The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-10
Why the Negro Should Not be
Allowed to Vote.
lie is Unable 10 Comprehend the Duty imposed
by Suffrage to Benefit and Elevate
the Commonwealth.

To the Editor: All the objections raised
by the enemies of the Constitutional
amendment, l think have been fully met
by able contributions to your paper, ex-
cept probably one which in some circles
is being considered. With your permis-
sion l will give a brief notice of that
one.
1t is said by some, to be bad morals
to disfranchise the ignorant negroes. 1t
is perhaps not sufficient to say that the
negro was enfranchised by fraud and
force, therefore it is moral and right to
undo that wrong. There is great moral
principle underlying the exercise of suf-
| frage. Under an empire, a potentate or
| class, exercise the functions of govern
ment, while in a Republic the people
are sovereign, and each individual must
perform his part His voice and SOW
ereign will be expressed only
through the ballot, and the voice of the
majority must be the will of all. This
suggests the question: shall all the peo-
pie have a voice in the affairs of govern
ment? shall idiots and lunatics take part?
NO, because lney nave not lueuldl CdpdC-
ity to rule. Shall children? No. because
their mental powers have not matured
sufficient for them to grasp the principles
upon which we are bulded. Should the
ignorant negro exercise this important
function? No, because he has for thirty
years proven himself totally unable to
| comprehend the duty imposed by suffrage
and by nature he has not moral char
l.;
an important trust.
But some say suffrage is a right, and
when once acquired, it is revolution and
immoral to withdraw it. This | contra
dict because no man has right to
vote-if he had then all could take part
| women, children, idiots, lunatics, foreign
ers, the moral and the vicious, and the
very central idea upon which the Re-
public is founded would be exploded The
perpetuity of the Republic rests solely
upon the faithful and honest exercise of
governmental functions. 1t was never
contemplated that this could or would be
done by the immoral and vicious. The
United States Supreme Court has on sew
eral occasions, given utterance upon this
point, and no one will contest it now.
The courts have said, that suffrage is
sovereignty of the State, but this idea
of privilege, for reasons already express
ed carries with it important conditions.
The privilege of exercising controlling
function in society cannot be nationally
conceived of, except as contingent upon
the ability of exercise it with good eff
feet to all concerned. To vote is to bind
the community as whole-it is a means
to an end, and is legitimate and moral
only as it serves towards an end and that
end is to upbuild the commonwealth. Suf-
frage is part of our entire political sys-
tem and implies not formal contract
but moral engagement to which the
corporate community, including men, wo-
men and children is one party and the
voter the other. He engages to pro-
| mote the public welfare, he is a political
functionary in place of trust. He has
by registration, accepted a functional
trust instituted and conferred not for his
benefit, or the promotion of class, but
| for the benefit of the civic community in
| its present Wilderness | submit there
can be no other rational or moral concep-
| ton of suffrage.
There is the great overshadowing right
of the State of North Carolina to be
ruled and ordered in the best way for
the happiness and prosperity of her peo-
| ple-every possible right to vote is sub
sidary to this great rght-which apper-
tains to every class of our society. There
fore the people in their sovereign might
arc bound for the good of the whole to
take this great moral privilege and
trust from any and all who have not the
| moral and mental capacity to exercise it
for the betterment of the commonwealth.
w. B. SHAW.