Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II, Part 89

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association
Number of Pages: 1032

USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II > Part 89

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being rapidly returned to the tax rolls, and all lands held by the Levee commissioners for taxes had been sold by decree of the chancery court. By these means, and the sale of swamp lands the sources of revenue were being considerably increased. The sales by the Levee commissioners amounted to 1,300,000 acres. He stated the public debt at $2,685,866, including the school funds, and the indebtedness, aside from school funds, and above the amount of cash in the treasury, $322,615, a decrease in two years of about $57,000. He also called attention to the fact that the State had made no provision for the higher education of women, and said, "The time has come in which our people, with one accord, are pleading for the rights of the girls of the State in matters of ed- ucation." The State Teachers' association also agitated the sub- ject, with the result that the State university was opened to women in 1883, and the Industrial institute was founded soon afterward.

Stone's Administration (1890-96). John M. Stone, for the third time, took the oath as governor of Mississippi, January 13, 1890; and in 1896 he laid down the reins of government, after serving for twelve years, longer than any other governor since the organiza- tion of the State, and lacking less than five months of equalling the term of service of David Holmes as Territorial and State governor. By far the most important event in this administration was the Constitutional Convention of 1890 (q. v.). One of the ordinances of the Convention extended the term of service of the governor and the other elective State officers for two years, making their terms expire in 1896. The officers elected in 1889 and installed with Governor Stone were M. M. Evans, lieutenant-governor ; George M. Govan, secretary of state ; J. J. Evans, treasurer ; W. W. Stone, auditor ; T. M. Miller, attorney-general ; J. R. Preston, superinten- dent of education. Attorney-General Miller resigned January 21, 1893, and was succeeded by Frank Johnston, appointed by the governor.

Toward the close of the legislative session of 1890, the revelation was made that there was a large deficit in the accounts of Treasurer Hemingway, who had held the office since 1876. Under a resolu- tion of February 22, 1890, a joint committee was appointed to in- vestigate, and the shortage was found to be $315,612. Subsequent investigation failed to reduce this amount, or discover the fate of the missing funds. "Penal proceedings were immediately insti- tuted against the ex-treasurer, and the attorney-general brought suit on his bond and recovered judgment for the penalty thereof and interest, amounting to $82,600, of which sum $68,750 have been paid into the treasury, and I am informed that satisfactory arrange- ments have been made with the attorney-general, and that the amount remaining due will be paid at an early date. In the inves- tigation of this cause no proof whatever could be made of any de- fault upon any previous bond of the ex-treasurer, or to fix any lia- bility upon any except the bond and sureties upon which suit was brought, and as the transfer of his property to indemnify his sure- ties was sustained by the courts, no further recovery could be had."

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(Governor's message, 1882). In this emergency the legislature authorized the selling of four per cent. bonds authorized in 1888, but they could not be disposed of at the minimum price asked, 95 cents, and the Constitutional convention, in October, authorized a bank loan. The deficit was tided over by borrowing $25,000 of a Jackson bank for three months.

In 1890-91 the financial affairs of the State were investigated by Robert C. Patty and Addison Craft, appointed under an act of leg- islature.

A great deal of depression was caused throughout the State by the price of cotton, which had fallen below the cost of production. Governor Stone gave his influence to the creation of a sentiment for more diversified production in order to avoid dependence on one staple, and this policy, while slow in gaining ground among the people of the State, is becoming recognized as the only wise policy. The census of 1890 gave the State an increase of 158,000, 14%, making the population 1,289,600. This was not enough, however, to give an additional seat in congress. For the senators and repre- sentatives of this administration, see Congressional Representation, and for the changes in the Supreme Court, see the Judiciary. In accordance with the Constitution of 1890, the governor appointed R. H. Thompson, George G. Dillard, and R. B. Campbell to codify and revise the statute law of the State. The result of their work was adopted by the legislature in 1892, and is known as the code of 1892. On the 3rd of June, 1891, the Confederate Monument was unveiled at Jackson. Under an appropriation of $60,000 in 1890 buildings for the negro insane were erected on the asylum grounds at Jackson in 1891. "It is safe to assume," said Governor Stone, "that no building for the insane, of such character and capacity, was ever before erected at so small a cost." The general industrial depression following the financial crisis of 1893 was felt with espec- ial force in Mississippi, owing to the continuation of the low price of cotton, the treasury deficit of 1890, and the general feeling of bus- iness stagnation. The disbursements exceed the receipts for four years by amounts varying from $88,000 to $248,000. At the special session of the legislature in 1894, it was evident that there would be another deficit for the current year, and the auditor was author- ized to issue Special warrants (q. v.) to an amount not exceeding $200,000; in lieu of cash warrants on the treasury.

