The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-07

SENATOR PRITCHARD'S MANI
EESTO-TAKES TWO SIZES.


Senator Pritchard has signed half
page political manifesto in Monday 5
Washington Post on political affairs in
North Carolina. He devotes the first
column to praising Russell's administra-
ton. quoting from the Governor as to
the number of negroes appointed to Of
flee. and declaring that there never was
any danger of negro domination III North
Carolina.
He then declares that in the cam
paign the Democrats promised not TO
disfranchise any voters, and quotes from
a circular letter issued by Chairman
Simmons which lie constructs into a
pledge not to disfranchise negroes where
as it was promise that no white voter
should be disfranchised and was so I'M
derstood.
The Senator then undertakes to show
that North Carolina was not admitted to
the Union after the civil var until it
matle compact MT To restrict srflarc,
argues that as the Constitutional amend
ment applies only to the ne
gro. it is in conflict with the four
teenth amendment, and then argues that
it will disfranchise very many old vet
Grams who surrendered under Lee at
Appomattox" He argues that the de-
cision in the Mississippi case has no
bearing upon our amendment, and that
the Massachusetts provision is upon
very different basis. He closes his
pronunciamento by coming out at the
same hole he went in at, to-wit: that
negro domination is a false cry
.------
It will strike the least educated man
that both the propositions of the Sena-
tor cannot be true. He takes two dis
tinctly antagonistic positions. Here they
are:
I. The Constitutional amendment was
drawn to exclude none but negro voters.
and for that reason the court will pro-
hounce it unconstitutional. 1T is" he
courts will be compelled to take judicial
notice, that in the year 1867 the colored
people were not entitled to Vote"
2. The Constitutional amendment
contains "a purpose to disfranchise thou
sands of our citizens, both white and
coored''
Roth of these contentious cannot be
tribe We shall insist from this hour
until the amendment is adopted that its
opponents must stick to one or the 9th
or of these propositions. The most illit-
crate man in the State knows that the
amendment cannot be held unconstitu-
1ional because it permits all the white
while eliminating most Of the negroes,
and ut the same time be Objectionable
because it ''disfranchises thousands Of
our citizens, both white and black" II
certainly cannot DO both, and nobody
knows this better than Senator Pritch-
ard. If it is unconstitutional because
denying it to certain negroes, it cannot
also be truly said that it DISTINGUISHES
both white and black" Senator Pritch-
ard and those who follow him must
choose which horn of the dilemma they
will take. They cannot fool the people
by taking two positions which are OK
actly opposed to each other. The IL
lterate voters in North Carolina have
been accustomed to hear public speak
ing in North Carolina, and they ar,
educated upon political topics. They
have sense, intelligence and patriotism
and are well qualified to see through tbs
sophistry above exposed. 1t is for thai
reason and because the Democratic
Legislature faithfully observes all it,
pledges. that the amendment submitted
is so worded that it cannot exclude any
white voter in North Carolina.
Senator P.itchard and his party fol
lowers know that whenever the mass o
ignorant voters are eliminated from
politics the Republican party cannot pol
10000 white votes in the State and tina
it will assume the same impotent posi-
ton in public affairs that it occupies j.
Georgia and Louisiana. Its Yer. iD1reati
of life depends upon the negro vote
The Republican pafty, white, in Nortl
Carolina is composed of not to excee'
$4,000 voters, divided as follows: One
third who hated the Democrats becaus
of the war and are still voting on age
an1 docron;t nreiudice: one-third VIII