The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1889-05-10
VOL. XIX.
THE RIGHT OF THE NEGRO TO
HOLD OFFICE.
special Cor. STATE CHRONICLE. !

lS true, as stated DS Mr. oates, the ltepre-
sentative from Alabama that the Four
teenth and Fifteeth Amendments to the
Constitution Of the United States, have
not, in terms, denied to the States the
power to withhold from the cOlored race
the right to hold Office. But he fails to
see that those Amendments have rendered
1t impossible for any State to exercise that
power. Those Amendments, SO far as this
question is involved, are as follows:
"Artice NV, See. /. All persons born
OF naturaiized ii the United States, and
subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citi-
zens Of the United States and OF the State
wherein they reside. No State shall make
or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunitles of citizens of the
United States; nor shall any State deprive
any person of life, liberty or property
without Cue process of law; nor deny to
any person within its jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws"
Section ?, provides that representation
in Congress shall be apportioned among
The States according to their respective
numbers. But when the right to vote, in
any State. is denied to any male inhabi-
tants Of such State, except for crime
whereof the party shall be convicted, by
due process of law the basis of represen-
tation shall be reduced in proportion to
the number of citizens thus diSfrapchised.
This Fourteenth Article was proposed
and ratified before the Reconstruction
measures and the Fifteenth Amendm mt
conferred the right Of suffrage upon the
colored race; and by the terms of the
second section, although inconsistent with
the first section, the Southern States might
then have excluded or limited suffrage to
the colored people. But they all rejected
the terms Of reconstruction proposed by
that Amendment, because they involved
he disfranchisement Of considerable, and
most respectable classes OF the white peo-
pie. Reconstruction followed, on the plan
adopted by Congress, IN 1867, and the
second section of the Fourteenth Amend
meut became dead letter But the first
section remains il full force, and is
strengthened. and the rights Of the color
| teenth Amendment, which is as follows:
Art. Ky, Sec. !. The right of citizens
Of the United States to vote shall not be
denied or abridged by the United States,
or by any State, on account Of race, color
or previous condition of seIyitude
The power IS given to Congress to en-
force these Articles, '.by appropriate leg
islsr;on.
The first section of the Fourteenth
Amendment declares that ''all persons
born or naturalized il the United States,
and subject to the jurisdiction thereof,
are citizens Of the United States, and Of
the State wherein they reside and that
no State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges or i'm
muuities of citizens of the Unit9d States. =
The first section of the Fifteenth Amend
ment declares that neither the United
States nor any State shall deny to citizens
the right to vote on account of race, color
or previous condition of servitude.
How. then, can colored men be depriv
cd Of the privilege, which they now en-
joy, under the Constitutions Of all the
States, and Of the United States, Of hold
ing Office:
Bat, Independently of these Constitu
tional obstacles, the practical impediment!
to the disfranchisement of the coloreC
race are insurmountable. For if one party
should make the attempt the other would
rally all its forces in opposition, and th'
government of the United States, in what
ever hands, will be impelled by Constitu
tional obligations and by policy to exer
! all its great power on the side of a fret
and fair vote If the Republicans Of th'
South we're to attempt the disfranchise
ment Of their colored supporters, which
supposition is hardly conceivable, the.
would be abandoned and abhorred by tn
whole North If the Southern Democrat
were to essay the rash and desperate at
tempt the effect would be to solidify tn
North Of all parties against them, and tn
heavy hand Of the General Governmen
would Ee laid upon the South with law
guaranteeing to every State Republican
form Of government, and with ''appro
pirate legislation, to enforce the Amend
mens.
cannot understand how any inteligen
Southerner can fail to see that these con
sequences would follow the attempt t
disfranchise the colored race. 1t is equal
clear that the effect would be further
, ALLEVIATE the races and to postpone lndef
? nitely the of domestic peace and goo
| vii! between the races.
DANIEL r. GOODLOE.
a GREAT DEAL cannot be said for th