The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-01-11

DEMOCRATIC VOTER IN THE LEGI--
LATURK AND DENoUNCKs THOSE
WHO MAKE THE CHARGE A. SPEAK
: ING FALSELY AND TRYING DO FOOL
THE PEOPLE
From Caucasian Oct. ly.-
The following affidavit made by
James III. Pou, eX-Cbairman OF the
State Democratic Executive Com
mittee, during the last campaign,
will be interesting reading. Our
readers will remember that when
ever and wherever IL was charged
in the last campaign that il the
Democratic machine under Sim
mons got control of the State, that
they would offer a scheme TO dis
franchise illitterate votes, that the
charge was Indignantly denied and
denounced by every Democratic
speaker as being UNANIMOUSLY false.
Even Mr.. Simmons, the Democrat
lie State Chairman, issued an offici-
al statement to the voters of the
State, branding every such charge
as false in toto; saying that that
campaign lie had been charged
against the Democratic party be-
fore, and that the charge was now
so old and so false that no one,
would believe 1t.
Mr.. James III. Pou, the ex-Chair--
man OF the State Democratic Com
NIT ee, in his speeches made the
same declaration. But IL seems.
that in one of his speeches in Moor.
county, some members OF his audi
dience expressed doubt OF the truth
Of his Indignant denial, and called
upon him while upon the sta nd to-
know IL he would make an afflda--
Wit to that effe I. He publicly
agreed to do SO, we are informed.
The result is the affidavit below ;.
made at Raleigh, dated Oct. l4th.
1898. 1t will be noticed that Mr..
POu, shrewd, slick and cunning ar
he is, attempted to word affida
Wit so as not to say explicitly what
he had said publicly on the stump,
and yet at the same time, to say
enough to make 1t appear that his
affidavit had made good his cam
paign d. claratiOn, and fool the vo-
tiers into accepting his statement
and voting for the machine.
The following is true copy OF
the affidavit:
STATE OF NoRTH CABoLINA,
County of Wake.
James b. Pou. being duly sworn
deposes and says:
al have never said that, III the
Democrats regained control of the
State, they intended to disfranchise
the negroes and illiterate white vo-
ters. / never have said anything
like this, and / know that such IL
not the intention OF the Democrat
ic party. / have never heard sin
gle Democrat give utterance TO
such a sentiment, and do not be-
lieve, If such a proposition comes
before the General Assembly, that
it would receive a single Democrat
Ic vote. ! believe that a majority OF
the uneducated white voters OF
North Carolina are Democrats. The
Democratic party is appealing to
them for aid in preserving white
supremacy in the center west and
I'm restoring 1t in the Eastern part
of this State. They are responding
to our appeal. and to repay them for
their aid with a Acknowledgement
of their votes would be folly and
ingrattiude indeed. The man
who makes these charges know
they speak falsely, but their cam
paign this year rs run upon the
idea that the people OF North Car
olina would rather believe a false
hood than the truth, and they
would rather hear libels upon the
honored dead than To hear crgu-
ments based upon truth"
| Is gnedl
JAMES II. PoU.
Sworn to and subscribed before
me this October LIST 1898.
lSignedl
GEO. W. THOMPSON,
Notary Public.