The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-02-01


Argo, w. w. Greer. P. Holnett. T. c.
humphreys, J. A. Kelly, J. A. Mason,
w. p. Welsh. 2. d. Whitley. w. L.
Lord, l.. A. Mason. and j. w. Osborne,
all Democrats, voted for the ratiica
tion OF the fiftesnth amendment.
II these distinguished Democrats At
a time when the colorei race had Just
been emanIp2ted and was in A help
less state of ignorance thought it wise
and proper that they should exercise
the right o. suffrage, I assume that /
ain right in contending, after a lapse
OF thirty years, that it is our duty as
Representatives CT the American pep
pie TO use all Naans in our power u
secure the proper enforcement Of tnt
fifteenth amendmnt.
Ii the Senator from Alabama Is right
in his contention that the negro i3 not
entitled to exercise the elective fran.
chise, the Democratic panty should
have the manhood TO propose the
abrogation Of the fifteenth amendment.
This would r2ise the issue for which
my distinguished friend contends and
would afford the people of the United
states an opportunity to pass upon the
qu9tstion-the only lawful method by
which the colored people can be de-
prived of the rights which are now
gual anteed TO them by said nmena-
ment
Judge Story, In his great work on the
Constitution, said: What ia to be-
come oG the constitutions OF govern
ment il they are to rest not upon the
plain import OF their words, but upon
c0njoctulal enlargements and restric-
tions, to suit the temporary passions
and interests CT the day? Let us
never forge. that our constitutions of
government are solemn instruments
addressed to the common sense Of the
people, and designed to fix and perpet-
uate their rights and liberties. They
are net ID be frittered away to please
the demagOgue45 c. the day; they are
not to be violated to crafty the aimOt-
tions OF political leaders-they are to
speak in the same voice now and for
ever. They are no mans private in
terprectation. They are ordained by
the Will o. the people. and can be
changed only by the sovereign COM
mand CT the people"
And until the majority Of the Anerl.
can people shall decree the abrogation
OF that amendment, the States are
powcrless by constitutional enactment
Or otherwise to 60 that which IS 4
discrimination against any class ol
people residing therein. on account ol
race, colCr, Or previous condition 0!
servitude.
, Justice Swaine in the slaughter
house cases, in referring to these
amendments, among other things. said:
Fairly construed, these amendments
may be said to rise to the dignity Of :,
new Magma Charta''
There is to-day a manifest d;spos.-
, ton to invade the liberty Of the in
6ividGal and to ignore the rights OF
proparty-a disposition which is con
cealed under many pre:exts, and re-
ferr.ng to which Mr.. Guthrie in his
work On the fourteenth amendment os.
page 80 says: This tendency, bred OF
envy and discomfort and the thirst fol
organic chinge--call it socialism g.
communism, CIR what you willis the
grave danger OF the present, and il
threatens humiliation and disaster. Ii
this tendency lies the difficult problem,
which We OF this generation must pre-
pare to face and to solve. Much is to
be dreaded and guarded against in the
despQtism Of the majority welding an
abusing the power c. legislation, and
ignorantly or Intentionally undermin
ing the foundation OF the Constitution,
itself"
1T has been contended all the while
| by the Republican party that, in the
event OF the Democratic party being
permitted again to control our affair."
it would attempt eventually to ST
amend the constitution as to exclude
the poor and illiterate people of both
races from the enjoyment OF the privl-
lege guaranteed them by the congtit}l-
ton Of 1868.
On the ether hand. the Democrats
have streruously denied that such was
their intention, and, in doing SO, have
ridiculed the charges made by Re
publicans. During the last campaign
Mr. Simmons. chairman OF the Demo
cratic executive committee, devoted 4
good deal OF his time in attempting II
convince the people that his party was
not inclined to restrict the right oi
suffrage. l call attention to the fol-
! lowing interview which Mr.. Simmons
gave out en- the 25th of September o1
that year, published in the Raleigt
/ News and Observer, one Of the leading
Democratic newspapers of the State:
! For the past twenty years or more
just before every election the Repub.
/ 1ican speakers. at their midnight meet
! ings, have been in the habit Of telling
! the negro that il the Democrats came
into power their right to vote would be
taken away from them. After the
| Democrats came into power in this
State they always had some reason L
give the credulous beings why the
Democrats had not disfranchised then
as they had before predicted.
! 'Ftrst, they told them that if the
! Democrats got the State government
! they would disfranehise them. The
! Democrats got the State government
and did not disfran clIiaa them Their
they told them that if the Democrat:
! elected a President they would dis
| franchise them. The Democrats elected
President and did nc. disfranchist
them. Then they told them if th'
Democrats got control OF Congres
they would disfranchise them. Th
Democrats got control of Congress an;
did not disfranahise them. All a!onE
the honest white man OF the Stat
laughed at these lies and marveled tha
the negro did net have sense enough
to see that he was being duped.
FINALLY, the negro himself began t
see through the trick. He had see.
the Democrats in full power in tn
State fer twenty odd years, and haa
learned through experience that tha
party did not propose to disfranchis'
him, and he too began to laugh at thes'
lies and finally refused to be fright
ened by their rot any longer. So tn,
old Republican scarecrow had to b
pulled down and puI. away.
also call attention to the followin!
statement contained in an address is
sued ami signed by the Democratic
members CT legislature Of North Caro-
lima in 1870:
I'm the last contest in this State tn
principal issue was upon the question
OF colored suffrage and civil rights @
the colored race. That matter ha