The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-03
WILMINGTON. n. c.
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT.

The Messenger will be gratified if
the wisdom Of the Legislature agree
upon the Louisiana law with some
changes proposed, and it shall stand
fire if taken into the supreme court as
Pritchard says it shall be taken. 1t is
a strong committee that has charge,
and it has sought the opinions of well
equipped lawyers outside. The Raleigh
News and Observer says Of the COM
mittee: -
"They have also studied the debates
that attended the adoption of the con-
Stitution in South Carolina, mississippi
and Louisiana, and sought the trend of
national public sentiment in the Cullom
bill for the government of Hawaii and
the plans for the government or our
new possessions. With all the lights
before them, the result has been the
preparation of the amendment which
we print in full elsewhere. 1t has been
largely patterned after the new consti-
tuition OF Louisiana, excluding the prop
erty qualification contained in the Lou
islam. constitution"
h Louisiana legislature consulted
the best legal talent in the state, and
they said the law as adopted would mold
before the highest tribunal. The law,
however, has not been approved by the
supreme court. The mississippi consti-
tuition has been approved. The tests in
the amendment of the committee for
disqualifying an educational and a
poll tax. Read and pay or no vote.
Remember that under the proposed
amendment mo mar who voted in 1867
or whose father or grandfather could
vote in that year., can be disfranchised
His right to vote depends upon nothing
except the payment of the poll tax,
not beyond the age. Others can vote
only by showing that they are compe-
tent through an educational test"
Judge Conner is an able jurist. He
is fully persuaded hat the proposed
amendment is not in conflict with the
constitution. He is strong for having
both an deducation and a poll tax test.
He is quoted in the News and Observer
as saying: 1T seems to me eminently
wise and proper to Onnec the two re-
quirements. A man who is not willing
to contribute the amount of his poll or
capitation tax to these purposes, ex-
1hibits such a total Indifference to the
high and sacred privileges and duty Of
a citizen that he should not partici-
I pate inn government or selection Of
-trs-unicers.
He plainly admits that effect of the
amendment will be to silence many ne
gro voters. He says it will exclude a
very large percentage of the negroes"
while nearly all the whites can vote.
Judge Connor says that the necessity
for legislation of this character has
been demonstrated in every state in the
south, and especially in-those most ex-
posed to the danger of this ignorant
and because thereof easily corrupted
vote. This is true especially in South
Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana,
and we but follow their example in
proposing this amendment"
The Messengers only fear or doubt
was that the Louisiana law might fail
before the supreme court. If it should
the legislature must be called to enact
q law or pass an amendment that has
been already approved. White suprem-
acy was the plain, clear meaning of
the last election. A law to consum-
mate that end, to carry out the plan
should be adopted.
1t seems that the best legal men
think an election law will not answer
will not meet the positive demands.
Judge Connor say that it is necessary
to fix in the organic law the right to
vote and qualifications. He says:
mo voter can be excluded under our
present constitution by an election law,
without doing violence to the cOnSt
tuition and the conscience of the people.
We have passed through a condition in
North Carolina which should never
again occur. We must, in obedience to
the commands of those who sent us
here, give the people an opportunity to
settle this question once and forever.
1t must not again veX us and remain
to VeX our children"
He is right. There must be no re-
turn of the past with all of it's corrup-
ton, abuses, disorders, anarchic plans,
i~gnorances, ineompetency, robberies,
populations, frauds, violence. Settle it
now-settle it for ali time or to the end
of civil government on this continent.
PiAS z Rs gE Ne En- slysE