The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-07-27
NEGRO SUFFRAGE A FAILURE

Practical Discussion by Hon. NJ. ii.
Justice.
Whatever of sentiment or of love
for human freedom and manhood suf-
frage may have prompted the univer-
sal acknowledgements of the negroes of
the Southern States, the experiment
has proven to be fail1re. There is a
vast difference between an ignorant,
illiterate negro and an illiterate white
man, as respects the qualification for
exercising the rights, powers and du-
ties of citizensip and in the qualities
for self-government. The white men
of North Carolina, regardless Of educa-
tional qualifications, have sprung from
4 race accustomed to govern. Each
one Of them was brought up in fam
lily, and in a social circle where love
of country, love CT home, pure patri-
otism, the rights and duties of the cit
izen are frequent topics of converse
ton, where these sentiments grow up
in the minds and hearts of the family
as THEY grow; where the love of Or
der and respect for law Intervene
into the fibre of their nature; where
the worship of the heroes of our insti-
buttons tends to keep alive this love of
country; where the good old fashion
of naming the children for our own
great men of the past. tends to keep
ND the history of our country. All
these traditions, the daily tutilage of
the white mothers the constant con-
tact with tie things that pertain to
government, the heredity of country,
the Anglo Saxon blood and a hundred
other environments and circumstances,
90 to make of the white man a capa-
BILE and Intelligent voter, whether he
can read and write or not.
The more culture and proper educa-
ton he has, the better, of course. Not
SO with the illiterate negro. He has
no traditions. He is inferior, natural
w.. He has no patriotism. He cares
but little for his home and he has alb
solutely no ambition for his children.
He has strong race prejudices, but he
behaves himself in matters pertaining
to affairs of government as one who
is a wayfarer and a time-server.
He is a tyrant when he gets the
mower. Let one of his race break loose
from the body of the negroes in a
community, in matters of church or
State. of politics or religion, and the
whole race is down on him. He is os-
tracised and tainted and ridiculed
and abused, and often personal vio-
lence offered him, SO that if he is not
a pretty game negro the offense is not
reneated. You tell a white man.
whether he can read and write or not.
that martial law is about to be declar-
oil that the writ of habeas corpus is
ahout to be suspended, that the liber-
+;es of the citizens are about to be en-
croached, and you at once stir his re-
continent and awaken his opposition.
The negro knows nothing and cares
nothing about it, unless you make him
foar for the preferment of his race.
Il C0R0TV
+ha subject; practical view. Now
what practical lessons are there in
,,s+orv to be learned in this matter.
/ That no white man ought to be
He.onchised whether he can read ana
tito or not, because his blood. his n,-
.,--;+r his education, his environments
his family and social surroundings all
tend to make him an intelligent cleo
tor.
2 That no political party that has the
so,;d negro vote On its side can sue
GOOD The ignorance, the arrogance of
ignorance, Of the body of the negro
vote is a menace and insult to intelli-
pence and patriotism and the white