Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-01-23
5Sth CONGRESS.
Continued from page ~

the only lawful method by which the
colored people can be deprived of the
rights which are now guaranteed to
them by said amendment.
Il consider the proposed amendment
to the constitution of the state Of
North Carolina as the most important
question that we have been called up-
on to -:.l with since the war. The
constit,.tion of 1865 of North Carolina
was framed by the Republican party.
and among other things it contained a
provision which guarantees free suf-
frage to the rich, the poor. the illitcrate
and the educated alike. Its adoption
marked an era of encouragement to the
common people Of the state.
II do not wish to Ec understood as
saying that every Democratic leader i'll
North Carolina has been guilty OF du-
plicity in dealing with our people, be
cause there are several honorable eX-
ceptions, and notably among these was
my distinguished predecessor, the late
Senator Vance: "If we are to profit by
the lessons taught by the election
methods in the states Of South Caro-
lima, Louisiana and Mississippi we are
justified in the assumption that the
adoption of the proposed amendment
in North Carolina will sound the death
knell of the aspirations Of every Zeb
Vance Democrat in the state.
1T is evident that the trainers Of
the fifteenth amendment had but one
object in view. and that was to en-
body in the constitution Of the United
States guarantee that there should
be no discrimination on the part of
any state against any class of people
on account Of the race. color or pre-
Vious condition of servtude. l caH
upon my Democratic friends to show
me a single individual who, while in
a condition of servitude. was entitled
to vote. AL will admit thar. no one had
that right while in such condition.
Therefore the proposed amendment to
the North. Carolina constitution is as
much in conflict with this clause Of
the fifteenth amendment as it would
be with other portions OF the amend
ment if; it had declared that no one Of
African descent should be entitled 10
vote" -
In conclusion Prftchard' declared that
the election law Of North Carolina,
passed by the last Democratic Legis-
lature, was more unjust in its discrim-
inatiOn than the Goebel election law
of Kentucky. AS to the proposed con-
stitutional amendment. he said: Il
regard the proposed amendment as an
attempt to legalize the fraudulent
methods and practices of the Demo-
cratic party that have obtained in the
conduct and control of elections in the
past
In the course Of his speech Pritchard
said that the cry Of negro domina-
ton was the answer given to every
proposition made by the Republicans.
He was Interrupted by Tillman. s. q.
who said that little else vas to be eX-
pected when the administrator con-
tinualy thrust negro postmlstcls on
the people If the South.
PIitchard-"Therc you have il. If
should read the ten cummandma nts t.
the senator he would cry y gro back
at me"
Tilman-''We say nigscr 1T thr
South, not negro. Lot us stick To
facts"
Prtchard-"Thc senator may use
whatever expression he likes. I'm
satisfied to use mine"
Pritchard upon resuming his speech
referred to the small vote III tho stat"
of Mississippi as compared with the
population.
Money Miss, int rruptcd t. explain
the point Pritchard had mad. when
he, in turn, was interrupted hy 'hand-
Ter ~ IL. who asked il nm clrc'lon
had hoen held in mississippi LAST scar
Money replied cVasivcly.
Chandler-"WcU. | wish III" senator
would examine his mind and tc'l u~
whether H. thinks an election was hrld
in his state, last year
Money replied that an election "ls
held in Mssssippi last year, ana III
timated that hc had replied cVaslNcly
to Chambers question, hrrausr as b"
said. IL am as afraid Of III" senator
,ChandloD as | am of Il monkey in a
powder magazine with matches. I'VE
been the victim Of his wit before, hui
I'm glad to give him any information
| have"
In reply to another point of Pritch
ards speech. TillmIn said there WAS
only a little cotcric. uf Republicans in
South Carolina. They kept up thn sho"
of a party organization and lived "n
the money they got for their votes in
Republican conventions.
In accordance with notice previously
given, Turner. Dem. Wash. then ad-
dressed the Senate on the Philippine
question. His discussion took wide
range. ~
Presidents message nor the ierNld ora
tory of the senator's address. Sald ne
can change the facts of history or met
amornhose a proposed course 81 acts al
ready partly accomplished, which involves
a shocking ana pertidOus breach N ma
tional faith. into an act OF poilcy delell1
siblc on grounds of justice, morality ana
,11tinuaI