The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-05-04
ArrORNEY-GEN. MoCLURG.
Able Address Delivered to Lamar Liter
airy S"ci~ty.

anniversary OF the Lamar LitSrary
Society Of Millsaps College was elahor-
ately celebrated. On this occasion
Monroe McClurg
vas the speaker OF the evening, his
subject being THE Enemies of our
Civil Liberties" He dwelt at length
the large number OF unnecessary
laws made by our legislature The
SENTINEL agrees with Mr.. McClurg
exactly, that our code has been liter
ally'chopped into pieces."And we say it
with all due respect to his profession,
but this deplorable condition mas been
brought about mainly by a set oil
"jack-leg" lawyers, who go to the
state capitol with the idea that it
depends entirely on them and n lew
other '~'galoots" to re~volutionize the
world. and that it is a necessity that
they create new statutes and new Sec
tions every day in the week. OF course
they think they must do something to
earn their SALARY, but we would advo-
cate paying them more not to do quite
SO much. We agree with.the ten-year-
old son OF one OF our State senators,
who remarked while on II weeks visit
to the capitol during a session OF the
legislature. "'Father, l think the men
who have been trying so hard to talk
today ought to be at home blowing"
The following is the attorney-generals
address. and we give it space because
we know it will be read with interest
and highly appreciated.
The war between the States swept
the South of the flower Of its young
manhood, but it has been restocked in
an adversely that has developed the
highest order of moral, intellectual
and physical strength, while the
luxury and wealth of the North has a
tendency to moral, intellectual and
physical degeneracy, A steady flow OF
immigration from every part Of the
world has made the great Northeast,
North and Northwest a cosmopolitan
acc OF mixed bloods, religious. laws,
customs aud habits in which the ideal
American Is being lost, while 1t Is left
20 you to preserve the identity and
purity Of the Anglo-Sayon. AS sure
rs tde heavens move Ia their courses,
when the great questions of the future
come for practicable and intelligent
solution, as they certainly will, the
country will look to the South. and
l,,., ! : j. 4, - -, to- l-ah1 .hot Ghn will he
equal TO the occasion, whatever 1t
may be.
The race problem is not solved. nor
will it ever be. 10 fact, it becomes
more complex aud alarming every day,
but you will control it. You will build
the NicaraUga canal and give stable
governments to Cuba and the Philip
pines. You will see the great com
binations OF human ingenuity and
capital that are now organizing all the
transportation companies, public uiil-
tiles and commercial interests OF the
country under the management and
control OF n very few men follow the
example Of Pbaroah: when he c%ornered
the breadstuffs of Egypt, by laying
their criminal hahds upon the graneries
and packing houses of the country and
bring the people to distress; yet in
Gods providence you shall find the
power TO break the chains that shall
e%nslave them and set them free.
TO do these things you must be free
yourselves, and my purpose is to entrea'
you to stand firm for the individual
liberty Of the citizen and TO wage un
ceasing warfare against It's enemies a
you would fight the fields Of the infer
nal regions. The highest degree o
civil liberty possible, consistent will
free government. is the chief funda
mental principle in our nationa
organization and existence. and yol
should make it the cardinal doctrine o
your lives. Setit before you and follow
it as the hosts OF Israel followed th'
cloud by day and the pillow Of fire b,
night.
Il heard IA distinguished Mis.issip
plan declare from the rostrum receipt,
that when the citizen felt secure in thI
possession OF his individual liberty o
thought and action, and was sure tha
his constitutional guarantees wer
active living forces, he would contribut
to society, the community and the gov
ernment u character that would Civ
tone to the character OF the republi
Itself; but on the other hand, il one
convinced that he had No inalienabl
and inherent right. that the assurance
Of the constitution were deceptiv
frauds, every hope aud aspiration woul
be crushed and he was at once a
anarchist. No greater truth was eve
uttered.
"Who are the worst enemies to on
civil liberties? Ny frs; answer i.
ignorance: we must know them ,befor
we dare maintain them. The next
in our national and State Legislation
and to this powerful and insidious foe
invite your most serious consideration
The law-making powers among on
natural and civil rights are like Sam
son with his jawboue among the Phili
~tines-they Stay right and left. IL
me Illustrate by respectful references
to our " statutes. Our code has 1
500 sections, in which may be found /,
many thousand rules prescribing I'll
conduct Of the citizens Of this Sta
and by which hey are required to liv,
Five legislatures have literally chopDr
the code into pieces by more than Il
chapters Of laws with innumerab'
sections; all, all of which are restrain
upon the liberties Of the citizer
Verify, it seems that If he has any lie