The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-17

years or age, in this country is allowed
to vote, no matter how highly cultivated
his mind, how sound his Judgment and
how pure his character, on the ground
that the generality of such persons do
not entertain just conceptions of the pub
lie interests. No person who is not en-
dowed with a freehold qualification of
fifty acres of land, in this State, can
vote for Senator, and no person not
possessed of a freehold of three hundred
acres is entitled to a seat an the Senate.
These are all prohibitions, restrictions
and exclusions, which have been deem
ed essential to the public welfare
wherever they have been adopted.
Now, he asked where is the monstrous
breach of justice and humanity in ex-
Guiding free mulattoes from right
of suffrage, if these restrictions on
the liberty of white persons be founded
in sound policy and justice? No per-
son would deny that we might pass a
law declaring that no citizen of Africa
should vote in the elections of this
State, though he landed on the Ameri-
can shore invested with the mantle of
freedom-and why? Because he con-
tracted notions in the land of his birth
at variance with the interests of this
country If he did not relish the in
situations of this country, with that re-
striction imposed, he might depart. If,
then, there would be no peculiar de-
gree of hardship in excluding those
Africans from the right of suffrage
who were free when they stepped on
the shore of this country, where would
be the monstrous injustice Gu excluding
those from the pale of the elective plIyl-
lege whom we have released from SID
yery-those whom we have absolutely
delivered from the fbplrthens which they
brought with them here.
NOW. Mr. Chairman" said Mr.. Me-
Queen, / put this question: docs a free
negro aspire to tiae blessing, merely for
the sake of acquiring a right TO vo1e,
or does the blessing Of freedoms BRING
along with it pride of character which
makes him aspire to This right; or, N
other words, would he reject the boon
of freedom, if proffered him unassocia-
ted with the right TO vote! The proba-
bility is. that the right of suffrage mover
enters his head when he is struggling
to obtain freedom; he is willing to ac-
cept of it on almost amy conditions you
may dictate. Now, it is proposed to
invest the free negro with tine most
important privilege which is exercised
by THE white population of the country.
Whence do they derive their title to
this equality of privilege? Are they
recognized by public sentiment as CON
satituting the class of the people from
which thp political power of this coun-
try sholGd flow i'm the whole. CIR even
i'm part? Is there amy gentleman on
this floor who would be willing to see
the right of suffrage extended to free
persons of color if they We're likely 10
constitute majority of voters in the
State? What sad disasters would flow
from such state of things as this?
Well. if we would not he willing to in
vest them with the right of suffrage. in
case they were a majority. it us not 4
sound principle to extend it to- them
whilst they are n minority: for no prin-
sple is a sound ONE which cannot be
carried out. The public sentiment Of
this country does not admit them to
the enjoyment of any office of homer or
profit; yet. strange to tell thu law Of
the country permits them to have n
voice in excluding white persons from
office.
Now. sir" said Mr. Mcqueen. 81 do
insist that there is hroad partition
Fine between the fitness OF free negroes
to exercise the right Nf suffrage, and
free white persons. The engro came