-
vantage; make sixteen the maximum
school age; abolish every needless of
flee; provide for the taxation of the
property of corporations in the same
manner as that of Individuals, and in
such way that the Legislature cannot
discriminate in favor of corporations
rs it has been in the habit Of doing;
restrict Legislative power, so as to
prevent much of the sort of local leg
islatiOn, which has been the prolific
source of jobs of divers kinds; prohib-
it the Legislature from changing
names, removing disabilities of minor
ity, adopting children, granting char
TO or cd fn
by general law; prohibit evasion of
the Constitution by dividing counties
practically into two to the great in
crease of cost to the people; abolish
registration of voters; prohibit any
county or town issuing bonds from
bearing interest; adopt measures to
elevate and purify official service;
wisely adjust the basis of representa-
ton in the Legislature, with Il view
to the promotion of the paramount
object of white supremacy, but with
out injustice to any section, and
strike out of the present Constitution
every Objectionable provision that
was intended to suit the views and
purposes of those who made it, and
to thwart the known policy of our
people. Make these changes, and we
may enter on a new career of pros
perity.
| do not wish to create an aristOcra-
cy or ''terrocracy." l am not an aris-
t0crat. Any arrogant pretensions of
wealth receives no liberation from
me. | do not suggest that power
shall be vested in the rich, but in the
great multitude possessing moderate
means-the yeOmen of the land
those who now govern it by their
vOtes-who make the country great,
and are so tied to it they cannot get
away, if they desired, but must stay
and endure what comes, while the
possessOrs of money, and stocks and
bonds may fly to land not threaten
ed with negro rule.
am no schemer against the 1iber-
ties of the people. l desire nothing
but their welfare. l am not now or
prospectively an Office seeker. l de-
sire no place, but am persuaded that
deliverance from threatened danger
may be secured in the direction indi-
Gated, and in this many wise men
agree with me. l therefore earnestly
request my patriotic fellow citizens of
the press to present these views to
their readers, and then criticise them
as much as they please. My views
have been much misunderstood, and |