The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-11

| the ballot. Sir, that Is the arm0r that
cannot he pierced and yet when such
/ a proposition was presented here to
day, both thosA Senators, as well as the
honorable Senator from Kansas, voted
No" because it did not go far enough
Sir, l have an abiding faith
that if it does not go far enough to reach
the peal point, those who come after
| us will reach it more certainly than we
can do now. | would secure to those
| men the boon of the ballot, and | am
/ willing to risk the holding of office to
their ballots when that is done.
Senator Wilson: My colleague deems
| 1t ineXpedient to submit to the State Leg
| islature any amendment whatever While,
| however he is opposed to the submission
| of any constitutional amendment, he
| doubtless desires. if one is submitted. it
| shall Ill its terms accomplish its desired
| object. That desire unquestionably in
fluenced his action in striving to refer
| the whole matter TO a committee of con-
ference. and in voting down the House
| proposition with Il view to taking up the
| proposition of the judiciary Committee
which secures the right to hold office.
While ] am ever looking forward to
| the complete attainment of the equal civil
| and political rights of citizens of the
| United State: while l am striving to ac-
| complish that good result. am ever
| ready to act so as to accomplish the most
| that can be accomplished in the immc-
date present. If it is the determination
of Congress not to incorporate into the
constitutional amendment the right of our
colored fellow citizens TO hold office, as
well as to vote. ! shall bow to its deci-
sion and vote for securing suffrage
l fear however. that the enemies of
the black men, especially of Georgia, will
feel that our action will be an inspira-
ton to those who are opposed to their
civil and political rights. i fear.
too. that those who would give them
neither civil nor political rights will
taunt us with our weakness. will say
, that we are actuated. not by n sense of
justice. but by the love of power: that
we are willing that citizens of African
descent shall vote for us, but shall not
vote for citizens of their own race what
ever may be their intellectual or moral
worth or services to the race or their
country.
Mr.. Nye: / wish to ask the honorable
Senator if it is not in perfect harmony
(, with all that he has ever said and done
! to have the colored people vote? That
| / complain of is that if you cannot get the
| ell. You will not take the inch.
Mr.. Wilson,, | would if thought we
| could get no more
| Mr. Nye: 1t is very evident you can
| not. ! am willing to go as far as the
| Senator but | am not willing TO throw
| away everything.
! From page 1440 of the same volume.
| we take the following extract, being part
Of the Senate proceedings of February
%. 1869.
Mr.. Bnckalew: The House
| then seemed 70 take exception to the
| Senate amendment because it WAS too
comprehensive The Senate amendment
| differed from the House proposition in
| including the question of office-holding.
| 1t differed also from the House in nam
| ing nativity. property and creed. | be-
| lieve everything that was in the Senate
| amendment as we sent it to the House
| on IL former occasion is now contained
| in this amendment. unless it be the par
| ticular Of education. Possibly That may
| be different.
| The two Houses are at issue. apparent
| ~. upon the question of the extent to
| which the amendment shall be carried
the House of Representatives originally
| insisting upon single particular. no ex-
| clusion from the right of suffrage on ae-
| count of race, color or previous condition
| of servitude. all of which terms simply
mean colored suffrage, and nothing else;
| and the Senate, by its vote, insisting upon
| making the amendment more comprehen-
| sive, and removing sundry other dsauali-
| fications that exist. or may exist. by vir-
| tue of State constitutions and laws. and
/ ok IN y,f I'M
| portant question of holding office.
| BY common consent. almost, as / I'M
| ders.and. in the House they stood by
| their original and comparatively limited
proposition: they repudiated entirely what
| was done by the Senate in the way OF
| extending this proposed amendment to
| cover office-holding, and to cover the
| several other disqualifications which
| have mentioned.
| The proof given above, and in the
| former article, combined is ample. but it
| is only small part of what could be
| given. If any one wants to see D,ore
| he has but to search the records. of which
our admirable State Library contains "A
| good supply and the more thoroughly
| he looks into the matter. the more thor
oughly he will be convinced of the cor
rectness Of the position.
If in addition to whatever the present
General Assembly does in the way of
restricting negro suffrage making provi-
sion for the negroes to have the school
money paid by them. and white peo-
pie to have the school money paid by
themselves ETC.. additional stems are
| taken to either deprive them entirely Of
| the right of office-holding or to restrict
| them in that right to such offices or com
mittees on colored schools. etc.. in the
exercise of the function of which they
will come into contact only with mem
| bers of their own race. the capstone will
| have been reached Such provisions in
| the State Constitution will doubtless
| cause those who will still be left with the
right of voting to largely lose their in
terest in it, and these two things COM
bined will remove the largest source Of
| friction between the two races. and thus
| result ultimately in the benefit of both
| for it is as much to the interest of the
negro to cease antagonizing the white
people as it is to the interest of the
| white people, and if he will not do so Of
| his oMn accord legislation that will bring
| this result about will be the next best
| thing for all concerned.
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