The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-18

vote, and carry the State. The plan
came near succeeding in 1894. Unless
! the negroes were eliminated, the danger
hung over their heads like q poised
| sword held by a single hair. 1t was this
knowledge that led the white people Of
| that State to call Constitutional Con
vention to deal with the knotty question
| of suffrage. They had a condition, not
a theory to deal with-conditions that
paraleled those that confront the victo-
rious Democracy of North Carolina to-
day. with this difference: In Louisiana n
new constitution is not submitted to the
voters for ratification. When the conyen-
ton that met on the 18th of May, this
year, finished its work, it was the SUI
preme law of the State without necessity
of submission for ratification.
Judge Davey tells me that when the
convention assembled there were many
opinions as to the best method of secur
ing the end in view, and the differences
of opinion frequently FLASHED, and that
some timid men feared it would be inn
possible TO reach an agreement that
would command the solid vote of the
Democratic members. But there was Il
deathless determination to settle the
ger of rule by negroes and demagogues
or rather the destruction of the State by
them. That feeling caused coming to-
gether until the suffrage provisions
were placed in the Constitution. The
recent election was held under the new
Constitution and the result was that
with few exceptions the negro did not
vote. | give below, copied verbatim from
the Constitution of the State of Louis
lana" the material portions of the artl-
Gle on Suffrage and Elections"
art. 1877. Every male citizen of this
State and of the United States, native
born or naturaliZed, not less than TWEEN
ty-one years of age, and possessing the
following qualifications, shall be an cleo
tor and shall be entitled to vote at any
electionin this State by the people. eN-
cept as may be herein otherwise pro-
vided.
'Sec. 1. He shall have been an actual
bona-fide resident of this State for two
years, of the parish one year and of the
precinct in which he offers to vote six
months next proceeding the election; pre-
vided. that removal from one precinct to
another in the same parish shall not opc-
rate to deprive any person of the right
to vote in the precinct from which he
has removed, until six months after such
removal.
"Sec. = He shall have been at the
time he offers to vote, legally enrolled
as a registered voter on his personal APP
plication, in accordance with the provis-
ions of this Constitution, and the laws
enacted Hereunder.
s.INh, Of y0fprc and the
registration laws in force prior to the
adoption of this Constitution shall re-
main in force until December 31st, 1898,
ut which date all the provisions of this
Constitution relative to suffrage, regis
tration and election, except as herelnaf-
ter otherwise provided, shall go into eff
feet. and the General Assembly shall,
and is hereby directed, at its regular ses-
sion in 1898, to enact n general regis
tration law to carry into effect the pro-
visions of this Constitution relative to
the qualifications and registration of yo-
tiers.
See. 3. He shall be able to read and
write, and shall demonstrate his ability
to do so when he applies for registration,
by making, under oath administered by
the registration officer or his deputy,
written application therefor, in the Eng
lish language, or in his mother tongue,
which application shall contain the es-
sential facts necessary to show that he
is entitled to register and vote, and shall
be entirely written, dated and signed by
him. in the presence of the registration
officer or of his deputy, without assistance
or suggestion from any person or any
memorandum whatever, except the form
of application hereinafter set forth; pro-
yided, however, that if the applicant be
unable to write his application
in the English language, he shall have
the right. if he so demands, to write the
same in his mother tongue from the die
tation of an interpreter; and the APP
plicant is unable to write his applica-
ton by reason of physical disability, the
same shall be written at his dictation by
the registration officer or his deputy,
upon his oath of such disability. The
application for registration, above provi-
ded for, shall be a copy of the following
form, with the proper names, dates,
and numbers substituted for the blanks
appearing therein, to-wit:
II am a citizen of the State of Louis
lana. Ny name is. -. | was born Ill
the State Tor country of 49,, Parish
Tor county, of 49,. on the day of
in the year. -, l am now. years,
months and :. days of age. | have re-
sided in this State since $50, in this
parish since. -, and in Precinct No.
:, of Ward No :. of this parish, since
;, and / am not DISTINGUISHED by any
provision of the Constitution of this
State.
Sec 4. If he be not able to read and
write. as provided by Section three of
this article, then he shall be entitled to
register and vote if he shall, at the time
he offers to register, be the bona fde
owner of property assessed to him in
this State at valuation of not less than
three hundred dollars on the assessment
roll of the current year in which he Of
fers to register, or on the roll OF the
preceding year, if the roll of the current
year shall not then have been completed
and fled and on which, if such prop
erty be personal only, all taxes due shall
have been paid. The applicant for regis
tration under this section shall make
oath before the registration officer or
his deputy, that he is a citizen of the
United States and of this State, over
the age Of twenty-one years; that he
possesses the qualifications prescribed in