The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1899-06-22
(Chai lOttr Observer)


The following letter from General
Andrew ID. Cowles. of Statesville, TO
DR.. Solomon Angle, member OF the
Republican executive committee OF
lredell county. will be read with
great interest throughout the State,
and in consideration of its source is
calculated to create profound i'm
pression:
DIR. Solomon Angle, Member County
Republican Committee, Houston
vile. n. c.:
My DEAR Slit beg leave to ac-
knowledge your esteemed favor Of
the goth inst, and thank you for the
invitation to visit YOU | have given
the proposed amendment to the Con-
stitution consideration. and have dis
cussed the question fully with eX-
Senator A. {. Sharp, who you know
is good Republican and a sensible
man. We shall not oppose the meas
ure at the polls, believing that its
ratification will lead to a solution of
the race question and ultimately
prove L blessing to the State of North
is not affected, and the deprivation
OF the right to vote by the illiterate
will stimulate the ignorant negro to
qualify himself by going to school or
getting others to teach him to read
and write at home.
CENTURY.
The fifteenth amendment to the
Federal Constitution was the worst
blunder OF the nineteenth century,
and had President Lincoln lived it
would not have been adopted. His
wisdom and love of the chivalrous
South would have dictated an educa-
tional qualification or limitation of
age, treating the newly emancipated
freeman as a minor in law and pro-
viding twenty-one years or more be-
fore exercising the right to vote.
The dark and bloody days of recon-
struction would have been turned
into an era of congratulation that the
incubus of slavery had passed away,
leaving the South better off than II we
had been conquerors. There would
have been no feeling entertained OF
attempted humiliation on the part Of
the North by making late slaves the
equals of their late masters. and the
negroes without the iridescent dream
of office ever before them, and ever
eluding. would have concentrated
their talents wholly in the direction
of improving their condition. Edu-
cation received, property amassed and
happiness secured would have been
their portion. and in every progress
sive step OF their existence they
would have had only to reach out to
find a white mans hand ready to
lead them, instead Of to smite. In
Gods own good time the negro, after
years of preparation, may have been
called to participation in the gov
ernment OF the country. You only
have to recur to the forcible sup
preston of the negro vote in some Of
the Southern States as proof of pre-
mature enfranchisement.
CURSES ALL; BENEFITS NONE.
1t is seldom that measure curses
every one and benefits no one, but
! such is the history of the fifteenth
amendment. The North, flushed
with victory, resolved to perpetuate
the power of the Republican party
with this servile vote. The Southern
States were re-districted and on the
| increased citizenship about 40 new
districts were added, securing an
eanal number of Congressmen~ and
electoral votes. Up to 1876 this plan
worked. Since then it has been a
boomerang A lonely Congressman
here and there and not a single cleo
toral vote is the result of the fifteenth
amendment ON the fortunes Of the
Republican party. Had there been
| no fifteenth amendment there would
| have been no massacre at Hamburg
no murder at Copiah: no slaughter at
| Meridian: Postmaster Baker would
not have been a victim of the assas=
sin; John w. Stephens would not
have furnished theme for "A Fools S
| Errand" and the Ku Klux klan would
| have never existed. Had this veri-
table box of Pandors remained un-
opened, injustice to the negro would
have met swift punishment by oul
courts. prejudice would have hung
It's head in shame in our temples OF
Justice, and. backed by public senti'
ment. the colored mans rights would
have been protected. So. | say. the
North suffered. the South suffered
and the greatest sufferer OF all was
he whom it was expected to benefit
THE WHITE MANS DIVINE RIGHT t,
RULE.
The white mans boast Of superl
ority is not idle or imaginary, Cen
turtles of untettered opportunity have
endowed him with the divine right to
rule He has given the world its
literature and invented the telegraph
and girdled the globe-almost ami
hilating time; he invented the steam
engine, and almost annihilated dis
tance; the printing press to accom-
plish universal education and pre-
serve in enduring form the treasure:
of the mind. The loom, the sewing
machine. the reaper, the electric
light. Transforming night to day. arr
the products Of his brain. Up to this
time God has never chosen the negro
to lead any great movement make
discovery, invent anything. con
tribute to literature, perpetuate him
self in song or story. and II ne wer'
blotted out of existence the worl'
would scarcely miss him in its on
ward march of achievement. nor Ions
remember that he once lived. l
would not remember, except the Clvl
war was waged over him and tn
a..4rr dalnned in blood: nor care