The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-08


hope II will rot do so. The vital part
Of that plan Is its provision that requires
n person applying TO be registered as
voter 10 be able either TO read the CON-
stitution OF the State. or to understand IL
when read TO him. Those who can read
are Of course registered without more
ado. But the law gives the registering
officer the discretion TO decide whether
q person who cannot read, understands
the Constitution when read 70 him. Inns
is a power. of course. which should never
be committed TO a partisan. Pracucaily'
IL operates 10 make the registrar de-
termine that every illiterate white man
understands the Constitution when read
10 him. and that no illiterate negro un-
ders,ands IL. Mississippi thus starts her
electoral system upon foundation VI
fraud, and the influence Of that frauuu-
lent example held up by the state 10
her people must be widespread and last
ing upon their character. The state
should be a perpetual example to its
people Of all that is high, pure just ana
Of good reputc. and when II Is, II is al
ways drawing its people upwards ana on
wards. But when It becomes STANDING
example of deception. trickery and fraud,
It is always operating upon its people az
a corroding influence that corrupts their
minds. dehauches their thoughts, ana
bragg them down. step by step, to all that
is base.
Her people had better endure anything
than to have their State hold this eN-
ample and this moral up 10 their eyes
1t is not out Of regard merely for the
negro that we deplore Mississippi
action in adopting this provision OF
her Constitution. and II is not out
of regard merely for the negro that
we hope South Carolina will not adopt
a similar one. II is mainly out OF regard
to the white PEOPLE of those two states
that We doplore the action OF one ana
rcprcs)ate the proposed action Of the
ether We want TO see the integrity OF
or Anelo-Saxon character preserved al
all cost. and that will be undermined ana
DESTROYED If we permit our state govern
monts TO become exemplars TO their people
Of tricxery. deceit. and fraud.
The crime of this century was the act
Of the Republican party in injecting the
mi-barbarors negroes into the body
polite of the South as voters. There
were many negroes who possessed every
qualification for suffrage that could be
demanded under any existing rule any
where; but the vast majority were ut
terly unit for its exercise. and had not
then and have not now any apprehension
Of the dignity and duty of this crown OF
citizenship. The important requisite
then was TO discriminate between these
classes and nowhere could this be done
so wisely as by those who knew these
people and their situation. The crime
did not consist so much indeed in
comforting the right Of suffrage upon the
negro as in passing the fifteenth amend
mcnt. which deprived the States OF that
fun power 10 regulate the use of the snf-
frage which is absolutely Indispensable
10 orderly and good government Simply
comforting the suffrage upon the negro
would have been matter of small mo-
ment if the Southern States had been leit
free TO regulate their use of 1t. They
would then have admitted them to the
exercise of the suffrage as they demon
strated their fitness for il, but they would
have restrained the ignorant and brutal
hordes that threatened. by their action in
masses. their civilization and even their
existence The fifteenth amendment 10
the Constitution was the fatal work that
put the capstone upon that horrible pc
Rod Of reconstruction and degradation
which the wicked leaders Of the Repub-
hcan party designed for the Southern
States out of their malignant hatred for
our people
Instead of saying that South Carolina
and Mississippi should not deprive any
person of the right TO vote on account
of race. color. or previous condition OF
se-vitude, that amendment should nave
declared that as the negro Lad just
emerged from condition Of slavery ana
was still in a measure barbarous, the
several States should have the express
right TO prescribe the terms and condi-
tions upon which they should be allow
ed to exercise the right of suffrage, and
then the locality would have endowed the
negroes with the full rights of citizenship
as each individual negro demonstrated his
capacity for understanding the duties OF
a citizen and for exercising them intel
ligently. Malice and hatred OF our peo-
pie. however. prompted the opposite
course and the South has for thirty
years suffered a curse that is without
parallel in the history of the world, and
that shows few signs Of disappearing.
There is but one way to end this abb
normal condition so cruel and destructive
to the South. and that is to apply TO II
the foundation principle of our institu-
tons. that each locality shall regulate Its
cwn local affairs. The regulation of the
suffrage Is essentially a local matter.
ana South Carolina or Louisiana should
have the right TO say which OF her peo-
pie are qualified TO take part in her gov
trnment and which are not. The M
teenth amt ndment to the Constitution OF
the United States should be repeated, ana
peace and order would at once appear
in the Sol IN. Has the North enough
craftsmanship. to say nothing Of mag
nanimity, 10 consent 10 its repeal?