The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-07-27
Extracts from the Eloquent
Speech of F.. D. Winston.
Esq, in the House Of Rep
rcSentatiVeS.

ASA's sIA dHt lEOuSE VI HVp-
rcsentatiVes.
Mr.. Williams, of Yaxlkin, a Republi
can, had spoken i'll opposition to the
amendment, and had closed his speech
with stating: MY people are people
through whose veins course the blood
of freellen, and, with Patrick Henry.
they eXciaim, give me liberty or give
me DEATH"
If" said Mr.. Winston, of BERTHE,
who introduced tie original bill.
there is one sentiment beating i'll the
heart OF every patriotic North Caro-
iinian today, it is the sentiment that
has throbbed there for four years
that they be given liberty or death.
They prefer liberty from the negro
rule AID negro domination given them
by the party of the gentleman who
has just spoken.
EVERY great movement in the con-
stitutional life OF any people has a
sure Foundation. 4 peoples funtia
mental law changes slowly. IN the
dawn Of constitutional liberty in Amer
lea the cry OF the divine right CT
kings was drowned in the sl1rging cry
that the people must have voice il
the councils of State.
In these closing hours OF a century
the descendants of the men who de,
clared against the rule of enlightened
kings. dare to provide against the rule
CT the benighted slave. In the light
OF its u1awise bestowal and in the
fuller Light OF the base uses to which
it has been put, we OF North Carolina
declare that the ballot in the hand OF
the ignorant black man is a menace to
our civilization.
''Doas the occasion exist for t-s
| ra deal enactment? To see twenty
years Of decency in every uepa1tIn 81 /
CT State, security OF lie, fsn.e ami
property ard of the :State'e good name
in an hour pass into an orgre OF igno
rance. corruption, nlisl:la1agement
and disgrace which the last few years
have shown us, is an answer to this
| question. To make d repetition of the
past two years forever impossible in
| North Carolina is the duty Of every
! man here W no loves his State and has
race.
"The provisions of this amendment
are plain. When it is written III our
fundamental law no white man will
| be d:sfrancI1ised. The white race III
North Carolina is self governing. Self
| governing men can govern others.
! The sentiment that this measure will
| dtsfranca,sse any white man in North
| Carolina is false, and falsely maae
| for q purpose. It is made with the
view OF adding to the black column
! OF 125,000 ignorant, vicious and in
different voters a sufficient number o.
| white men to rear again in North Car
DINA the rule Of Russellism and its
! kindred spirit. This amendment, on
its face, is too plain for any person
! to be deceived by such a false state
ment of its force. The voter thus de-
ceiyed is waiting and willing to be
deceived.
IF any restriction can be imposed
on tie outrage this law will stand. It
the great tribunal OF final arbitrament
in the matter, the Supreme Court OF
the Union, stands to it's traditions and
it's written law and decided cases,
then this amendment will stand. Ii
will stand because it voices the senti-
ments, hopes and aspirations of hon
orable and enligh tened men the world
over, that government should be the
exercise Of the intellige Of the gov
erning.
every man here who now talks @
White supremacy must show his faith
by his works Have we SO soon for
gotten LNewhern and Greenville and
,arl;oro and Wilmington? God forbid
that the memory OF such scenes should
fade from the minds OF Il brave PEG
Die, l ,am told THAT there are mem
beers OF this House who were sent
Lere on the issue of white rule, and
who ROW hesitate about how TO vote
on this vita. measure because OF some
implied promise not to disfranchlse
auy one. il elected. ] shall not invade
the domain Of private conscience. Bu.
I do declare that the hour IS now Str.k-
ing when it has become the duty OF
every patriot to sink his conscience for
the public good.
Surely they are simply pausing for
consideration. | trust it is the mo-
mentous pause before the revolution.
How now would read the maine OF
the man, who, standing with his neigh
cor, in cid cIecklenburg, more than a
century ago. refused TO put dis name
to the immortal declaration? are net
men TO-DAY proud to be called the de
scendaats of the AleSsnders, the Da-
Wilson's, the Folks and the 6rcvaraS,
and others who put their names TO
that grand document! 1t comes with
bad grace from the other sH.e to
stand here and talk Of white supreil-
acy in this solemn hour. So pregnant
| Of good to the State, and tell us what
our duty is-those VINO never voted
for white supremacy end whose votes
here have been cast for what white
supremacy is opposed TO. From this
hour another ancestral date will be
rec,Sored. Men of future genera tons
viii rejoice to be named as the De
scendants Of those, who. here, stand
write their names in the States his
tory for its material welfare; and the
| liberty Of its people
sIn a supreme moment, in the de-
| bates leading to the French revolu-
ton, there was pause, and it seemed
that the wheel was turning backward.
It was then old Barbereau1-the dole
gate from Alarseilles arose and shout
ed: 'ts;end to Narsailles for six hun
bred men who know how to die
s1J.1,.y- SAINT and the six hundred