Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1900-02-01

people Of North Carolina to escape
from the same horrible condition.
Several of the other Southern States
urged by the younger men born since
ls41, and many older men, are moving
under the same Impulse, in the same
direction. They have not yet de-
SPARED
In Minor vs.. Happersett Ool Wal
lace. 1922 it is decided that citizenship
of the United States does not carry
with it the right OF suffrage and that
the Constitution of the United States
does not confer the right of suffrage
upon any one. That power belongs to
the constitution and laws of the States.
In William VS.. Mississippi l7o II.
5, 213) the supreme court holds that
the discrimination that is vio!atjye
OF the constitution as amended must
appear On the face of the State law OF
necessary intenoment from it and
not from the manner in which the
State law is administered
In all these decisions We find that
Congress alone can exercise the power
TO protect the negro against discrimi-
nation IN respect of the right to vote.
and that its power under the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments is
confined to this sole purpose.
1t must also be such Il discrinina-
Don as appears on the face Of the law
mat IS complained Of, and must relate
alone 10 race, color. or previous con-
altlon Of servitude. 1t l. not enough
20 invoke the interference Of Congress
that such discrimination is possible,
or even probable under the administra-
uCn OF the law. 1t must he found in
/. the legal construction of the law and in
us legal effect. In this view Of tho law
tnat governs in these matters the de-
clslon IL the Mississippi case is ..on-
elusive to show that the tcx, Of the
LOUISIANA constitution is not a legal
discrimination against the negro on ac-
count OF his race. color or previous
condition Of servitude, and the act IS
valid against the power of Congress
to interfere with it.
If the republic includes two dis
tlnct races-the highest and the lowest
IN the scale Of intelligence and canac-
lty Tor wise and good government
their respective Representatives can
not be equal N ability and influence.
and this fact destroys the possibility
OF equality in political power. One
class OF representatives will dominate
the other so completely that the idea
OF free and equal government will be
Danlshed. and the results will establish
the race that IS dominant over the
others as subordinate, thereby con-
Vertlng the republic into a practica!
autocracy.
If the races are nearly equally in
numbers, continual warfare will be the
result.
The history of the republic Of santo
Domingo, where the contest is between
the negro and the mulatto. will become
the history Of our Southern States if
the basis Of voting remains as it is.
a-d the finale Will be the expulsion Of
the negro or his determination.
1t IS the experience of the Young
er men. arising out Of the effort to
work negro suffrage into our political
system as d harmonious element. onl
not the prejudices or resentments Of
The former slave holders, that have
prompted this strong and decisive
movement IN the Southern States. 1t
will never cease unless it is held down
by military power. It is 4 social evil
as we'll as political, and the cost q its
suppression will not De counted bv
thts and succeeding generations in
connection with lestions OF material
prosperity.
NO great body of white people in
the world could be expected to quietly
accept a situation 50 distros .ng and
demoralizing as is created ,y negro
suffrage in the South 1t i q thorn in
the flesh and viii irrtate and rankle
IN the body polite until it is removed
as factor in government. It S not
necessary to 90 into the details Of his
tory to establish the great fact that
negro suffrage in Loui slana and other
Southern states has been one unbrG,.-
en- line of political. social. and indus
trial obstruction to progress. ard a con-
slant disturbance Of the peace in a vast
region Of the Tnitei States.
NO historian Will ever be able. to
collect hundredth part CT the facts
OF that distressing history
Il owe them nothing but good Will.
but l can not include in that leot the
sacrifice Of the honor Of the white
race or the destruction Of its prestige
and hard-earned Institutions OF gov
eTnnent. eithe~ 10 fatrer Their vanity
o. to reward caose with powar who
have cursed this country with their
enforced presence, or those who en-
pioy that race for the oppression OF
my native Southland
Armed with the ballot. on tee pre-
text that il vas necessary for he pro-
teeci0n Ct he.r rights and as the com
rlement ot Their manhood II his az
d.cted rhem with social aspirations
that are impossible Of realization. ana
n their disa a1po.ntment they have con-
SANITY persisted n seiZing by fo-ce
Inc privilege that they vainiy strive
20 attain 10. as gro.esque decorations
o their l.ber:es Under the license
which they include in their notions 0.
liberty. desperate crime hac been very
often -eso-ted 70 a. their means o. sue
cess unit. there is ID real safcty for