Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-01
.Indre CamnhelIs Scheme.


The owls OF unrestricted negro suffrage are 80
yres, that nobody can wonder that In such states
as south Carolina and Mississippi, where tue ne
gro population outnumbers the white P.pIia-
tson, the white tax payers are constantly con-
rernol for the welfare OF their ana TIE SAFE
~ OF their property. and consequently are al
vays ace king 10 discover method Of overcoming
the negro vote without violating tue niteon'h
article Of amendments TO the Federal Constitu-
ton.
What does that article % amendments pro-
vides Its language Is unambigsous- ltdoes not
purport 10 confer the right OF suffrage upon any
person. but In substance provides that the negro
ehan be allowed % vote unless there can DO
found a better reason for DISTINGUISHING nm
than his race, color, previous condition oil SER
vitude. That Is 10 say. negro cannot be dis-
franchised because he is negro, nor because BIO
N colorei, nor because he has once boon
slave. In fact, white man would enjoy the
protection Of the same amendment " the no
eroes outnumbered the whites In tho United
Rtates for no white man con be dlsfraDchised be-
cause be ia Il white man. The precise language
OF the fifteenth amendment IS: "1he right OF
citizens Of the United states 20 vote shall not Do
denied or abridged BY tho United States, or ~
any state, on account Of race. color, or previous
condition OF servitude."
Now for tho application Of our remarks. Judge
IA. p. CIxPBEtL, Of the Mississippi Supreme
bench, has issued an address 10 the people Oh
Mississippi, ia which he proposes 10 overcome
the preponderance OF negro votes In Mississippi
by adding 10 the "white mans voting power"
Under his plan no man would be disiranchlsed'
bat prOperty-owners would have the rlght 10
cast one, two, three, or more additional votes
- rn1ti
by quantity in the country and value In town.
Under Judge CAKPBELIs proposition tho
whites without property might feel hurt at no,
being the equals rs voters Of tho white men WHO
possess property. aud these whites and the ne
groes might combine against the property-own-
srs. The imposition of capitatIon-tax in Viz
einia resulted TO the dotriment OF the Demo
cratic party, and contributed 10 the success OF
MALONE IN 1879 and other years.
Its not certain that Judge CAsrBELDsscheme
would conflict With tue fifteenth amendment On
the contrary, IL seems 70 have been framed with
the intention OF having It consistent with that
amendment As be is judge OF the supreme
Court OF Mississippi II may be taken for granted
that he is an able constitutional lawyer. Never
theless, II Ia impossible 20 foretell how Judge
BHApLyYis Supreme Court Of ihe United States J."
would regard the matter. That tribunal might
hold that the Federal Constitution intended to
put black voters and white voters upon en- equaii-
" without reference 10 the value OF the property
held by them respectively.
The majority Of negro voters in Mississippi Is
already nifty thousand, and Is said 10 DO III
creasing rspidly-not. we suppose, Otherwise
than by importation from other states.
Negro voters having property would under this
scheme DO in a sense the superiors OF poor
wh0S
Judge CAMPBELL explains and defends his
scheme as follows:
There should be nothing startling in the
proposition 10 confer additional votes on pre-
scribed basis. The practice is familiar ia the
business world. In every Joint stock company
men vote according 10 the number OF shares
they own Why not modify this sound business
principle SO IA 20 make II safe, and Apply u 70
government In our exiRency? one OF the great
obiects OF government is the conservation OF in-
oividusl ownership Of property. Inc prime op-
3ect and function OF government ~ 70 protec'
men In the enjoyment OF me, nDep,s; me pr,
liked property, which is the subject OF general
ownership by the whites ms lar as may Dc Iound
necessary, IA basis for augmenIing the power OF
The United States 10 considered the model
republic and under its Constitution voter III
Nevada or Washington has perhaps hity times
the voting power Of one in New YORK, Ponnsyl-
ysnin or Ohio. by reason OF the fact that each
state mas two senators. The right 10 vote Ia po-
iitical, not naturai--a privilege rather than
right II belongs 90 every community 10 pre-
scribe who shall vote. and how many votes eaeh
psrson may cast, aud this may be changed 81
pleasure. The people In whom sovereignty re.
sides, except as limited by the Constitution OIL
the United States. may confer power 70 vote on
whom they please and take 1t away when ihey
wish 10 do 80. -
know fall well we can continue TO govern
this country have no fears as 20 that But II
asbo N
cnestsrs or TO fraud, that would DO too undemo-
cratic Tor me- and IL would be destructive OF that
"iberty, equality, aud fraternity" 30 dear 10 ua
and should DO avoided IL possible.