Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-01-22
THE TIMES AND NEGRO DIsFRAE
OHIsBMEET

1.-The Louieiana papers are rejoicing
that the constitutional convention has
been called and that the Negro will be
sfranchis>d,
The New Orleans States says that il
j. not victory over the Negro, but
victory over Negro suffrage, baLot-box
-tuffing ard fraud. and over the
threatened revolution 1T is happy
result for the white eitixens." adds tn
states. and it will b. n blessing 10 the
Negro, for he will be more highly
bought OF than before, will be pro-
t.cted in all his rights in his life ard
liberty and property. and instead Of
being regarded az n threat TO eivillzs-
tiOn and All element of gross corrup-
&, on in politics, he will have the good
Sill aud, II he be honest and industri
o "a. the esteem OF the white man, and
y III stand IN the country on his own
m rits as an honest, useful citizsn."
Vain hope thisl Cheating and fraud
prscticed by an organized oligarchy OF
by he state Is, IL anything more helm
Gus than similar crimes practiced by
individuals.
1t is polluting the source OF what
should be pure stream and sets a
standard of immortality which will
cause the flower OF the commonwealth
to be blighted and sow the seed OF dis
solution and decsy or the government
itself.
The same condition existed in an
cient Greece and Kome, and the end
was announced in the words 'Twas
Greece, but living Greece no more"
So 1t will lie with 10 lisians. and Mis-
sis isppi, and South Carolina, aud Vir-
| ginia too should she adopt this suici-
dal policy. G0d has so decreed it and
it is so inscribed upon the immutabIe
walls of Fate.
South Carolina has been an object
lesson. This state held an uncOnstitu-
tioual constitutions" convention
which by enactment disfranehised the
Negro.
Gov. ELLERBEE of that state in ad.
dressing the legislature is quoted a.
follows:
I regret that cannot congratulate,
you and the people or the State upoI
the condition of slTairs that faces yoI
to-day. The finances Of the State art
in = very unsatisiactorv condition
During the session OF the General As
sembly. for 1895. levy of four and
half mills was laid TO meet the cur
rent expenses OF the fiscal year, be-
ginning January /, 1897, and ending
December 81. 1897. 1he sum raised b,
this levy proved insufficient to NEE
the expenses. and We have, therefore,
J deficit of $1,000 600 to be provided for
This is state which has recent,
DISTINGUISHED the Negro, and is nov
boasting OF its absolute white man
rule. And so it will be to the end o
the chapter.
The TlMss says in the issue referre,
to:
However that may be, ons thing
certain il is better for all classes Ant
for public morals TO haVe n qualities
r, suffrage than. having an unrestricted
t suffrage, to cheat the Negro out of hi
vote. 1t is certainly more honOrabl
to Withhold thing from citizen b
law than to promise it TO him and the
> to cheat him out of it.
We do not accept any such conclu
: sion We insist that the question c
race, or color shall not be considered
We must proceed upon broads
: grounds than that and treat ali {
Virginia's citiz ms as members of tn
body polite and entitled to the equt
). protection OF ou- laws.
What standard OF moral philosoph
. or ethics has our contemporary bee
studying2 To enact vital wrong int
law does not make vital right.
Our contemporary says:
> 1.-THE practical question in Virgin
where there is not such a proportion
Negro voters as in LOuisiana, is whetl
er the white people will be willing
= disfranchise as many, il not mol
whites than Negroes by qualificatiC
d of suffrage which would eliminate ii
ST. Negro vote"
It This is to be question of class,
Ie refusal to recognize the fact that n
10 gro born upon Virginia's soil is
much Virginisn as is a German
n. Italian.-a RussiAn.-a Turk corn u
der similar conditions.
lt The TINES says:
ID eve have ne doubt that such qua
D. Ifcation of suffrage would be vote
" down in Virginia. The Negro is n,
II such a menace here as he is Louisian
A The Virginia Negro is Individually 81
n periOr in civilization and doclitV
ID his Louisiana brother. He was trea
a. I'd better before and siace the war
he Virginia than in Louisiana. No K
n. Klnx ever existed here"
"a We appreciate the compliment, b
~ depreeate the motive. 1t is the arg
at ment OF the woHld-be murderer wi
j. declines to commit the act because
is not absolutely necessary but serv
Of notice that should the occasion requi
IL he will be there 80 do the job" wi
ks expedition and dispatch.
We are at loss to understand he
a. many gentlemen edit the columns
is this journal. Their varying opinion
N cause the editorial columns at times
- play ''hari skari" with its previous
y announced policy
l. II it be opposed to ballot box-stu
= fing. fraud, bribery. cheating OF ever
{ description by individuals, in order
n be consistent, it must be opposed
! such practices by any law making poV
4 er. whether itsbe the act Of state
: of a nation.
81 There can be but one standard