The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-12
OPPOSED TO HARDWICK BILL.
COLORED POLITICAL LEADERS Ex-
PRESS THEIR VIEWS.

Them to Oppose the Bill rs n Dis
elimination Against the Negro.
Col. Deveaux md others Declare
That Such "A Law Is Not Needed, rs
the Negro Voters Are Practically
Differentiated Already, and It's Eff
feet Would BE to Cause Strife Be
tween the Races and Injure the
state.
The colored voters OF Savannah have
prepared a protest against the passage of
the Hardwick bill The protest is ad-
dressed to the representatives Of Chatham
county in the Legislature and calls upon
them to use their efforts to defeat the
bill. committee will call upon the repre-
sentatives, or some one of them, prob
ably Representative McDonough, If the
opportunity offers by reason of their
presence here this week, to present the Pc
tition Otherwise it win be mailed to
them.
The petition is of interest in Savannah
and Chatham county, where the negro
vote is usually small, but important. It
reads as follows:
To the Honorable the Representatives Of
oAltllettiA CCHiLg III tA4C a. <AsoNlAADiS
of the state of Georgia:
The petition of the undersigned citizens
of said county respectfully shows that
there Is now pending before the Legisla-
ture Of Georgia, introduced by Represent
alive Hardwck, a bill which seeks to dis
eliminate against the negro race in the
matter of the franchise to vote at any
election in this state.
We, therefore representatives, of said
race protest against the passage of said
proposed act and through you, our repre-
sentatives, pray that our protest may be
placed properly before the Legislature of
the state of Georgia, on the following
grounds:
First. That the bill is in itself unconsti-
tutional and requires the condemnation of
our representatives.
Second. Because the clause in said bill
providing for special legislation for a
class Of citizens who on Jan. /, 1857, or any
time prior thereto, We're entitled to vote.
and the further provision that no lineal
descendant of such persons shall be af-
fected by this bill, necessarily is class leg
islation and would follow improper dis
elimination on the ground of exemptng
such parties from the educational quail
fications provided for in said bill.
3. The white and black race in your
county are at peace and will always re-
main so, if equal rights are allowed under
proper restrictions to all qualified and reg
istered voters.
4 Because, If ignorance and vice are
to be the test in the state of Georgia for
the franchise of voting at any election I'M
der the laws of this state, we pray that the
test be applied alike to the white as well
as the black citizens of your county and
state.
5. Because there is no necessity for such
a law in the state of Georgia. for locally
the negro votes with the Democrats, and
practically he is anxious to follow the best
men In his own neighborhood and is en-
deavoring to keep his children in line with
this position and asks you to assist him In
doing so.
c. Be cause you know US and the hon
esty of our purpose in this petition, and
must realize that said bill is manifestly
unjust.
The name of Col. John H. Deveaux, col
lector of the port, Is first on the list of
signatures, of which there are quite
number. Among the signers are Rev.
Richard Bright, rector of st. Stephens
| Church; Rev. Alex Harris, pastor of the
First Bryan Baptist Church, on West
Broad street; Sol c. Johnson, editor of the
| Savannah Tribune. Rev. e. K. Love pas
| tor of the First African Baptist Church,
! and editor of the Baptist TRUTH L. NJ.
| Peasants, James E. Whiteman, r. w.
White, Rev. G. w. Griffin, of the First
! Bryan Baptist Church, on Bryan street;
| Rev. l.. H. Smith, St. Phillips A. NJ. e,
| Church; Rev. John Crolly Asbury NJ. e.
! Church; Rev. Albery a. A. Whitman, St.
| Philips A. NJ. Z. Church; Rev. Alexander
Ellis, Beth Eden Baptist Church; w. II.
| DeCruther Jr., Edward H. Burke Rev.
L. A. Washington, ]. H. Bugg, NJ. D.,
| John w. Armstrong, James NJ. Ferrebee,
| i @ Simmons York NJ Ni1Ip6Ue w IT
| Morell, Albert Jackson, j. H. c. Butler,
Julius Maxwell, Joseph H. Toomer, and
| a number of others.
A Morning News reporter saw Col. De
| veaux at his office in the custom house
| yesterday and asked him what steps were
| likely to be taken by the leaders of the
coored people in opposition to the bill. A
knot of the colored politicians who have
| been active in circulating the petition were
then discussing IT. Among them were Col.
Deveaux. L, NJ. Peasants r. W. White
! J. c. Simmons, John D. Campbell and
Rev N H.. Styles of Liberty county The
gathering was a fairly representative one
Of the colored politicians, and they doubt
| less expressed the sentiments of the more
| intelligent members of the race generally
| with regard to the bill.
| Col. DeVeauX said: THE petition ex-
presses my sentiments. The bill is I'M
| constitutional unnecessary and unwise If
| it becomes law it will lead to the re-
! ductiOn of GeOrgia's representation in Con-
| gress The Republicans will be certain to
| take advantage of such an unwise move
| on the part of the Democrats. The South
ern Republicans would certainly bring the
| attention of Congress to the matter. do
| not believe that the law will hold under
! the fourteenth amendment to the constl-
| tuition. The law is unnecessary because
the white and colored people of Georgia
are getting along together as we'll as those
| of any other state, North or South The
| most outrageous feature of the bill Is that
| which places it in the power of the man.
| ayers to say whether the applicant is cor
| rect in his construction of the section of
| the constitution cited to him. AS the man.
| ayers would be biased, a negro even above
| the average for intelligence would have
no show with them. Even lawyers differ
| as to the Interpretation of various sections
| of the constitution. How, then, are the
masses, either white or black to be ex-
| pected to give proper construction of
| these sections, The managers re NOR 70