The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-11-07

Was Ou JANUARY ~ AOOtI Vi 0S any N-
prior thereto entitled to vote under the
laws of any State in the United States
wherein he then resided, and no lineel
| descendant of any such person shall be
denied the right to register and vote at
any election in this State By reason of
his failure to possess the educational
u1alif cation prescribed in this section
4 OF this article, provided ne shall have
registered IN accordance with the terms
of this section prior to Dec 1, 1908"
Tae XVsh amendment Of the Consti-
tu7ion OF the United States i5 as fol
lows:
Section 1 The right Of cit.z3ns OF
the United States to vote shall not be
denied or abridged by the United States
or by any State on account of race,
color or previous condition of servi
tude.
Section 2 The Congress shall have
power TO enforce this article by app'o
pirate legislation"
The XLV5h amendment, Section 2,
is as follows:
Representatives shall be appor
toned among the several States accord
ing to their respective numbers, count
ing the whole number Of perto-s in
each State, excluding Indians not
taxed. But when the right to vote at
any election is denied to any OF the
male inhabitants Of such State, being
81 years of age, and citizsns of the
United States, or in any way abridg ed,
the basis. of representation therein
shall be reduced in the proportion
which the number of such male citizens
shall bear to the whole number of male
c~i57zsns 81 years Of age in such State"
I quote these amendments because
they have important bearings upon the
proposed amendment. They are of IN
questioned validity and as firm as the
earsn Or which we live.
Whatever may have been the cause
Of the var between the States, its re
sulG was the abolition OF slavery. The
Confederate soldier when he surren-
dered, and the Southern citizen when
he took the oath of amnesty, gave the
word Of honor that he would support
the proclamation of Abraham Lincoln
abolish'ng slavery, That prociama
ton has been enacted into law in the
thirteenth. fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments Co the Constitution of the
TT,TrnH GrnPe0 wv. hn-n oil -
suOport these amendments ulm9 and
again, and they are as well established
as tneY can be.
Section 4 Of the proposed amrniment
was ~Ia5euoet 20 b9 made in conformity
with the XVEh anendment; both
Whi5e and cOI1red era TO De disfcan
ch s d al ke 80 that 1t may not be said
Gns negro vas dis'r suGhised 90 ccount
OF hi3 race. Would i, )G bs batter Co say
that bo5n white and olacx are disfraa
c0i=ed On eCc Juut ut toe npRr09 If 1t
ha no5 been for toe howl against TIE
! negro, the aman1m3.5 would not De
DroD7eed IN ii IN Ec;rou ls only 40
offering n reconcile ere white mau TO
Dls de.radaEion, But Jh5 proud North
CaTolIuIan will not accept ID az the
price Of his liberty. He will regard it
With scorn aud will not regi-ter. He
may not b sbe to read and write, out
ne is "a man for a that " The iitn eec
tIon is on,y temporary. IE WI Ic3ntiQue
only TIL December 1s5, 1913 80 It
nay be disregarCed altogether.
Suppose tnen that section 4 is in con
fOrmity with the XVgn amendment,
what will be the resul&9 About half
Ghe voters in NorGh Carolina will be
dIafranchised, and by the X V amend
meDt representation in Congress and
Ia the E 'ectoral College will De reduced
to MALT Of what it now is, and about
one third o. the white people will be
reduced 10 q condition Of slavery and
und Rings. the Democratic party
does not want sais. Therefore let them
withdraw the amendment and give the
people an hOuest election law and q
go 'd government. Chis is the best
thing that can be done for the people.
Let peace and good will return and let
party strife cease.
Very respectfully,
ALEX McIVER
Chatham Co, N. @.
NOTES FROM THR PTRT-N