The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-07-27

risht OF the ballot without being pre-
pared to exercise its privileges-to pre-
seae the Ignorant negro and FOREIGNER
from voting with our own people.
NO one should be allowed to 1,artici-
pate With the native white man in the
anairs of government unless he can
snow by an educa tional Ouaf;fcat ton
MS capacity to under and the nature
OF our institutions aud. to some extent,
ms worthiness to participate in the
aHalrs OF government. He should be
oeoafred from voting not ON account
Oh ms race, color OR previous condition
OF servltUde, but on account of his lack
or capacity to understand and perform
the duties of citizenship and OF how
TO vote to secure good government.
rms Is the policy and principle which
must be and is to be pursued with the
Hawaiian Islands. and must be with
the t1lip1nCS II we are SO unfortunate
as to have to continue to deal v, 18th
them.
The sentiment which brought about
the adoption OF the Fourteenth Amend
mont to the Federal Constitution has
been largely abandoned, and our courts
practical way, or we viii have q host
OF unciyilized hcatlans without any
conception CT our institutions and gov
eminent. controlling by their Votes the
brave. Intelligent sons Of American an
cestors who are bred and born into the
very spirit and genius of our republic
The principle in section :; Of the
proposed amendment is recognized. by
of j..
the discussion in Datcliff VS.. Beale.
II Miss, PAT, and the language CT that
court is quoted by the Supreme Court
Of the United STATES when the case of
Williams VS.. Mississippi was before the
court, without criticism, to say the
least of it. and is. think. approved by
the latter court. See Williams VS.. Mis-
sisslnDi, 40 +. s.. 213.
The court, in this latter case. was
considering whether the provisions OF
the Constitution of Mississippi on the
question of restrictc::
qualifications of jurors was in conflict
with the Federal Constitution.
1t is known Of all men that the eff
feet of the adoption OF the Mississippi
Constitution was TO eliminate the ne
gro from politics in that State. and the
courts recognize the fact. but say that
il it is NOT DONE ON ACCOUNT OF
RACE, COLOR OR PREVIOUS CON
DITION of servitEde, but because of
ignorance. inca pacity or crime com
mon to any particular race. color or
previous condition. it is within the
field of permissible action under the
limitation imposed by the Federal
Constitution"
Mr.. Justice MckeEna, who was for
merly M. McEinley's Attorney-Gen-
eral, wrote the opinion of the Supreme
Court of the United States, and in il
he quotes the following language from
the Supreme Court of Mississippi:
within the field OF permissible action
under the limitations imposed by the
Federal Constitution the convention
swept the circle of expedients to OBJ
struct the exercise Of the franchise by
the negro race" And furt1er-'By
reaso OF it's previous condition CT
servitude and dependence, this race
had acquired Or accentuated certain
peculiaritias of habit OF temperament
and character which clearly Gistin-
gu;shed it. as Il race. from that OF the
wliites-a patient. Gocile people, but
careless. landless and migratory with
in narrow limits, without forethought,
and its criminal members given rather
to furtive offences than to the robust
crimes OF the whites. Restrained by
the Federal Constitution from discrim!-
Mating against the negro race. the
convention discr;ninsuted against its
chara ct eristfcs ard the offences to
which it's weaker members were
prone
It was complained by counsel that
this was the purpose of the coIven-
ton. and it being SO, its work was i'll
conflict with the Constitution of the
United States. But, as an answer,
Justice McKenna comments on the
quotation as follows:
But nothing tangible can be de-
duced from this. II weakness were to
be taken advantage Of it was to be
done within the field OF permissible
action under the Limitations imposed
by the Federal Constitution. an&! the
means OF it were tie alleged charac-
teristics OF tlle negro race
1t needs 10 discussion to convince
the white people of North Carolina
that the interests OF the State DEMAND
ell that some means should be devised
by which the negro Will be prevented
from dominating the officers III this
State. TIE amendment proposed ac-
eompIished the desired end without IN
terfering with the native white man
right to vote.
It will be seen from the foregoing
observations chat the courts must ana
will uphold the constitu5ionaGty OF the
law.
The White Mans Divine Right
to Rule.