1. Why would the use of federal troops or marshals in Mississippi be "catastrophic" according to Governor Patterson's telegram?
2. Governor Patterson writes, "If you dispatch troops...it would be a sad day for democracy the world over." Discuss the validity of this claim considering states' rights.
3. How would it be a "sad day for democracy" if the federal government did not send troops to ensure the admission of James Meredith to the University of Mississippi.

For Further Research and Discussion

1. Why does Governor Patterson mention Russia in his telegram? How could this be relevant to the situation in Mississippi?
2. The Tenth Amendment of the Constitution states that "the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." How could some argue, as Patterson does, that "Governor Barnett [is] right in asserting his authority under the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution"?