The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1891-06-18
Registrations.

III you are quallhcd, but iall 10 regis
ter by that time, you are cut off from
voting either in the primary on Au-
gust 11th or in the regular election in
November. Therefore, you should at
tend to this matter at once.
We find that some persons have
thus far refused to register because of
missapprehension on the subject
Some have the idea that because they
have heretofore sworn to support the
Constitution of the United States,
which they ASSUME guara ntces to
every man the right to vote, that
therefore they cannot take an oath to
support the new State Constitution,
which prcscribes an educational and
certain other rigid qualifications,
without violating their oath to sup
port the National Constitution. As II
matter of fact, the United States Con-
stitution has nothing to do with the
question of suffrage, further than to
provide that no State shall abridge
the right of any citizen of the United
| States to vote con account of race,
color or previous condition of Scrvi-
tude," and this the new State COnsti-
tuition does not assume to do. Men
of both cOlors stand OH the same foot
ing.
Some think that the educational
qualification is already i'll force and
do not relish being subjected to the
test whereas, i'll fact, section 24l,
which contains the educational quail
ification, does not go into effect until
January l, 1892.
Still others, we learn, have de-
clined to register because they do not
approve the Constitution as whole,
aud regard the oath they are required
to take to support it when they regis
ter, as Il method rcsOrted to by its
trainers to get all who oppose it to rati
fly it. a little reflection will reveal
the folly of this position. The new
Constitution is now the supreme law
of the State, whether Tom, Dick or
Harry approves it or not, and it will
remain so, with whatever Objectiona-
BILE features it may contain, until
changed by voters who register i'll ac
cOrdance with its requirements.
We close by copying sections 241
and PIP of Article 10:
Sec. 241. Every male inhabitant of
this State, except idiots, insane per-
sons and indians not taxed, who is Il
citizen of the United States, twenty
one years old and upward, who has
resided i'll this State two years, and
one year i'll the election district, or in
the incorporated city or town, i'll which
he offers to vote. and who is duly reg
istercd as provided in this article, and
who has never been convicted of bri-
berry, burglary, theft, arson, obtaining
money or goods under false pretenscs,
perjury, forgery, enlightenment or
bigamy, and who has paid, on or be-
fore the first day of February of the
year in which he shall offer to vote,
all taxes which may have been legally
required of him, and which he has
had an opportunity of paying accord
ing to law, for the two preceding
years, and who shall produce to the
officers holding the election satisfac-
tory evidence that lie has paid said
taxes, is declared to be qualified
electOr but any minister of the Cos
pei i'll charge of an organized church
shall be entitled to vote after six
months residence in the election dis
trict, if otherwise qualified
Sec. 242. The Legislature shall pro-
vide by law for the registration of all
persons entitled to vote at any cleo
ton, and all persons offering to regis
ter shall take the following oath or
swear Tor atfirm) that | am twenty
one years old Tor | will be before the
next election in this county,, and that
| have resided in this State two years,
and -- election district of -
county one year next preceding the
ensuing election Tor if it be stated in
the oath that the person proposing to
register is minister of the Gospel in
charge of an organized church, then it
will be sufficient to aver therein two
years residence in the State and six
months in said election district), and
am now in good faith resident of the
same, and that | am not disqualified
from voting by reason of having been
convicted of any crime named in the
Constitution of this State as disqual
itication to be an elector that l will
truly answer all questions propounded
to me concerning my antecedents so
far as they relate to my right to vote,
and also as to my residence before my
citizenship in this district that l will
faithfully support the Constitution of
the United States and of the State of
Mississippi, and will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same, so help me
God" In registering voters in cities
and towns, not wholly in one election
district, the name of such city or town
may be substituted in the oath for the
election district. Any willful and cor
rupt false statement in said affidavit,
or IN answer to any material question
propOunded as herein authorized, shall
be perjury.
Hon. Wash Gibbs.
Hon. Wash Gibbs, the noted Yazoo
white-liner, will address the people