The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-13

ed. we nad a Wnlts man loT SoNcfnoE
in 1855 when negroes became insoient;
when ladies were insulted on the pub
4 lie streets; when burglary in our
chief city became an every night oc-
currence; when sleep lay down arm
ed and the villianous eentre-bits
ground on the wakeful ear In the
hush Of the moonless nights, when
more guns and pistols were sold in
the state than had been in the twenty
preceding years; when lawiessness
walked the state like pestilence and
the governor and our two senator's
were afraid TO speak in city OF
$4,000 in habitants. II is the negro
behind the officer and not the officer
only that constitutes negro govern
ment. Major Grant now repudiates
| Congressman White and draws the
color line against nergo office holding.
but il has not been two years since
republican convention composed in
part of white men applauded to the
echo the declaration OF White that the
industry Of negro office-hoiding had
but fairly begun. We have taught
them much in the past two years in
the university of white supremacy, we
will graduate them in August next
with diploma that Will entitle them
to form a genuine white mans party.
Then we shall have no more revolu-
tions in Wilmington; we shall have no
more dead and wounded negroes on
the streets because we shall have good
government in the state and pace
Everywhere. The governor of the state
and the senators will not be afraid TO
speak anywhere, for freedom of
speech will become the common pos
session of the humblest Of US. Life
and property and liberty from the
mountains to the sea shall rest secure
in the guardianship Of the law. But
to do this we must diSfranchiSe the
NEGRO. This movement comes from the
ira frofI
!of it and have hesitated, but the great
mass of white men in the state are
now demanding and have demanded
that the matter be settled once and for
all. To do so is both desirable and
ecessary-desirable because - sets the
white man free to move along faster
than he can go when retarded by the
4 slower movement of the negro-neces-
sary because we must have good or
der and peace while we work out the
industrial, commercial, intellectual and
moral development of the state. The
amendment to the constitution is pre-
sented in solution of the problem. 1t
is plain and simple. 1t proceeds along
, wise lines. 1t is carefully and thought
fully drawn. 1t stays inside of the
XIV amendment, and, nevertheless, ac-
. complishes it's purpose. 1t adopts the
suggestion of Senator Cullom and de-
mandS the existence of sufficient in
, , telligence either by inheritance or edu-
: cation as a necessary qualification
: for voting-it requires of the negro the
qualification by education because he
| has it not by inheritance and demands
of the white man only that he possess
it by inheritance-it does not sweep
, the field of expedients to disfranchise
the negro, which is held constitutional
E in the Mississippi case, but seiZes upon
his educational unfitness and saves
the whites from participation therein
by boldly recognizing, the claims OF
S their hereditary fitness. The amend
= ment makes a distinction between a
: white man and a negro, but it does
so on the ground that the white man
n has a knowledge of inheritance which
d the negro has not. Has the white
It man such superior knowledge? Will
h any man deny it? Will Senator Prit-
r chard deny it? Hear what he said in
= his recent speech in the senate: 1T is
= absurd to contend that there is any
s danger of negro domination in NORTH
Carolina. In the very nature OF
: things it cannot be. From the earlies
f dawn Of civilization to this good houl
Y the great white race has given to the
v world it's history, it's philosophy, it.
8 laws, it's government and its Chris
:. tianity, and it will continue to do 80.
@ Why unless the white man is super
Q ior? Will Senator Butler deny it
n Ask the Caucasian. evidently named
n in honor of that great race. Will Gov
" ernor Russell deny it? Surely he will
% not assert that unlettered white mel
i are no better than "savages." If ther
# it be true that unlettered white rner
r. have knowledge Of government su
o perior to that possessed by unletteret
g negroes I want to know If Senator
Butler and Pritchard' and Governo
;, Russell want the supreme court t.
hold that the XIV. amendment de
. mands a lie. The democratic part,
~ knows the truth. 1t is certain tha
:. the unlettered white men is more cap
:, able of government than the negro /
:. is so certain of it that it has put it.
- opinion in writing-has printed it IL
y the laws of 1899, has submitted it t,
. the people and it now challenges an,
- white man in North Carolina to den!
" it. Republicans are protesting a spe
c1al love for the poor and unletteret
. white man, but at the same time the,
u assert that the law can make no dis
e tinction between him and the negro
e The democratic party takes the true
s bold ground that a white man is su
Is perior to negro and that the law o
: man will follow the law Of God in rec
N ognition Of it. If we are wrong abou
this then God pity US for that sens
It of superiority which beats with ou
e blood and boastfully exclaims with st
n Paul. Il am free born"
" But the opponents of the amendmen
s attack it on another ground The,
|, say that every child who comes OF ag
o after 1908, white and black, must b
e able to read and write before he cal
lt vote. This is true. The amendmen
IS does so provide. We recognize an
It provide for the God-given and heredi
n tary superiority Of the white men an,
l. of all white children now 13 years O
e age. but for the future as to all unde
r IL We call on them to assert that su
!; periority of which we boast by learn
e ing to read and write. The school
3 are open and will be for four or NOR
= months every year from now to 1908
le The white child under 13 who will no
II learn to read and write in the mex
= eight years viii, be without excuse
It But we are told that there sre orphal
n children in the land. And&here are
[e But the state and the Masonic frater
d nifty support the orphanage at Oxfor,
Is and they stand with open arms invit
It ing children to enter the doors Of tina
ls nople lnsutution- The Odd Fellows
e lorphanaSe at Goldsboro is open for tn
Il sons an daughters Of Odd Fellows