The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-06-14
AMENDMENT DISCUSSED.
LEGAL AND MORAL ASPECT OF ITS SPIRIT
AND PURPOSE.
ConstitutionaIity of the Act Thought
fully Considered by a Layman-
Benefits that Will be Derived from
its Adoption-Mr. c. l.. BlaCknalps
Views on the Subject as Given in
Letter to Mr.. T. T. Hicks.

Views on the Subject as Given in a
Letter to Mr.. T. T. Hicks.
kITTREI.L. y. e.. June ,. 1900.
Mr. T. r. HICKS
Henderson. y. &.
M Dear .Sir:-Your letter. answering
my enquiry as to how you stood on the
proposed Constitutional amendment, is
received You say. in substance, that
YOU believe the measure unconstitutional
but that you will not vote against 1t. and
expect to vote for it, out OF respect Tor
the opinions OF the many wise and learned
men who differ with you. You ask me
to write you my views and how | Will
vote and how You should and my rea-
sons for it. While giving You my prlncI-
pal reasons for favOring the amendment
it would be prescriptions III me to say
how II man of your acknowledged ability
should vote.
shall vote for the amendment because
| believe it is right. Because the white
race is superior to the black race and
therefore should rule. and the amend
ment. if adopted, puts the state III the
hands Of the whites.
Section " OF the amendment permits
all, white and black. that can read and
write to vote unless otherwise dlsluall-
fled. Section ' permits nearly all the
white ,uneducated foreigners excluded
and some of the blacks that cannot read
and write to vote. This puts it III the
hands OF the whites so Section " does
not discriminate between the races,
neither does Section V in the letter OF the
law Gas | understand iD, but does i'll
reality discriminate against the race
possessing the lesser in favor OF the race
possessing the greater intelligence, hon
esty. chastity thrift progressiveness,
freedom in rotiny, and many other virtues.
Some one has said Section Y dscriminates
not against the negro ~ Il race but
against him on account OF his race char
acteristics-his peculiar mental and moral
makeup.
Suppose. for the sake OF ii compare
son between the races, We say that OF the
white men about Y OF them are good clti-
Gems and I bad. and OF the negro Z are
bad citizens and 4 tire good (and that $ Il
liberal proposition III favor OF the negro
ANA we can truly say that practically the
whole fOur-fOurths OF the negroes blIndly
and enthusiastically follow politically
Though not trusting them otherwise. as
u rUle,) the leadership OF the z OF bad
whites. or rather n part OF them. And 1t
is IL part OF this same bad element among
the whites that is responsible for about
all the c,ls!;edness. politically, that the
South has grOaned under sine" the civil
War
With the disfranchisement OF tn" larger
part OF the negroes may we not reason
ably hope will come the diSfranrhisemeEt,
from political power. of IL greater part OF
the dema9ogucS and trlckSterS III all
parties, insuriny thereby the nominal
| ton and election OF Il larger per cent oi
good men? And it will also make prac-
| ticablc primary elections, as used in some
| States having large white ma iorities
| would get nearer ut the choice OF the PEG
| pile and be ireer from danger OF boss rule
| than with our present system.
Not being Il lawyer am not capable
OF expressing an opinion on the Constitu
| tionality OF the amendment. Many law
| verS though OF the State and Nation OF
the highest character and ability express
the opinion that it is Constitutional
And it is matter of fact. Constitutional
or not that practically the same meas
ure is in operation in Louisiana. and
good authority says successfully, too
and with small probability of the courts
| having IL say about it. as it is working
so satisfactory to all.
National Constitution it was violated be
| fornin giving the negro his freedom (whicl
was ri9ht) and incidentally in giving hin
the ballot (Which was WrOng). SO # il
| violates it again to take that franchise
nrOnWulIy and unwOrthily bestowed. iron
some OF them, all OF whom. with rare OK
ceptlons, have most unwOrthily used it
ii is nevertheless right morally.
Mess the amendment is adopted (ant
1t Is the only way that appeared prac
ticable to our wise law understand the,
We're Wise and learned men-to put TIN
State in the hands of the whites) then w
will have intervals of irresponsible rul
and the greed of corrupt white men 10
office will cause these intervals to conn
often and Oftener and stay longer ant
longer unless drastic measures are takel
to prevent it. and when such rule become
nnbearable. as it will, then drastic meas
ures, from time to time, will be taken il
the future as they have in the past, an,
we will have repttions of the Whining
ton affair or suppression of votes by in
timidation. ballot box stutting. &C.. IL
has been practiced by necessity (howeve
much to he deplored) in some sections
and as long rs we have such Il lare,
thoroughly irresponsible vote we will
have these things with all their demon
alizing tendencies to contend with. So
say if the proposed amendment is no
| Constitutional it is the lesser evil NOR
ally.
Do You believe the legality OF the amend
ment. if adopted, will ever go to the ties
i'll the courts. and il SO do you believe tn
decision would be against it? And if TIN
worst should come wouldn't both Sec
tions " and y go down together. if Oh,
| did. leaving IFS where we started?
The Wilmington affair, while unla Wful
| was one OF those occasions when the un
written law Is greater than the written
| Ana, too. 1t was an occasion when tn,
| most good to the greatest number wa.
secured. Now if the ends to be served
justified the means used on that occasion
and | say most emphatically they did
then why don't the ends to be served b,
lessenlng the necessity OF such deplorabl,
affairs us this one and others that ar,
worse, justify the means in the shape O
the passage of the proposed amendment
| mean solely from a moral standpoint
even if we admit the mconstitutionait,
| of the amendment. and YOU. | believe
| only DOUBT 1t.
That most heinOuS OF all crimes q could
almost say all other crimes combined ar,
| virtues compared with this une) anC
committed almost exclusively by the III.
gro was an almost unknown one in tn,
South until since the Civil War. Al
during that war. when nearly all tn.
white men OF the South We're from theil
| homes. this, now common crime. was a,
| ! say, almost unknown. and if there wa.
Il single instance OF il where the whit,
woman was the victim of the negro
have not heard OF it. And why was this
1t was simply because the white man
though away, was i'll supreme power
shudder to think how it would be now
with as many white men gone Ant
while the white man being securely il
power now would not stop this erin,
entirely. under the changed conditions. il
would, nevertheless. to q very great ex
tent lessen it, fully believe. as well a.
lessen other race troubles And Their,