The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1898-11-03

THREE negroes running for the Leg
islature in Edgecombe county, all OF
whom were nominated by the Repub-
lican party, and have been endorsed by
the Fusion and Populists?
25th. Do you deny that there are
TWO negroes running for the Legisla-
ture in Halifax county, both of whom
were nominated by the republican
party?
Goth. Do you deny that there are two
negroes running for the Legislature in
Granville county, and that both were
nominated by the Republican party?
9th. Do you deny that there is
negro running for the Legislature in
Vance county, one in Craven county,
one in Pasquotank county, one in
Northampton county, one in Warren
county, and in several other Eastern
counties, all of whom were nominated
by the Republican party?
2Sth. Do you deny that the Repub-
llcan party has this year nominated in
| various counties in the East, negroes
for registers of deeds, treasurers, coron-
ers, constables, county commissioners,
and magistrates?
| 29th.. Do you deny that there are
upon the Republican ticket in the
county OF Craven, a negro for the Leg
islature, negro for register of deeds, a
negro for treasurer, a negro for coroner,
a negro for county commissioner and
negro for standard keeper, all of whom
we're nominated by the Republican
party, and are its regular candidates,
and that the white Republican candi
dates for sheriff and clerk in that coun-
ty have promised the negroes, if elect
ed, they will appoint negro deputies?
SOth. Do you deny that there are
several hundred school committeeman
in North Carolina, appointed by the
Republican party and having authority
over white as we'll as colored schools?
Now what constitutes negro donli ma
ton or negro rule may be a question
of opinion or taste. What the people
want to know is not what constitutes
your uneQuivocal statement OF the
facts with reference to negro office
holding in the East and negro candi-
dates on the part of your party, so that
they, as intelligent beings, may decide
for themselves, whether there is negro
rule in Eastern Carolina.
/ The Democratic people living, and
the Democratic newspapers published,
in the localities where these offices are
held and candidates are running, have
asserted and published, and I, as chair
man ct the Democratic party, have
} asserted and caused to be published,
and do now assert, (elther from person
al knowledge, or from information OBJ
tanned. from thoroughly trustworthy
: and reliable sources, duly yerlfedl that
! negroes appointed or elected by the
Republican party, now hold the offices
these questions represent them as hold
ing and that negroes regularly noni-
mated by the Republican party, are
: now candidates for the offices these
: questions represent them as being
candidates to fill, and in view OF the
alleged statements, made as aforesaid
by you, denying in general terms the
: fact of negro domination and office
holding In Eastern North Carolina, ]
call upon you to specifically answer
under your own signature, without
: evasion or equivocation, and upon youl
responsibility as man and representa-
, tive OF the people in the United States
, Senate, the questions above PROFOUND
, ed. Not one of them, but all of them
: If you make denial of these ques
, tions, or any one of them, I ask thai
you Will give the authority upon which
, you base that denial, and if you are
l not sufficiently informed as to the
| facts to enable you to answer categoric
! ally, ask that you will inform your
3 self.
Now, desire that you answer me :
e few other que stlons, to-wit:
: First. If there were in Madison
r county, where you reside, as there ar
e now in New Hanover county-4O negro
n magistrates, IA negro policemen, a score
OF negro constables, negro register o
9 deeds, with negro deputies, negro col
4 lector of customs, with negro deputies
e negro deputy sherlffs, negro Aldermen
q and negro finance committeeman
; would you say, as man of honor, tina
Madison county was not negroized?
9 Second. If the Republican party il
n Madison county had nominated negr'
9 for the Legislature, negro register o
: deeds, negro for county treasurer,
) negro tor standard keeper, a negro TO
constable, white man for sheriff, VIII,
e had promised to appoint none but ne
Il gro deputies, white man for clerk oil
# the Superior court, who had promises
e to appoint negro deputy clerk, as il
n Craven county, would you advise tn
white people of Madison county to vot
IS for that ticket?
oil Third. In Craven county there ar
y twenty-seven negro magistrates, tire
o negro deputy sherlffs, negro register O
Y deeds, score of negro constables, an,
r if the ticket nominated by the Republi
can party In that county is elected
r there would be in that county after tn,
J. election, negro member of the Legis
i lature, a negro register of deeds, will
Q negro deputies, negro treasurer, ne
!, gro coroner, negro on the board O
9 commissioners, all deputies in tn
sheriff's Office all deputies in the clerl
e of the Superior courts office, negroe
}, land this ticket nominated by ,h,
Republican party in that county, vii
be elected, for out of the total vote O
Q 4, 300 in that county, there are 2,6O(
q negro voters. Now, if there were a
y many office-holding negroes in tn,
county of Madison as there will be il