Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-06-02
Jonrml.
WILMINGTON, n. c.,
FRIDAY, JUNE 2, 1876.
TIE AMEN DWENES-ss oyy TO
PREVENE FRAUD ATgBE BAL

rTEsE AMEN SsW ENES-B w 10
PRENENE FRAUD ATTIRE BAL
AOE BOx.
The fifth article of the Constitution,
that which relates to revenue and tax
alton, being left unchanged by the
Convention we proceed to consider the
sixth article or that which relates to
suffrage and eligibility to office.
It is needless to tell any sane sensi
ole man that, III a country IN which
governments rise and fall according to
the will of the people as expressed
Mt the ballot box, II is of prime
importance that fraudulent voting
shall be prevented. Freedom Of cleo
tions and hepurity of the ballot box are
absolutely essential to the long con-
timed existence Of democratic gov
eminent and this is what the amend-J
mcnt to this article of the COnstitu-
tion seeks to secure. There are two
parts to this amendment, the first res
ouires q residence Of ninety days in the
county to enable man 20 vote, in
stead of thirty rs the law now stands.
The second prohibits any man from
voting who shall have hereafter com
NIT any infamous crime and who shall
be convicted thereof.
The first change, that whichrequlres
ninety days residence in a county be-
fore man can vote, instead of thirty
as heretofore, was proposed to prevent
what in these latter days is known as
''coIonizing." Not one election we
venture to say has been held
since the imposition of the Candy Con
stitUtion in which there has not been
more or less ''colonizing" done by the
Radical party. In 1872 negroes were
brought as far as from Washington
CITY to vote the Radical ticket III North
Carolina. Nor was there any thing to
prevent them coming from South Caro-
lima and Virginia for the same pur-
pose. Nor was this particular kind of
fraudulent voting confined to persons
imported from other States. In closely
contested counties the common prac-
fice has been to introduce negroes just
before the election from counties III
which there were large negro maIorI-
ties, register them and vote them
This is especially easy along the lines
OF the various railways IN the State,
but that il has not been confined TO them
alone, the county of Pitt Is Il notable
and well known example. The evil
WAS a great and grievous one. 1t
was to this cause that our friends
attribute the loss Of the county OF
Mecklenhurg IN the election of dele
gates to the Constitutional Convention
last year And uo all remember the
answer OF the poor ignorant negro
few years ago in this city, who, when
asked by tho poll holders where he
had voted the year previous, openly
said that sin the morninghe had voted
ut Northwest and in the evening lie
had voted i'll the first ward, the first
ward being in New Hanover county
and Northwest precinct being in
Brunswick county. It was to pro
tect the ballot box from frand OF
this character that the proposed
amendments require residence OF
ninety days. No man familiar with
the history Of elections in North Caro-
lima since 1863 can truthfnlly say the
change was not needed. Yet only ont
Do,J,ooI nr,T.J no 4,
vote for the proposed change.
The other change simply prevents
thieves and other felOns convicted O
Infamous crimes hereafter committed
from exercising the right OF suffrage
That such creatures as these are unti
to have any voice iii the control of the
government under which honest mel
are to live wouId seem to be plair
proposition. As the law now stand:
The pickpockot apd t;lc house-3reazer
the forger and the peTjUroI, can xii
The Votes Of the best, purest, mos
honest and D4ost Intelligent mel
IN the wholo state. Such ought not
to BE- the law and yet OF the
fifty-nine Radical members of the
Convention only vccould bo found with
courage enough to say, by their votes,
that convicted thieves ana pickpockets
and forgers and p9rlurera aud barn
burners ought not to go 30 the polls
with honest men. 1t speaks badly foi
party that its leaders are thus afraid
to make any distinction between
roguos and honest men at the Lallot-
box