The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-17
TO HONEST POPULISTS
An Mans Reason Why They
should support the Constitutional
Amendment.
Turkey. ~. c.. July Ia.

Turkey. ~. c.. July Ia.
Editors Messenger:
With your permission / desire to
can the attention of the honest popu-
lists who read your paper to some of
the reasons why white men should
amendment.
The great doctrine OF community or
colonial rights for which our ancestors
commended in their struggle with the
British government was that taxation
and representation should go together,
that no community ought to be taxed
by a legislature unless IL has the right
TO De represented in u Legislature.
In framing the constitution OF the
United States in 1857, this doctrine was
recognized and emphasized in the first
compromise embodied in that inStru-
ment, n the number OF representa-
tives each state was 10 be entitled 10
was In proportion to its wealth-pro-
ducfng power. Representatives and
direct taxes" il said, shall be APP
portioned non the several states,
according TO the whole number OF free
persons, etc, and three-fifths of all
other PERSONS" (slaves), il having
been agreed that it would require five
slaves to produce as much taxable
wealth a three white men could.
On June Is, 1866, the bitter radicals
OF the north devised a scheme to de-
Stroy this compromise of the conStttu-
tion, and reduce the southern states to
the condition of helpless provinces.
The plan was to have representatives
proportion to their taX-paying ability
but in proportion to the number OF
voters in each, we'll knowing that the
southern states would never make vo-
terS OF the eX-Slaves. By this appOr-
tionment the southern states would
lose a third or more of their power in
the house Of representatives and in the
election of presidents.
This was the device of a set Of
schemers who had been % nearly if
ty years laboring Z~ealously to build
UP states in the west and northwest
which could be relied on to vote in
congress against the interests of the
south. 1t was the so-called 14th
amendment; and, as everybody ex-
pected, it was rejected by the southern
states. T~hereupon, since it had been
discovered hat the refusal of several
northern states Ito accept it would
prevent its Incorporation in the con-
StitutiOn unless some of the southern
states could be compelled to ratifv it,
the usurpers passed on February 20,
1867, the notorious reconstruction
measures by which they placed bal
lots in the hands of every negro man
in the south and d~isfranchiSed enough
white men to give the negroes n the
northern adventures who led them a
clear majority, n in this way they
forced the holding of conventions in
the southern states and through them
had this Infamous amendment rati-
fed.
But this was mot enough; the fierce
radicals, after placing these states I'M
der the dominion of the negroes and
the carpet-baggers, determined to
heap further ~indignities on the south
ern whites, and render it impossible
for an indefinite period for them to re-
cover from the havoc of war and enter
calmly. coolly, and unhampered upon
the task of inSuring peace, prosperity,
and happiness to themselves and their
children. They framed on February
q, 1890. the so-called 18th amendment.
and submitted it to the states, and by
coercing the southern states,
ing them with a perpetuation of the
military despotismS by which they
were then dominated, the usurpers
succeeded in forcing his
into the constitution and thus fasten-
ing negro suffrage on the southern
states.
What was the object in view? II
was to punish the white people of the
south because they refused to assist N
abrogating the first compromise IN the
constitution and in degrading their
states TO the condition of helpless pro-
vinces and, in outfaWlng
and degrading below the level " me
negro every white man in the south
who had up to 1861 held any respect
able state, county, or federal office, as
was the purpose of the third section or
this odious amendment.
Can there be any doubt o the
object the radicals had in view" No
well-informed man who lived through
those exciting and disgraceful times
can entertain any doubt, and, if any
one belonging to a later genera s
unable to realize the intensity of the
malignity of the congress in 1873
he has fortunately h testimony OF
Senator William E. Chandler, OF New
Hampshire, who a always been IN
sympathy with those who forced these
amendemnts into the constitution. In
terrupting Senator Money, of Missis-
sippi, while he vas discussing the
Pritchard resolution, he admitted that
the 18th amendment was forced into
the constitution to punish n white
people of the south. Here is his IAN
guage Congressional Record, Januar
81. 1900, page 1251): II stand upon the
proposition that negro suffrage was
brought upon the south solely by rea-
son of the rejection. by the recon
structed south reconstructed by
President Johnson, he means), "of the
14th amendment to b constitution
Brought upon the SOUTH" "Brough'
upon the men and women of 1872
and upon their children and their chill
dren's children.
Did they accomplish their purpose o
furnishing the southern people? LIE
us attempt to answer h question b!
making a comparison. Up TO 1S6
there never was a law in North Caro-
lima requiring a registration Of voters
and every person having the constitu
tional qualifications could vote n
where in his county. How is it now
One of the chief causes of excitement
of party wrangles, and of rupture
friendly personal relations is our cleo
ton law
In those old times bribery OF voter
was an almost unhea OF ofenSe
How is it now? All owe the south 70
more than thirty years negro vote
have been sold to the highest bidder
and corruption, instead of the choic
Of the intelligent taxpayers, has file
the responsible offices