By act of congress, 1894, another township of land was donated to the State for the use of the University. Subsequently, the lands which had been reserved for naval purposes, lying chiefly in Jackson and Harrison counties, were restored to the public domain of the United States, and from them the acreage was selected for the University. This was done mainly through the efforts of Chancel- lor Fulton. The land commissioners report for 1895 showed that the State held for sale, 307,984 acres of lands forfeited for taxes, 30,700 Chickasaw school lands (Sixteenth sections) ; 1,470 acres internal improvement lands, and 12,677 Lowry island lands, a total of over 500,000 acres. An act of congress also donated three town-

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ships of land for the use of the Agricultural and Mechanical col- lege, the Industrial institute for girls, and the Alcorn college. W. K. Ramsey, of Harrison county, was appointed to select the most valuable lands from those remaining unsold by the United States land office. During the following administration the proceeds were appropriated by the State, becoming a State debt at 6% in- terest.

Governor Stone's message of 1894 gave considerable attention to the Code of 1891, suggesting the repeal or amendment of many provisions which he said were unconstitutional, unnecessary, op- pressive, etc. Among other criticisms, "There is no provision in the Annotated code for filling vacancies in State offices." In the same message he also made an earnest demand, and reiterated it in 1896, "for the better enforcement of the laws of the State and. for the better protection of human life." He called attention "to the necessity of some provision for immediate and summary inves- tigation of homicides. Human life is far too cheap. Manslayers often go unwhipped of justice .. Nothing calls so loudly for correction as the present miscarriage of justice in trials for homicide. It is the source of many evils. It breeds mobs and lynch law. It has led to the reproach that a man of means may slay his fellow man with impunity." He suggested that the legislature had power to create tribunals that could give criminal cases immediate trial and administer justice, and by providing ef- fective government promote in the minds of the people a respect for government

The Democratic convention in 1895 nominated a state ticket headed by A. J. McLaurin, for governor ; the ticket of the Peoples Party was headed by Frank Burkitt, and polled 17,466 votes against 46,873 for the Democratic candidates, who were elected.

In his last message, 1896, Governor Stone said: "The financial condition of the State, as shown by the current reports of the audi- tor and treasurer, is neither satisfactory nor encouraging. Upon my induction into office in 1890, I was at once confronted with financial complications which, with slight intermissions, have continued until the present time. The difficulties were successfully com- batted until the meeting of the special session of the legislature of 1894, by which the special warrant act was passed. The State's resources in treasury cash are still far below the imperative requirements of the most conservative appropriations at your hands for the current year." (See Finances.) The State tax levy was then 5 mills. In the past two years the appropriations had exceeded the revenues by $180,000. Governor Stone's parting admonition was: "The credit of the State is a matter of the utmost importance to every taxpayer, and to maintain it, the treasury must be provided with means to meet every legitimate demand. If in your wisdom the amount needed for all purposes cannot be raised immediately by taxation without oppressing the people, I recommend the is- suance of bonds at a low rate of interest, not exceeding four per cent., non-taxable, for an amount sufficient to meet the emergency,

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and for such time to run as will enable taxpayers to meet them, principal and interest, without oppression. Such bonds would, in my opinion, readily float at par, and should not be disposed of at a lower figure."

