Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1958-07-12
So Rev. Darby Failed The
Voters Examination

Some years prior to 1896 before the historic de-
csion of the u S. Supreme Court in the Negro voting
case which during the days of his greatest ascend
ancy Perry w. Howard Mssissppis National Repub-
lican Committeeman, who had mastered the facetious
oratorca approach to the most serious matters in adj
dressing the State Convention always to get
laugh while at the time getting the point home,
when in speaking about the then almost total denial of
the right and the methods used to keep Negro citizens
of the state from registering and qualifying to vote
he told the story of the Negro who went to the Court
House to register to vote and asked the question
What is the meaning of Habaes Corpus Supersedus
Belladendum Duces Tecum? The Negroes be-
ing, that's just something to keep from voting
1t was happy and hopeful period for Negro and
white citizens alike in the state in the years from 1916
to 1854, when there visible evidence that the
old racial anomosties born of the Civil War and the
Reconstruction Era which gave rise to Perry Towards
story had burned themselves out and the great body of
public opinion in the state, had conceded the Negro
citizens right to vote and of political participation.
1t was in 1854 that the US Supreme Court render
ed another historic decision. The decision calling for
Indignation of the public schools with all deliberate
speed decision rendered in obvious attempt to
lead public opinion towards making the changes in the
pattern of American life needed to meet the demands of
a changing world. decision except for great amount
of lip service and token compliance here and there
has yet to win the unequivocal support of the great
body of American public opinion to say nothing of that
of the state of Mississippi.
Moreover, to those who have clear understanding
of American history the sending of Federal soldiers to
Little Rock, Arkansas, to support ntegraton is only
repetition of the history of the southern reconstruction
that lead to the deep racial anomostes which took from
1867 until 1916 before there any real evidence that
they had burned themselves out
In the face of the indignation decision and it's event
uaton in the sending of Federal troops to Little Rock
the state of Mississippi along with the rest of the SOUTH
in regard to the Negro VOTE and political participation
is reactng exactly according to history again moving
towards the disfranchsement of its Negro citizens.
We say again here, said here during the per-
iod of leadership of the JACKSON ADVOCATE, which
played major role in bringing about the happy and
hopeful period of 1946-1954, that Mississippi will
make any great progress until it's Negro citizens having
the right to VOTE join with the best of it's white
citizens and through intelligent political participation
aid in the development of those things that have
best for all the citizens of the state
And now comes the story, reported in the news
papers, about Rev. Darby who filed the suit chaleng
ing the state law passed to prevent Negroes from
registering and qualifying to VOTE in which the Circuit
Clerk down in Jefferson Davis County, has reported that
Rev. Darby failed to the voter examination required
by the state law
Looking back at the history of the state and look
ing forward to it's future is hope that contempt
rary attitudes and conditions will not result in the deep
anooeites of the reconstruction that required all the
years from 1867 to 1854 to burn themselves out.
In the case of Rev Darby, and his reported failure
to pass the voters examination it inevitable that
our mind would turn back to Perry Howard and his