The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-11


Mr. Money. Certainly.
Mr.. Chandler. 1t is. how does he JUS
tify his present attitude? The Senator
almost persuaded me in his remarks \
few minutes ago to treat this as white
man S question. Now, assuming it to be
a white mans question alone, upon what
principle does he advocate the elimination
i Will use that word: it is a mild word
OF the negro from the suffrage, the sup
preston of the colored vote in the South
and yet advocate the thirty-nine Congress
slonal votes and the votes in the electoral
college which are given to the South by
reason OF the negro population? How can
the Senator III ali fairness say ON the one
hand that the fifteenth amendment shall
be nullitied by the suppression
Ar Money. | beg pardon. | do not
say that
Mr.. Chandler. BY the suppression Of
| me colorcd vote and that the fourteenth
amendment shall not be enforced by lse-
ducng representation: Is not that a fair
| question?
Mr.. Money. Oh, yes; it is a fair ques-
ton,
Mr.. Chandler How do you advocate
| holding on to the 80 Congressional and
J electoral votes because of the seven or
! eight million colored people and vet pro
pose to destroy the colored vote:
Mr.. Money. Yes, sir: that is Il fair
| question, and it is put with the usual
| adroitneSS and skill OF my friend, the
| Senator from New Hampshire: and ! am
| perfectly ready to answer him. Accord
ing to the original meaning of the MAX
! ers Of the Constitution there was no rep
resentaton based upon votes at all. The
| negro. though chattel. was represented
| i'll two-thrds. Women and children were
| represented as well as negroes They are
| citizens. The right to vote is not ma
tural right. 1t does not inhere in mere
| citizenship. 1t is a result of political ac.
ton. 1t is the result of law.
| am not willing to pass any amend
| ment that ! believe comes in conflict
with the fifteenth amendment to the Con.
SfitutiOn. 1t would be work of Superer
| ogation for me to favor such a propo sit ion,
because the Supreme Court would at
once declare it null and void. But
want the Senator to say what he would
do III such a case | am willing TO to re-
tain the representation, If it will suit
the Senator from New Hampshire be-
cause it represents human beings wheth-
or they vote or not. My children do not
vote, but they are represented. My wife
does not vote but she is represented.
Thousands Of people do not vote. and
yet they are represented. | did not say
| that the power did not reside in Congress
TO reduce representation, but | do doubt
the wisdom of exercising it. That is Il
question which | Wiz debate. as my
friend says, when we get to it.
But / stated that l had such confidence
the people of all sections Of this country
North. South. East and West--as to feel
that they would not deliberately retard
progress of the Southern States 10y at
tempting to fix negro suffrage upon them
if 1t can be avoided in peaceful and
constitutional way, and that the people
there q care not whether they vote or
noD are entitled to representation. Now,
We did not 20 to war, as my friend from
North Carolina seems to think. when we
achieved our Independence Of Greeat
Britain to secure the right to vote. but
to secure representation if taxed. That
is all. For whom? For everybody. rep
resented by few, rs matter Of fact.
IN MISSISSIPPI.
4 statement has been made here. and
may as well aludc to it now about the
State of Mississippi My friend address
cd himself somewhat TO my State the
other day as an example of those States
which had used unconstitutional methods
THAT was his language) in carrying cleo
tiolsS Yet on the only attempt to try
the constitution&lity of the new cOnstitu-
ton of Mississippi aiTidging the right to
VOTE. the constitution was declared to be
constitutional. Then where are the nm
constitutional methods! Was it indiv.du-
al action: Was it organized political ac-
ton? | can say to the Senator that he
can not point me 10 Il complaint made
Of fraud, Intimidation, or violence in
Mississippi since the year 1876, when the
great civil revolution was had, not one
will say. as | said the other day,
that one Democrat held his seat here
upon a certificate based upon an election
technical in nature. and that that gentle
man was unseated and n colored man
was seated by Democratic house, and
the ousted gentleman went over the next
day to the Republican party ON the
ground that the Democrats had stood by
him. | say that another contest was
waged in what is called the black district
Of Mississippi, the Delta country. and
then the contestant attempted to prove
vey over the river and get rid of certain
colored voters. and other offenses of that
sort to the prejudice of fair election;
and it all fell to the ground. and the
Republican committee kept the contestec
in his seat.
Now, gentlemen, if we have pushed I'M
constitutional methods-the court has not
said so as TO our statutes and our consti
tuti0n-if we have pursued unfair and
unconstitutional methods. there has been
no charge against any organization or any
individuals at the polls at any of the
elections since 1876. | defy any gentle
man to show me one, and | object that
the fair fame of my State should be as
sailed unless the gentleman can produce
some proof of the assertions he makes.
There has been no disturbance in MiSsiS-
sippi. There is absolute freedom there:
and | want 10 tell my friend here that
the year after the constitution was adopt
ed 10000 negroes came from his State,
where they had an unrestricted right to
vote rs much as the white man. and emf
grated to Mississippi and are living there
today, and they have lately come, this
winter, in such numbers from the State