Stoneville, a post-village of Washington county, situated on Deer creek, about 9 miles east of Greenville, the county seat. Leland is the nearest banking town. It is at the junction of the Southern, and the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroads. It has two churches, and seven or eight stores. Population in 1900, 150.

Stonewall, a prosperous town in the northwestern part of Clarke county, on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., 3 miles by rail south of Enter- prise, the nearest banking town, and 8 miles northwest of Quit- man, the county seat. Chickasawhay river, a fine water power stream, flows one mile west of the town. A large cotton factory is located here, and it has two churches, a public school, and a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 1,000.

Stonington, a post-hamlet of Jefferson county, on the Natchez- Jackson Division of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 4 miles northeast of Fayette, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 27.

Stop, a hamlet in the north-central part of Clarke county, 8 miles northeast of Quitman, the county seat. It has rural free delivery from Quitman.

Storm, a hamlet of Lincoln county. It has rural free delivery from Brookhaven, the county seat.

Story, a postoffice of Lawrence county.

Stovall, a post-hamlet of Coahoma county, on the Riverside Division of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 6 miles south of Friar's Point, one of the county seats of justice, and the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 100.

Stratton. See Stamper.

Strayhorn, a village of Tate county, located 1 mile north of the creek of the same name, and 10 miles due west of Senatobia, the county seat and nearest banking town. It has a money order post- office, several stores, a cotton gin, a church and a school. Popu- lation in 1900, 125.

Street, a post-hamlet of Amite county, 10 miles southwest of Liberty, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 22.

Strengthford, a postoffice of Wayne county.

Stringer, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Jasper county, on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R., about 16 miles south- west of Paulding, the county seat, and about 15 miles north of Laurel. Bay Spring is its nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 86. The population in 1906 was estimated at 150. It has good general stores, a saw mill, a cotton gin and a good school.

Strongs, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Monroe county. It is a station on the Illinois Central R. R., between Westpoint and Aberdeen. Population in 1900, 63.

Sturgis, an incorporated post-town in the southwestern part of Oktibbeha county, on the Aberdeen branch of the Illinois Central

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R. R., 15 miles by rail from Starkville, the county seat. The nearest banking town is Ackerman, 9 miles west by rail. It has a money order postoffice, and three rural routes emanate from here. Popula- tion in 1900, 203. The town is growing and its industries are cotton gins and saw mills; also a brick manufacturing plant. Its popula- tion in 1906 was estimated at 350.

Sucarnoochee, a post-hamlet and station of Kemper county, on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., 34 miles north, northeast of Meridian, and 10 miles east of Dekalb, the county seat. The creek of the same name, a stream about 100 miles long, flows about 2 miles south- west of the station. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 92.

Success, a postoffice in the northwestern part of Jasper county, near Otakooche creek, and 10 miles southwest of Newton, the nearest railroad and banking town.

Suffolk, a postoffice of Franklin county, 5 miles west of Mead- ville, the county seat.

Suffrage. The inhabitants of the Natchez district had the privi- lege of electing representatives to the provincial council under the British government, about the year 1778, but under what qualifi- cations is not known. Under Spanish government there was no such exercise of individual right. When the Territorial govern- ment under the United States was established, the ordinance of 1787 was extended to the district and afterward to all the region of the present State, not held by the Indians. This ordinance, justly famed as a charter of individual liberty, was not generous in the immediate granting of local self-government. The coun- tries under its provisions were treated as provinces under tutelage for a period, the limit of which was the attainment, in any given territory, of a population of five thousand free male inhabitants. When that degree of population was attained, then the right of suffrage was granted, but only for the election of a house of rep- resentatives, and there was a property qualification. A voter must be a free male inhabitant of full age, with a freehold in fifty acres of land, and be a citizen of one of the United States and a resident of the Territory, or a resident of the Territory for two years. Dis- satisfaction of the inhabitants, and considerations of national poli- tics, caused the extension of this right of suffrage to Mississippi Territory by special act of congress, in 1800, in which year it was first exercised, when the total free population, male and female, of all ages, probably was close to five thousand.

