The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-10
AN ,lNClSIVE UTTERANCE
HIS OPEN LETTER ON THE CON
STITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
SECTIONS FOUR AND FIVE ARE VALID
A Black Skin Does Not Give lnalienable
Right to Vote. u. S. Constitution Guaran-
tees Life and Liberty but Criminals are
Deprived Of Them by Law.
Baltimore, Nd, Nov. q, 1899.

baltimore, hQ., NOV. -, 1861.
Hon. f. NJ. Simmons,
Mr.. Chairman: Great sympathy with
the people of my native State induces
me to address this letter to you. / am
deeply impressed with the vast impor-
tance of the public question which is
now engaging their attention. The
events of the last few years need not
now be mentioned except in general
way. 1t is not probable that they will
Ibe forgotten by those who witnessed
their horrors. The courage of the peo-
pie during the trying scenes preceding
the last election. and their heroic for
bearance under the greatest provoca-
iion, merit, and viii always receive, the
highest praise A grateful country viii
always highly honor the brave men who
were leaders in the struggle for the
welfare and happiness of the State.
Their work was well begun, but is not
yet finished.
The public evils require remedy for
titled by public law. The wise and
jndicious men who framed the proposed
Constitutional Amendment calmly and
deliberately considered the great trou-.
bles which were expressing the people of
the State: and in the true spirit of en-
lightened craftsmanship sought remedy
for them: disrnissing from their minds
the natural resentment caused by the
enormous Outfages which had been
committed. They saw that the fruitful
origin Of mischief lay in the possession
of the elective franchise by large
number OF vicious and ignorant voters
They saw that these men readily be-
came the victims and tools of tInScrupu-
lous demagogaes. And they devised
scheme for the removal Of this danger
by the purifcation of the ballot box.
For this purpose they recommend to the
people of the State an amendment to
their organic law. The second, third and
fourth sections Of the proposed amend
ment contain the important matters
which are submitted to the public jndg-
ment. The second section declares that
no person shall be permitted to vote
who has been convicted of a crime which
is punishable by Imprisonment in the
penitentiary The fourth section re-
quires that every voter must be abe
no read and write any section OF the
Constitution In the Lilglish language.
The fifth section provides that no male
person. who, on the first day of Janu-
ary. 1901, ut any liHlp UTfuF fiutlLLo.
was entitled I'd vote under the laws Of
any State in the United States, wherein
he then resided, and ro lineal descend
ant of such Derson, shall be denied the
right to vote by reason of his failure
to possess the educational qualification
prescribed in hction four. 1t is believ-
cd that no objection has been made to
the second section; but the fourth and
fifth sections have been severely criti-
sised. DismissGng the consideration of
conyicts. these sections taken together
describe the prisons who are entitled
70 vote. Takillg them negatively, they
determine that lno cne shall vote unless
he has the reaiired ability to read and
write; or unleiss he was voter In
eighteen hundrHd and sixty seven, or u
lineal descendant of such voter lax
ing them affilmatively. those persons
may vote who can read and write, arld
who were voters in eighteen hundfeu
and sixty-sevenb and the lineal descend
ants of such ybters The two sections
taken together describe the whole body
of voters. If flIey were dissociated from
each other. they would give an imper-
fect view of the meaning of the amend
mont. If one of them is rejected, the
other section would defeat the mean-
ing altogether; and would provide that
the voting population should not EN-
brace the persons contemplated by the
amendment. If the people adopt the
amendment it will be their purpose that
they both shall stand together. i
would be idle to suggest that they could
have any other meaning. Il as plainly
written that all those shall vote VINO
are named in these sections. No others
are permitted. 1t is also plainly written
THAT none shall vote who are forbidden
by these sections. Those are designated
who are considered worthy of the eiec-
tive franchise; who can be safely ell
trusted with the highest privilege OF
citizenship. JInlettered men are not
treated like outlaws. They as often
as other men exhibit in their lives the
qualities Of honesty. yirtue and patriot
ism: and very frequently in ordinary
business and in practical wisdom they
far excel the mere student whose life
has been immersed in books. Let us
take an example Of such men: and we
will take it at randon, without any
special care in making 4 selection, pro-
yiding only that he shall be an average
man of his class As is well known, he