The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-02-25
The Suffrage Question in North Carolina
Debates an the Contention.


In the Convention last week, the question of
comforting on the negro the right to vote in this
State was discussed at length We copy from
the Raleigh Sentinel p short abstract of the
speeches made ca Tuesday and Wednesday:
| MIR Graham, of Orange, said he thought it
was first to be determined whether they were to
make negroes white men, before making white
men negroes. But as it seemed to be the inten-
ton of the House to discuss the matter as a
whole, he would proceed to defend what might
be called minority report Mo-
The gentleman from Chowan, (French,) said
he represented black constituency comely
| one He (Mr c. represented a white constl-
| tuency and one not afraid to come out fairly
and squarely against the ubiquitous Radical poll
cy. When the question of Convention" or''No
Convention" came before them. 400 white men
said No Convention" He did not care wheth-
er he was alone in his opposition to this plan of
negro suffrage, or not Gentlemen on the other
side had said that the late war was upon the
issue of slavery, but it was not so. 1t was upon
certain undoubted fundamental rights, and we
had to fight our own flesh and blood OF fight
white Yankees We chose the latter.
| This majority report would disfranchise 25-
| 900 white men. But some gentlemen of the
Radical party, and among them the Chairman
of this Committee, were disposed not to do So
Thank Jou, gentlemen, for small favors. for you
have not been very liberal with them. In other
States, controlled by your party, by Infamous
| test oaths, you have required the free people in
those State to accept political, civil and social
equality (practically, mot support it-and thus
forced them to yield up their private judgments
! and opinions. The gentlemen on the other side
I say that we base suffrage on intelligence and VIZ
tue; the voter should be intelligent and virtuous
some white men are not. Gcd Almig hty made
a distinction between the races. He had created
the white man superior by nature, intellect and
everything else He was opposed to any attempt
by men to abolish tho distinction. The just
prejudiccs of the white men will not be overcome
50 easily.
Hood (col.) asked Mr. Graham if they Ghe
negrocs) had a right to vote under the recon-
| structiOn acts.
MIR G. replied: You have it under them, but
by no law of North Carolina, and Congress has
no right to say who shall vote, and who shall not
vote, in this State. But he was speaking to men
whose minds were already made up; he had no
idea of changing any one 5 mind. But he wished
to express his sentiments in regard to this mat
ter, and record his vote against this sinful, I'M
just, outrageous and tyrannical procedure.
Mr. Mcdonald, of Chatham, made speech,
favoring universal suffrage to the colored men
and to white men. He favored disabilities being
removed from oil men, both white and black, in
| the State.
Mr. Latin contended that Congress had right
to prescribe who shall vote and who shall not
VOTE and men who had participated in the revolt
had lost their right to participate in the sove-
reignty of the nation. At the end Of the war;
the relative positions of the two sections
this: One was the victor and the other vanquished
The vanquished had abdicated all right to par
ticipation in the sovereignty of the nation, leav-
ing the balance of power in the hands of the vic
tor. The conquering side had right to dictate
on what terms they could resume their former
position. lie "waxed eloquent upon the theme
of the clemency of the nation in exercising these
rights, drew parallels between the policy of Rus
STA, Prussia, and other despotic countries in such
cases. &c.
Mr. King, of Lenoir, was also in favor of uni
versal suffrage, and opposed any legislation on
the part of this Convention, DISTINGUISHING any
body. He favored general amnesty and thought
all test oaths infamous, and should not find a
place in the Constitution of free people. They
were wrong, both In point of prudence and prin-
ciple.
Mr. Watts claimed the floor and commenced
his remarks by eulogizing the speeches Of Messrs.
Pool, Latin, French of Chowan, and Mcdonald
of Chatham. He characterized the speech of
Mr. Graham, of Orange, as being insincere He
read from the Conservative platform, that portion,
In which it declares that they accepted the legit
innate results of the war. Mr. w. claimed that
this was tacit endorsement Of and adherence to
the Reconstruction Acts, for they were the legiti
mate result of the war. In the 4th section of
that platform, it was declared that they (the Con
servatives) would be willing to give all rights
and privileges to the colored man, consistent
with the welfare of both races. The Republican
party held that it was right to do so now, and,
according to their own statement it was only
question of time that divided them
| Mr. W. was particularly hard upon the insti-
tuition of slavery. 1t had done all sorts of evil,
and, above all, it dshonored God. The mission
| of the ministry, in this and other States, to
preach Christ crucifed, and to tell men to search
the Scriptures; and, if they had themselves read
| to any purpose, they must have known and felt
the iniquity Of the institution, but if they had
preached according to the dictates Of their con-
sciences, they would have been taken from their
pulpits and thirty-nine lashes have been laid on
| their bare backs. The ministry restrained.
But now this incubus was gone. He (lr W.
felt like good old ST. John, when transported to
the third Heaven; "hc felt relieved" He ex-
patiatcd upon the happy domestic scenes that
would be witnessed throughout the breadth and
length of this State, when the benz en- influence
of Radical doctrines shall be thoroughly dissent
mated and fully accepted by the people, and con-
cluded by extending brotherly invitation to all
the errng to come into the fold of the Radical
party, and bask for the rest of their lives under
the bright and happy sunlight.
[o,1 y 1