The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-11
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EX-GOV. WATTS ON THE DIsFRAN-
CHISEMENT SCHEME.

Power of the States to Impose an Ed
for Sutfrage-The Political Power of
the South Unwittingly Increased by
the Northerners When They Enfran-
chised the Negroes.
NASHVILLE, TENN, Dec. 10.-The Amer
ican will publish tomorrow a long inter-
view held by its Montgomery correspondents
with ex-Gov. Thomas Fl. Watts, who was
attorney general of the confederate states,
on the question of disfranchising the negro.
Gov. Watts says:
Congress never had any right to regulate the
qualllications OF voters n the states, Perhaps,
under the power to organize teSTstorial govern
ments and its exclusive jurisdiction over the
District of Columbia, congress could prescribe
the qualifications of voters in the territories,
and in the dAstrict. But it is too clear to admit
OF dispute that congress has no power to pre-,
scribe or regulate the qualifications of voters in
the states, In the election of members of con-
gress or of presidential electors.
LOOP HOLE.
BY the fifteenth amendment the states are
prohibited from denying or abridging the rights
of citizen on account of race, color or pfe-
vious condition OF seryitude. The states
not prohiutted by it or by any other clause nf
the constitution from prescribing educational
or other qualifications to vote. SO that If tbey
see proper, they have the unquestloned right TO
prescribe an educational or property or tax
paying qualification to the right of voting aud
sucn qualification, IL prescribed in the state
constitution, would operate in state elections
and In elections for members of congress AM Of
presidential electors.
THE EFFECT IN ALABAMA
II Alabama were to prescribe an educational
qualification TO the right OF voting, 1t would
necessarily apply 70 the white well as TO col
ored citizens. Under the census of 1880, IL Ala
haT,n bad n--sl.k n a
age who could not write, and over 90 600 colo ed
citizens who could not write, it would in my
Judgment, be almost political suicide for any
southern state to act No public man adg0-
eating such q change in our state constitution
as to make an educational or property quai-
ficatlou to the right Of voting could politically
survive the just condemnation of the people.
STATE SOVEREIGNTY
without the action of the states in their sepa-
rate sovereign capacity, no change I'm the quail
fication or voters can be made. Congress is
without any power on the subject, except to
propose amendments to the federal constitution
or to call convention OF the states on the
application of the legislature of two-thirds of
the states. and such amendments as IL proposes,
or as the convention OF states proposed, would
have TO be ratified and adopted by three-fourths
of the states Such a scheme is impractcable,
even II IL we're desirable.
now THE SOUTH STANDS
The increased political power which the south
has acquired by the freedom Of the negro ought
the south which demands it or makes 1t de-
sirable. SO long as intelligence is superior to
| ignorance, or brain power superior to mere
muscle In the policy of the state, the south has
nothing to fear from the presence of the negro
with equal right to vote
CAUGHT IN THEIR OWN TRAP.
The northern states being the conquerors in
the war between the states, ,unwittingy increased
the political power of the conquered In congress
and in the election OF presidential electors,
That the conquerors should augment the
political power OF the conquered was never
before done, believe, in the history of man
kind. IL was not magnanimity TO the con-
quered, but vain belief and hope that the
former slave when made free, would greatly
Increase the power of the Republican party in
congress and the election Of President and Vice
President for all time, which induced such re-
\ markable action. | doubt not such action
arose greatly from ignorance of the negro and
his capacity for government when educated.
IL the northern states could now undo
their work, the policy of which experience for
the last 20 years SO fully shows, they would
doubtless act promptly and vigorously. For
tunately for the southern states. the constitu-
ton Of the United States presents an insuper-
able barrier to the exercise OF such power, how
ever much the fanatfcism AMI hatreds engen-
dered by the bloody conflict might prompt.