Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-14
THE MISSISSIPPI CONVENTION.
Temperance aud Liquor Discussed
Featberstone on the Franchise
fBy telegraph to tho Dispatch.l


JACKSON, Mrss., September i3.--Ihe Con-
stitutional Convention; after remaining IA
session until p. NJ, adjourned over until
Monday. The Committee on Temperance
and Liquor Traffic reported that they had
carefully considered the matters lald De-
fore them and submit that IN their
Judgment it is impracticable and IN
opportune TO bring the subject or elther
liquor traffic or prohibition before the con,
vention. The Chairman stated he reserved
the privilege TO file minority report
should he conclude 1t would be proper 10
do so.
The convention then resumed in Com
mittee of the Whole the report of the
Franchise Committee. Featherstone OF
Marshall having the floor addressed
the committee. He first proceeded 20
analyze the committees report HE nad
no special objection TO the report except II
does not 60 far,enough. The remedy pre-
scrlbed does not meet the emergency.
Reason, Justice, humanity. demand tnat
this question be settled on solid tounda-
ton. He specially objected TO the appor-
tionment feature, which insured only q tare
majority OF sixteen IN the House ami four
in the Senate. and which was likely 20. be
overturned by those sudden poltical
changes which sometimes occur. de crlti-
! cised the Australian system as an eApe-
| dent that would be new, strange, expeh-
sive, and complicated. In snort time
every negro in the State Will eaten on
| TO It. Ii was another section or the COM
mittee's report that came very near DeinS
an excellent thing, but II just missed the
mark. He then criticised the educational
| qualification that every elector shan DE
| able to read any section of the Constltu-
| ton. be shall be able 10 understand the
same when read 10 him, or give O
reasonable Interpretation thereof. lie
| would require that he should read
| the same readily, and he should not be re-
Quired "tointerpret" the same, which was
| the province of the courts. He was al.
ways and eternally in favor OF an educa-
| tional qualification. but ne would not s,l
up too high q standard. He was utterly
| opposed TO Calhoun aud Campbell
plans. He wanted something that nad
| been tried and 10 which no legal or cOnsti-
tutional objection could be urged. In the
convention he made an earnest appeal tor
the adoption of the measure proposed by
him.
| Mr.. Kennedy. of Clay. was the next aud
| last speaker, and he spoke with lightning
rapidly. his many good points being com,
plimented by rounds of applause ana
laughter. The committees plan dld not
suit him in every respect, but 1t was the
best thing that had been offered, and he
was ready to vote for it. Gentlemen
had said it was not suii.cient-it
was uncertain. There is nothing GER
tain but death. Some OF the delegates
would not be satisfied unless each white
man has four votes, his wife two, and h:s
children one each. and they want To say 70
the Niger: You shant vote at all ~ re
wanted to leave this convention with the
| white race on top. The right of the fran
chise is the badge Of the free man, he said.
You take that away and he becomes slave
or d serf.