A property qualification for suffrage was in great favor at the time of the passage of the ordinance of 1787, South and North, and there were many arguments in favor of its application to such communities as Natchez district, through which many people were passing without permanent interests. But a way was soon found to evade the law and gain for partisan advantage the votes of the very class it was designed to exclude. The method was to put in the hands of unqualified voters deeds for fifty acres of land, with fraudulent intent. An instance is quoted in the article, West's Ad-

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ministration, and another is revealed by a citation from the Mis- sissippi Messenger, of July 8, 1808, referring to a recent election : "Several patriotic citizens of this city exerted themselves to create voters, to defeat the Republican ticket. Governor Williams opened an office for this purpose. Every drayman, alien and free negro in the city hostile to our government became, by magic a free- holder." This also serves to call attention to the fact that until a special law was passed by congress, free negro landholders were entitled to suffrage. By an act approved in 1803 the "freeholders, landholders and householders" of the city of Natchez were author- ized by a majority vote to elect municipal officers, and it was pro- vided that a roomer should be considered a householder. "The most notable thing about this, the first legislative act of Missis- sippi conferring the right of suffrage, is that no distinction is made because of age, color or sex. Whether this were by accident or design, and whether other than adult white males really voted thereunder, does not appear." (R. H. Thompson, Suffrage in Mis- sissippi.)

In February, 1805, Delegate Lattimore reported a bill in con- gress, in response to the memorial of the general assembly of Mis- sissippi territory, providing for the removal of the freehold quali- fication, also for an increase of the membership of the house of rep- resentatives. But congress was then busy with the trial of Judge Chase. In December, 1806, when the proposition was again brought forward, the Georgia members, who were anxious about the profits of their cession, opposed the extension of suffrage and defeated the clause for aid of the Natchez hospital. George Poindexter, elected delegate in 1806, continued the effort, but succeeded only in ob- taining an increase of number of representatives. He said: "Ex- perience has shown us that the freehold qualification is liable to the abuse of fraudulent conveyances made for the express purpose of enabling a dishonest candidate to obtain a fictitious majority over the virtuous and worthy citizen who will not stoop to the violation of the plain dictates of morality." The national house passed such a bill as he desired, but the senate, "for wise reasons, no doubt, thought proper to restrict the right of suffrage to the holders of real estate." There was a more definite statement of qualifications, and the color line was drawn, in the act of congress of January 9, 1808: "Every free white male person in the Mississippi Terri- tory above the age of twenty-one years, having been a citizen of the United States, and resident in the said Territory one year next preceding an election of representatives, and who has a legal or equitable title to a tract of land, by virtue of any act of congress, or who may become the purchaser of any tract of land from the United States of the quantity of fifty acres, or who may hold in his own right a town lot of the value of one hundred dollars, within the said Territory, shall be entitled to vote for representatives to the general assembly of said Territory." There was yet no right to elect any other officers, and that privilege was not exercised until the people became organized as a State of the Union.

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Another petition of the general assembly for the extension of suffrage was presented in February, 1814, to congress, and in Sep- tember referred to a committee of which Delegate Lattimore was chairman. The bill he reported also authorized an increase of the legislature. As passed and approved October 23, 1814, the bill provided that :

"Each and every free white male person, being a citizen of the United States, who shall have attained the age of twenty-one years, and who shall have paid a county or Territorial tax, and who also shall have resided one year in said Territory previous to any general election, and be at the time of any such election a resident thereof, shall be entitled to vote for members of the house of representa- tives and a delegate to congress, for the Territory aforesaid; any- thing in the ordinance, or in any act relative to the government of said Territory to the contrary notwithstanding."

