The Kosciusko star. (Kosciusko, Miss.) 18??-1898, 1895-06-14
A letter from the Distim-
guiShed Senator TO Il
LOuiSiaMan.
RACE QUESTION DISCUSSED.
His Remarks About the MiSSiS-
sippi Constitution.

ledIle, - etll-eA pldIdloiS
Carrolton, Miss, May %, 1894.
w. |. Pollard, Esq, New Orleans
La:
Dear Sir-Your letter was re
ceiyed several weeks ago inclosins
a newspaper slip commenting on
the Mississippi Constitution anc
also on my letter to Z. c. Carroll,
Esq, and among other things ask
ing my views on the proper meth,
cd to treat the problem.
My engagements have been such
that | have been unable till now tc
frame a proper answer.
The subject, as you inform me,
upon which the people of Louisi-
ana are now celebrating with the
view of reforming your electoral
system, so as to secure safer and
better government and purer po-
litical methods, is one of the deep
est moment, and should receive, as
| have no doubt it will, the most
careful consideration.
After the most serious reflection
my limited powers enable me to
give | have been unable to find a
solution of the great problem COM
ing from the adoption of the fit
teenth amendment to the Constitu-
ton. The best | have been able
to do is to find some temporary ex-
pedients-merc makeshlfts to post
pone impending, emergent danger
to mitigate serious pressing evils.
have not been able to discover a
rock on which we may build anew
the republican institutions which
were our inheritance from the ia
theirs.
History teaches, what would 9th
erwise be a clear deduction from
reason without the aid of expe.
rience, that free institutions can
not be imposed on people as a
mere gift, Free government is
and must be government ordained
by the people and conducted in all
its departments by the people or
b. their selected and accredited
agents and servants, 1t ncccssa-
riiy presupposcs a desire On their
part for free political institutions,
as we'll as the capacity to frame
them, and to understand the prin-
ciples on which they are founded;
moreover they presuppose that
mental ability to discover and that
steadiness OF purpose requisite to
persistence in carrying out those
policies which may best advance
for long reaches of time the gener-
al welfare-the permanent pros
perity and elevation Of the people.
A desire for free institutions is a
great deal more than mere wish
to be relieved from the condition Of
chattcl slavery. Such a wish is a
mere instinct, natural not only tC
the human race, but to all animal
life 1t is more than a craving fol
that condition in which there is no
restraint This desire for free gov.
eminent comes only in that stage
OF human progress wherein is
reached that elevation end enlight-
enment which can comprehend and
formulate correctly general princi-
pies applicable to the just and fan
regulation of human affairs.
But the capacity for free gov
ernmcnt embraces something more
than have stated To intellect
ual enlightenment and natural abil-
ity must be added patriotism and
love Of country. This embraces
not only a preference tor ones
country over all others, but that
generous and manly spirit which
seeks to advance the good of the
great body OF the people and has
its highest satisfaction in the pro-
motion of the general welfare.
There can be no free government
where every man sedulously seeks
his own individual interest without
regard to the interest and happi-
ness of others. In such d country
the eternal, never-ceaslng efforts of
men to appropriate the benefits of
government to their own separate
interests or to the intereses of the
Clique or class to which they be
long, will engender such intestine
strifes, conflicts, divisions and fac
tions for perverting the powers of
government to selfish interests as