tablished he argued that the provisions of the Constitution
are mandatory and must be enforced.
Risser insisted that the representation of Mississippi
should be reduced to prevent injustice to other states and
prevent ill feeling which must necessarily result from in
justice.
He showed that at present Mississippi has two more
representatives than are her due, that these votes would give
Mississippi an unfair advantage in all questions before the
National House, and that one vote in Mississippi was equal
to more than eight in the other states. He closed by show
ing how this unfair advantage must displease and irritate
the other states.
Poley showed that to let the representation of Missis
sippi remain as it is would violate the constitution and es
tablish a dangerous precedent, and that a reduction of the
reprsentation of Mississippi would force her to educate her
illiterate population.
He argued that to have force and validity in any part
the constitution must be kept sacred and inviolate in every
part, that the first violation is the opening wedge which will
lead to the destruction of the whole, that ruin is sure to fol
low a violation, while increased national strength will fol
low the strict enforcement of the Constitution. He closed
by showing how Mississippi would be forced to educate her
iliterates in order to regain her full number of representa
tives.
Por Dickinson, Amerman, spoke first, contending that
the 14th amendment was intended for the negro and applied
only to him, that the 15th amendment set aside the 14th,
that Congress had admitted this in failing to enforce the
14th amendment, that the suffrage law of Mississippi is
constitutional, that Sec. IX. of 14th amendment should be re
peated, that the present times demand a more intelligent