The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-03
The W ,ssrnger.


After all the kin and fiattering
things said of the present legislature
by the democratic state press, 1t be-
gins to look as If there was danger
ahead and with it tremendous disap-
pointment for the people. 1t has been
understood from Currituck to Chero-
kee, from ocean to the northern border
thai with the victory for the White
Mans Government in November there
would forever be an end of negro rule
in North Carolina. There was not only
a determination looking to this end in
the campaign from start to finish, put
it was party pledge and inspiration.
But for the fight for good and honest
government waged with a distinct.
~resolute purpose TO secure it through
the inspiration of the rule of the White
Men and the overthrow forever of ne
gro rule, there would have been no
victory in North Carolina on November
Sth, for the democracy, No other plan
or slogan, no other motive and inspi-
ration would have drawn to the white
mans banner so much help from the
TCpupt1oonS ana me UOplilSLS WIZ pre-
ferred their race to the negro race, n
prosperity for North Carolina to in
spire of rule and ruin, Of plumber n
chaos.
Why is this written at a late hour?
1t is because it is now feared that
there is to be treachery in the party,
that there are members who are
49,. l. cuo-~ 80 thot
will not be repeated, and to betray the
will of the people SO clearly under
stood up to within a few days. There
are boilers and kickers that may de-
stroy the best results of the great No
vember victory. There are members
in the legislature, as we hear, who are
faint-hearted and will not obey the
will of the White Men.
But to be more particular. If we
are in possession of correct informa-
ton, that democratic caucus held in
Raleigh last Friday night was a sur
prise party" It appeared that there
was a vigorous and imposing opposi-
ton to any amendment to the consti-
tuition that looked to the d~isfranchise-
ment of negroes or any other electors.
These boilers and opponents of the
white mans party are from different
parts of the state. They declare that
they will not vote for n claus dis
franchising any one of any color. They
say that this is NJ new thing with
them, that they will never consent to
it; that they promised their people
their constituency, that under no cir
cumstances would they support such
an amendment, but would vote against
it. And this is the stuff of which many
of the trusted and lauded members
are made. What did they go to, Raj
eigh for? How came such men to be
trusted in such an hour? What could
white men be thinking of in such a
great crisis in our state as to SEND
such opponents of negro rights and
negro desires to legislate at Raleigh
with the true representative men of
.Nthe White Mans party?
The papers should rally at once to
the support of the true democrats. Let
an united and brave press as one man
demand that the negro votes in North
Carolina shall be greatly curtailed, and
+. that no negro shall ever vote without
ability to read the constitution and
without paying a poll tax.
The people should at once call public
meetings and demand that members
shall obey the will of the people and
vote for the practical elimination of the
negro vote, and thus make a White
Mans government permanent for all
time in North Carolina. What a shame,
what an eternal stigma and reproach
it would be if after all the tremendous
efforts to restore order, to preserve our
civilization, to bring Jack the old ship
of state to safe moorings once more,
that the cause should be lost by men
of weak knees and webbing princi-
Piles, and that. the great battle of 1898
should have to be fought again in 1900
with far more of heat and excitement
and with more disastrous results. If
our ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS we have heard,
is exaggerated, we shall be glad. If it
should turn out that the members who
have talked, are not determined to do
wrong as is feared, all who read this
will have cause to rejoice. But if the
rumor is approximately right there
was cause for disgust at that caucus.