Under the constitution of 1817 the qualifications were, a free white male of the age of twenty-one years, a citizen of the United States, resident of the county six months and the State one year, and enrollment in the militia if not exempt. There was a strug- gle in the convention to impose a property qualification, which resulted in the adoption of an ambiguous clause, proposed by Dan- iel Burnet: "or having the aforesaid qualifications of citizenship and residence, shall have paid a State or county tax." It was left to the legisltaure to provide for disfranchisement as a punishment for crimes. "On the subject of pardons and its effect on the right of suffrage the doctrine in this State until the adoption of the constitution of 1890 was in favor of the restoration of the right to vote; the constitution just named having made provision for a legislative restoration of the right to vote leaves the matter now an open question as concerns executive pardons." (Thomp- son, from whose exhaustive article, Publs. M. H. S., I, 25, the remainder of this article is abridged.) The constitution of 1817 provided that the first election should be by ballot, all future elections to be regulated by law. The act of February 10, 1821, authorized elections viva voce, but the act was repealed June 13, 1822, since when elections have been by ballot, the constitutions since 1869 so requiring. The qualifications for municipal voting continued different. "Citizens of the town" were made voters in Shieldsborough (Bay St. Louis) in 1818, in Greenville (Jefferson county) in 1819, and there are other interesting instances of varia- tion, an analysis of all of which indicates that under the constitu- tion of 1817 "color was not a qualification or disqualification in eight of the towns of the state legislated upon," including Vicks- burg, Columbus and Washington. "Of course slaves were not freeholders or citizens, but free men of color were frequent freeholders and, before the Dred Scott decision, were regarded by many as citizens." But it is doubtful if a negro ever voted in any of these towns until after the war, and their apparent admission to suffrage may have been merely carelessness in the drafting of the laws.

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The constitution of 1832 enlarged the privilege of suffrage by sweeping away the requirements of militia enrollment or payment of taxes. Otherwise the qualifications remained as in 1817. In the chartering of municipalities after this, the legislature, as be- fore, varied from the terms of the constitution. A phraseology often followed was "every free white male inhabitant of the town." In the case of the charter of Brandon, in 1833, the words of the act do not exclude any resident either on account of race, color, sex, or infancy. Registration of voters was first required in 1839, and it applied to municipal elections at Vicksburg only. In 1861 a similar requirement was made for Canton, and in 1865 for Nat- chez.

The qualifications for suffrage under the constitution of 1869 were, a male inhabitant of the State (idiots, insane persons and Indians not taxed, excepted), a citizen of the United States, or naturalized ; twenty-one years old, resident of the State six months and county one month, and duly registered. "Under this consti- tution, of course, the negroes were voters."

There was variance regarding municipal suffrage. In some in- stances persons having "permanent business" in a town were con- sidered qualified voters in it, and non-resident freeholders were permitted to vote in Senatobia, 1882, and Tunica, 1888. The time of required municipal residence varied in the acts from ten days to two years. It was not unusual to require a separate municipal registration, sometimes payment of the municipal tax was a neces- sary qualification. The modification of the registration and elec- tion laws, dispensing with their complex machinery by abolishing State and county boards of registration, was one of the features of the Campbell code of 1880.

Indiscriminate male suffrage was terminated by the constitu- tion of 1890, Section 241, which requires that a voter shall be a male inhabitant of the State, twenty-one years of age (excepting idiots, insane, and Indians not taxed) ; a citizen of the United States, resident of the State two years, and of the election district or city or town one year; he must also be duly registered; never convicted of bribery, burglary, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretenses, perjury, forgery, embezzlement or bigamy ; a tax payer for the two preceding years, and able to read any section of the constitution of this State, or able to understand the same when read to him or give a reasonable interpretation thereof. Registration is prohibited within four months of an elec- tion.

The code of municipalities has made uniform the requirements for municipal franchise. Under this constitution Mississippi has, "to all intents and purposes, an educational qualification pure and simple." Mr. Thompson found, in 1893, that more negroes had registered under the "understanding clause" than whites, who, it may be surmised, would shrink from such a confession of inability to read. "With scarcely an exception the negroes are thoroughly content with the constitution, and are satisfied to be measured for

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Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II, Part 89

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association Number of Pages: 1032

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association
Number of Pages: 1032