The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-05-10
Hon. W. R. HENRY AND THE AMENDMENT
He Answers Some Questions with Convincing
Logic and Quotations.


Senate have declared IL TO be uncOnstl.
tional. Set atnr~ Csf-ry and McEnery
have both protested against it's passage
and have declared that 1t cOntravenes
the Federal Constitution. In this Opin
| ion they are joined by such stalwart
Democrats and uncOmprOmising States
rights Senators and Congressman as
the following:'
"Tnen follows the names Of Senators
and Congressman who are recognized
as among the albest constitutional law
yers in this body and in the other
House. The New Orleans Tim. s-Dem-
Ocrat has not since that time changed
its opinion as to the uncOnstitutiOn
ality of this measure. That paper in
many recent editorials has repeated
the opinion that was expressed the day
after the action Of the convention. |
read the following from an editorial of
recent issue:
"'The people Of n ortb Carolina will
vote in August on the proposed cOnsti
tn iOnal amendment disfranchising the
unedGcated negroes from voting, and
which contains the famous grandfather
clause. borrowed from the Louisiana
Constitution. The grand
father clause, W hich the Louisiana con.
stitutiOnal convention invented, is OBJ
jected to as Of doubtful constitutiOn-
atty, containing elements of great
danger. The theory that the
opposition to the grandfather clause
cJmes from the Republicans is wholly
untrue. The Northern Democrats have
unanimously declared against this plan
of DISTINGUISHING the negro as uncon-
stitutiOnal.'
WHAT THE WASHINGTON POST SAYS
"The Washington Post, which has
never Joined in the sectional crusade
against the people of the South, and
which probably understands the pecu-
liar social and industrial conditions of
cur section better than any other Nor
thern paper. takes the same view. In
deed, the Post is the strongest defen
der that the South has among North
ern papers. Yet that paper denOunces
the amendment as unconstitutional
and wicked in morals. | read the fol-
lowing extract from rec ent editorial ::
"' 1t is TO be hoped that Senator But
ler speak by inspiration when he pre-
diets the defeat of the North Carolina
suffrage amendment.
eff IL sought simply to make the act
OfvotIug an intelligent and emil gb1 enad
| fuUotion and to reduoe to q nioimum
the opportunities of bribery and cor
ruptiOD, we should hail it as a step to-
ward purity and whOlesOmeness in
politics. But, as We see the matter,
the scheme is simply to disfranchlse
the uueducated negro because he is
black, and to protect at least major
ity of the whites who would other wise
be disfranchised under all impartial
application of the same rule. =
"'We believe the plan to bs uncOnsfi-
tutiOnal, as we know it has been so de-
nounced by both the Louisiana Sena-
tors 10 the case uf their own State, and
we have not the slightest doubt that
is wicked in morals as it is stupid and
blundering in expediency.
"The defeat of this measure will be
a national bepefaction.'
Question 3rd. II passed, what
would be the effect on the masses?
Answer-If Section 5 were de.
clared unconstitutional, uneduca.
ted whites and blacks, alike, would
be disfranchised, as stated. II de-
clared constitutional, about six.
ty thousand uneducated negroes
would be disfranchised; leaving
. about the same number with the
right of the ballot; which would
J have the effect of creating quas!
negro aristocracy-thinking them
selves elevated by the discrimina
: tlon in their favor, and against the
uneducated half Of their race.
If educated negroes ore now some
2 times insolent, offensive, and aggres
e slve, in my humble opinion, this dis
= elimination made by the Democrac.
in their favor. would make then
much worse than ever before.
). This amr nd ment would strike dow
that portion of the negro rsce, t
, which tho great Crazy declared tina
the Sou h owed an uudying debs
n glatitude-.hat portion Of the race
!. tina, ma kes the ten million bales O
cotton a year for the SouIh and ul
q on whose coutentmeut AID labor IN
! prosperity of ,hs S'nth 50 lsrgeI
depsrd wnll1 six Y or seventy thou
!. sand eduestcd negroes, whose lip
= have never framed the wurhs Mas
= "a and Misses large porslon Z
l. wbom are Strangers 10 the corn h7it
:, and despise the hoe handle, woul
/ b left :" vote.
- la 1898 Hecy w Grsdy, the i0'
a If the s nth, made grea speec
- 10 the heart of the North, on the rae
Al problem.
!. Mr.. GRADY bespoke the patience
the North, "Whilst the Soufh worl
q out tnls great racial problem alon
~ the line of absolute justice TO the n
of gro."
Il did not once occur to Henry '
,r Grady to suggest as solution u
NJ disfranchis and virtual rel
IN slsyement of the negro After r
( viewir the whole subject, In one
~. the grandest bursts of eloquenoe g
Id or heard on this continent, Mr.. Gr
40 DIV presented the love and fidelity
.. the negroes Of the South towar
,d their masters, aud th.ir maste
IL loved ones, during the war, and
,r is conclusion exclaimed:
"And may God fo'g9s my peol
q when they forget these.'
nt Here are his words:
70 would that every honest m
tor who thinks of vo,ipg for this cr1
r. : measure could read Them, and I'll
G ID might awaken The sense of gr
,tude and jlstics in his heart, a
oy give him such nobility of soul,
tu- fred the great heart of Henry
red Grady to this utterarc
'at' 81 catch a vision OF an old South'
on. home with its lofty pillars and
10, white pigeons fluttering down thro'
ion the colleen air. | see women "
strained aud anxious faces, and G
dren aIet, yet helpless. | see nj
come down with It's dangers
and its aprehensions, AID in big hon
ma room, | feel on my tired head
tu- touch of loving hands-noW worn
'sed wrinkled, but fairer to me J ct than
de- hands of mortal woman, and stIon
1 TO vet to lead me than the hands OF II