The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-05-10

God that she is safe in her sanctuary,
because her slaves, sentinel in the 81 :
lent cabin. oD guard at her chamber
door, put q black mans loyalty be-
tween her and danger catch anoth-
er vision. The crisis of battle-a SOL
der struck, Staggering, fallen. l see
slave, struggling through the smoke,
winding his black arms about the fall
en- form, reckless OF hurtling death
bending bis trusty face to catch the
words that tremble on the stricken
lips, so wrestling mea ntime with ago.
ny that he would lay down his life in
his masters stead. 1 seel him by the
weary bedside, ministering with un-
complaining patience, praying with
all his humble heart that God will lift
his master up, until death comes in
mercy and in honor to still the SOL
dier's agony and seal the soldiers life
| see him by the open grave, mute,
motioDless, uncover suffering Tor
the death Of him who in life fought
against his freedom. l see him when
the mound is heaped and the great
drama Of his life is closed, turn away
and with downcast eyes and uncertain
osc y OF al ohV lhtO uC" 0uu I0ukC
fields, faltering, struggling, but NOV
ing on, until his shambling figure is
lost in the light OF this better and
brighter day. And from the grave
comes voice saying, "F0llow him
Put your arms about him In his need,
even as he pnt his arm about me. Be
bis friend as he was mine." And out
into this new world-strange to me as
to him, dazzling, bewildering both-I
follow! And may God forget my peo-
pie when they forget these!
Next-It is provided that no man
white or black, Notwithstanding sec.
ton FIVE, is to be allowed to vote,
who has not paid his poll tax by the
first of March of the year in which
he proposes to vote.
There are many thousands of white
msn of this unfortunate class in
North Carolina every year, how
many, l will not undertake to say.
l have not been able to under
stand how Democratic speakers and
editors can bring themselves to tell
the people that this provision will
not disfrsnchise "a single white
mar l only know that cannot in
consonance with either :logic or law,
reconcile that statement with the
truth.
But the provision of the proposed
amendment that most arouses my
opposition, and which standing alone
putting all other considerations
out of view. in my opinion ls sufi
cient by itself, to condemn and de-
feat it, is the provision that every
uneducated white boy reaching the
voting aga, after 1908, shall be dis
franchised-. shall be classed with the
uueducated negroes. and the unfort-
unate disfranchised whites, while an
army Of educated negroes exercise
the right of fresmen.
Q1esIion four. What is the pur.
pose of the proposed amendment
Answer-In my opinion the pur.
pose Of this measure is to so strength
9n and hulwark the D -mocratie
'lique, and to so psrslizs future op.
position, as that the Democratic
leaders will no longer have anything
to fear from the people, whatever
their future purposes aud record
Q Iestion five S ate your position
on the proposed amendment.
Answer.-My position on the pro
posed amendment is Indicated above
but | will state that cannot sup
port a measure that pretends to elm
iuate the negro without eliminating
him; that smacks of falses.pretenst
and demagoguery. l cannot sup
port a measure that disfranchise
white mep, while educated negroes
are left as voters.
cannot support q measure tina
dooms the coming generation OF un
educated white men in North Caro-
lima to political slavery, and | vii
not support a m Measure that | consid
or in plain violation of the Constitu
tion that have sworn to support.
For my part, l would as soon thinl
of firing on the flag.
Question sixth-Please give q
your opinion of the Election Law.
Answer There are some subjects
a proper expression of the injustic
of which is beyond the reach of ou
language. To me the Dsmocrati
Election Law is one of them.
In my opinion, it is worse an
more dangerous than the propose
! amendment; disregarding the right
| of opposing parties. to have the
representatives present at election
, to insure j lstice. and to accomplis
, satisfactory with results,
usurps all authority, and like
J rtained serpent, coils itself about tt
b, ark of our liberty-the ballot-b *
sting to political annihilation q
those who oppose its master.
Respectfully,
w. R HENRY,