The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-20
The Messenger.
THE. AMENDMENT BROUGHT
HOME AND A PLAN.

interrogate himself as to q constitu-
tional amendment limiting suffrage,
AID will inquire-"Would / vote for an
amendment that would disfranchise me
whatever it may be-" he will doubt
less answer his own question with an
emphatic no. Suppose it is, for in
stance, an amendment requiring a
voter to own $500 of real estate if he
lives in town, or of 100 acres of land
il he ives either in town Or country,
and you do not own either, and can
not see how/you may own it, would you
vote for such an amendment thus de-
priving yourself Of the right to vote?
We do not believe you would.
Prior to 1852, or later, a man to vote
for a candidate for the North Carolina
senate had to own fifty acres Of land.
Would you vote to restore that law SO
long time prevailed? We do not think
you would.
In the early days when the state gov
ernment was first formed, a senator
must own 300 acres of land in fee sim
pie, and TO vote for him the elector
must own fifty acres in the same coun-'
ty and for six months previous to the
election. IL the a represen-
tative must own 100 acres, to vote for
him the elector need not possess land,
but he must have paid his taxes.
Mark that. He must help to support
the new government by paying his
taxes. A man living in town had to
possess a freehold and to pay taxes.
Now in the same commonwealth,
man can vote who has never paid
taxes. There are quite 10000 g
voters in North Carolina who do not
a II cent of taxes to support state,
county or municipal government, and
who do not own any property. Is
that true progress, or advancing back
wardS?"
We return to the dangers attending
a vote to disfranchise. Will the men
to be affected by the amendment vote
for it? Has human nature become 90
purified, exalted, purged that men will
practice great self-denial and deliber-
ately deprive themselves by voting for
an amendment lat cuts them off COM
pletely from the right to vote. We are
candid enough to declare that we would
not vote for any amendment that would
shut us out from the dictatorship,
whether it was a scholastic, a linguistic,
an ownership of property or any other
test. So will it be with every man who
shall be involved in any way in the un-
favorable application of a new consti-
tutional amendment.
Remember that the restricting of suf-
frage is going to affect whites and
blacks. A great many whites would
be deprived of voting under a consti-
tutional educational test or property
test. Would they rally in support of
such an amendment? who is foolish
enough to believe it? You would bet
ter believe that the moon is a globe of
green cheese.
What about the constitution Of the
United States prohibiting any discrim-
nation on account of color? What can
the Legislature do safely in the way of
changing the organic law? Can it not
submit an amendment creating a good
election law for he future? What
kind of election law would best an
swer? We submit this.
Let the amendment provide for the
election of all county officers in such
counties as the legislature may desig-
nate. These officers are to be elected
by a board of magistrates-mark thu
word magistrates-to be chosen by tn
legislature. This will afford protection
to the taxpayers, the burden bearers
1t will put the power where it belongs
II. will give control to business quail
ication, experience. intelligence, AM
Integrity. 1t will rid North CAROLYN;
forever of a nuisance.
Many a good citizen will vote for thi
amendment who would not support a.
amendment that required educationa
qualification.
To get rid of the present set of fusio1
incompetents-county COMMISSIONS
and justices of the peace I'M the eastern
or middle negro counties, let the legis
nature abolish those Offices and appoin
magistrates in the place or justices Q
the peace, and give them power to cleo
county trustees in place of the count
commissioners. This can be done, W
apprehend, with propriety, justice al
safety, and will greatly relieve som
twenty five oppressed and wronge
COMMITTEES