Birmingham state herald., 1896-02-04
MIR. WEAKLEY'S SPEECH.

Hon. S. D. Weak1ey. who is a mem Der of the state democratic executive committee. and who was chairman of the subcommittee that reported the res olution fixing the qualifications of voters in the coming primaries, and who is also a member of the Jefferson county demo- cratic executive committee, made a speech before that committee last Sat urday in opposition to a proposition to allow negroes to vote in our county pri- maries. Among other timely remarks made during that speech were the fol- lowing, which we reproduce for the pur- pose of directing special attention to them:
 "'The vital question of the second para graph of the committees report consists In the use of the word white, the re- mainder of it being but reiteration of the qualifications adopted by the state execu- tive committee for participants in our primaries, which qualifications the com mittee is powerless to change. The real question presented by the paragraph is whether we shall or shall not exclude negroes from voting in our party elec- tion. Two years ago member of this committee raised the point, which he asked us to decide, that under the lang uage of the then call of the state commit tee negroes who had heretofore voted for certain democratic nominees would be entitled to vote in the beat meetings held to select delegates to the county convention. The words used then were all qualified voters (which was certain ly broad enough to include negroes), who had voted our ticket at the named elee- tions; and from this he argued that there was no authority to exclude them. The suggestion was ridiculed by this commit tee, which put the proposition aside with mt formal that it was unworthy of serious consider ation. It was said by members here that in view of the history of our party in Alabama-in view of our cardinal prin- ciple of Caucasian supremacy-the word white could be easily supplied; that by necessary implication the call must be construed as If 1t meant these, and its omission was said to be due to the fact that no one supposed any one would con test that 1t was designed to invite ne- groes into the primaries, particularly since they were not accustomed to take part in making our nomina- tions. The failure to express this entirely was likened unto the case of the ancient law giver who omitted to provide punishment for the man who might kill his father or mother because he did not suppose any one would ever commit such an offense, and hence he thought there was no need of such law. Such was the reasoning em- poyed here to meet the arguments of the gentleman who said the question might become a practical-one to hold CTS of the election, who ought to be ad- vised how to decide It. But this com mlttee did not deem 1t of sufficient im- portance to require an official delibera- tion upon 1t, and thus the episode ended. Results proved that they were right. Negroes did not participate, nor have they ever done so in this county as far as am advised. When the state execu- tive committee met recently at Montgom- cry various resolutions as to qualfica- tlons were offered. Acting, doubtless. upon the ideas which found expression here two years ago, the authors of them seemed not to deem 1t necessary to use the word white in describing those to whom they proposed to give the right to vote; and when the subcommittee took up for consideration the various resolu-