The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-05-10


Hon. C. A. RsIHoLDs, winsson-Ss.
lem. N. C.
Dian Govslxol%In answer to
yours of March bsh, win say that
there 10 no one whose questions I
would rather answer than youra. In
she nFss place, the history Of Primitive
Baptists 'hoWs they have ever been
strong supporters Of political ~ we'll
.s religious freedom. Aiso, most OF
them have read the Scriptures enough
to know that 'StrsnGling" is positive
ly forbidden BY the LaV Of Zion.
They also know shat the leaders Of
the party that offers this Constitution
al Amendment to the people pledged
thems. Ives that their party would not
pass laws to disfranchise anyone. Seo-
sion Of the Constitutional Amend
ment reads - folloWs:
Every person presenting himself for
registration shall b able to read ana
write any section of the Constitution
in the English language, and before he
shall be entitled to vote shall have
paid, on or before the nPs3 day Of
March Of the year in which be propos-
es to vote, his poll-tax, prescribed By
law, for the previous year. Poll-taxes
shall be lien only on assessed prop
erty, and no process shall Issue to en-
force the collection Of the same, ex-
oept against assessed property"
This section, however, 10 modified BY
section 8. which reads as follows !:
"Sec. 8. No male person who Was on
Jan. /, 1867, entitled to vote under the
laws of any State in the United States,
wherein he then resided, and no lineal
descendant Of any such person shall be
denied the right to register and vote
at any election in the State by reason
of his failure to possess the education-
al qualifications prescribed In Section
OF this article: Provided, he shall
have registered in accordance with the
terms Of this section prior to Deoem-
Der, l, 1908. The General Assembly
shall provide for Q permanent record
of all persons who register under this
section on or before November !, 1868 !;
and al such persons shall be entitled
to register and vote ct oil elections by
the people in this State, unless dis
qualified under Section . Of this arti.
Gle: Provided, such persons shall have
paid their poll-taxes, ~ required BY
law"
This section 10 in direct conflict with
the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments Of the Constitution of the UNI.
ted States, which every voter 10 sworn
TO support and which reads - follows
Article XIV, SEQ. l. All personi
born or naturalised in the United
States and subject to the jurisdiction
thereof are citizens Of the United
States and Of the State wherein they
reside. No State shall make or enfore
any law which shall sbridge the priv
L svnV nd sAn ~ AgAsaAaa NJ ~
United States; nor shall any State de
prise any person of life, liberty, o.
property without the due process o
juPisdiction the equal protection o
the laws.
Art. XIV, Sec. l. The right Of citi
zens of the United States to vote sbal
, not be denied or abridged BY the Uni
ted States or BY any State on account q
, race, color or previous condition Of Gel
vitude.
"Sec. 2. Congress shall have power {
/ enforce this article BY appropriate lea
islation."
You see from the foregoing thu
somebody 10 to be disfranchised @
have his voice at the polls "Strsngled
, by the rejection Of his ballot. Tha
means that he shall not have the righ
to say how much tax he 10 to pay q
when he 10 to pay it or how long
b shall work on the public roads withos
pay or when he shall do %, or how Ion
, he shall bear arms 20 nght for bis coul
4 try or when be IL to do 90.
1 1t does not free him from any Of the
. duties, but he must pay taxes, Be,
arms, and work roads, all without rel
, resentation.
!. Suppression Of public sentiment
e the polls leads to the suppression
t religious liberties - we'll - the fFs
4 dom Of the press
Ny Primitive Baptist brethren We
: among the 1rst TO say to England "th
taxation without feprese ntation IL o.