The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-24
THE OPERATIONS OF THE AMEND.
MENT.

Over and over again has The Mes
senger considered the question if the
proposed suffrage amendment affected
in any way a white voter-if it de-
prived him of the right of suffrage II
he could not read and write. But so
long as the liars iterate n reiterate
their lies the exposure must be made
Inc the replication continue.
The constitution of the United States,
as amended, declares squarely, plainly
this-"The right of citizens of the
United States to vote shall not be de-
MED or abridged by the United States
or by any state ON ACCOUNT OF
RACE, color, or previous condition of
-servitude." Not being a lawyer, and
not being a great constitutional lawyer
like six-months' Butler, we at one
time believed that this clause would
continue to the negroes the right to
vote indefinitely, unless repealed. We
so said, and so believed. But we were
not we'll informed. Subsequent inform
alton obtained by careful study, back
ed by the opinions of nearly every law
yer of respectable ability and learning
in North Carolina, has led US to the
conclusion that the negro is not given
the unconditional right to vote. We are
sure that the proposed amendment ID
the constitution of North Carolina
does not truly. really "abridge the
right of the negroes to vote on ac-
count ''of race, color or previous con-
- ~ t. 5Aos irrArfara
with the right to vote if i~lliterate, If
unable to read or write, if a criminal,
or if he will not pay his poll tax. But
it Ices not do this because he is black
and a negro or was a slave or is now
a slave of the white bosses in the
state. There is nothing in the Fifteenth
amendment that is ~repudiated or vio-
lated by the proposed franchise amend
ment to be voted upon on August End,
1900. But mark this: If the Fifteenth
amendment does provide against re-
jecting negroes as voters because they
are negroes and black, il does not con-
fer the right to vote because the ne
groes were slaves, are black, and are
negroes. 1t does not do that, and none
UuI d SldIh 1OOI VIII Say Il uoCS. AiCA
is no such absurdity intimated that
because an ignorant stupid fellow is
black and a negro and was a slave
he shall vote. These are not proper
qualifications to fit any n for
the franchise. If you will look at
the amendment proposed you will see
that in no way does it attempt to dis
--r F~- 1~x- -r,op rancan
as is urged and stated in the Fifteenth
amendment. There is no reference to
trace, color, or previous "ondftion Of
servitude," and it was not contemplate
ed by the democrats n does not ap-
pear in the amendment that the Fiji
teenth amendment of the constitution
shall be interfered with, or that the
right of negroes to vote should in any
way be curtailed, abridged or denied
. because of race, color, ETC."
But will the white men be interfered
with if the amendment is adopted and
becomes the law governing? Will an
illiterate white nam who voted last
year or any other time be restrained
or have denied to him the privilege
and right to vote? Not a bit of 1t. The
only way he can possibly lose his right
to vote is by his own personal act
by committing crime and refusing to
pay his poll tax. The illiterate white
man can go on voting just as he has
done all along, save only that he is
not a criminal and has paid his proper
poll tax.
The whites are safe under the amend
ment. Only ignorant, illiterate negroes
are interfered with The discrimina-
ton is based soundly on experience.
or historic verities. The Anglo-Saxon
~ inheritance is a nation builder and