The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-05-31
TEE AMENDMENT IN LOUISIANA.

ting % andreporting the result OF
the operation Of the Constitutional
Amendment In that State. This Is
similar to the amendment now PEN
ding In this State, in that 1t con-
tains the same mopstrous, absurd
and unconstitutional "Grandfath-
er Clause"
The Editor OF the Observer gives
a glowing account Of the successful
manner In which the amendment
operates, and to sustain this view
he quotes from a mber OF leading
Office holders, politicians, and mem
bers OF the Constitutional Conven-
tion that framed the monstrosity.
OF course these office holders and
office seekers are In favor Of the
amendment, because they are now
In power, and see great prospect
ahead Of continuing in power in
definitely, by building up a polili-
cal machine such as Simmons
hopes to have In this State. North
CaroliDians, however, are "made Of
sterner stuff" and will never sub
NIT to the rule of an oligarchy such
as now dominates the elections In
the State OF Louisiana.
Daniels did not tell his readers
that both Of the Democratic Sena-
tors Of Louisiana urged the Con sti-
tutionol Convention not to adopt
the grandfather" clause, and that
they both pronounced that feature
OF the amendment absolutely and
grossly unconstitutional"
He did not tell his readers that
Judge Semmes, one OF the leading
lawyers In that Convention, said
even If the "Grandfather Clause
were unconstitutional, and 80 de
clared by the courts, yet they
would still have a perfect scheme
to restrict the suffrage.
He did not tell his readers that
twenty-eight members Of that Con.
stitutional Convention voted
against the amendment because
they believed 1t unconstitutional
Here Is what some of the members
Of that Convention said in explain.
ing their votes against the measure
Mr.. Chiapella said:-"I believe
that section Is violative of the
amendments of the Federal Consti
tuition"
Mr.. Chenet said I'll vote against
the ordinance in its present form
because in my opinion section 5 Is
unconstitutional"
Mr.. Wise said 81 am opposed
to the adoption Of this ordinance
because I believe section S IL I'M
constitutional, vicious and undem
ocratic in principle"
Mr.. Browning said ~ am op
posed to section 5 on the ground Of
Its unconstitutionality."
Mr.. J. E. Moore said az am I'M
utterably opposed to section 5 be-
cause it is unconstitutional"
Mr.. Halt said II vote against
ordinance 205 because / consider
section in COT f1ict with the Con,
stitution Of the United State s."
There were quite q number o.
other members of the Convention
who expressed similar Views, bu,
these Views are enough to convince
any one that even in the State
where this method OF vote restric
ton has been adopted there is gray.
doubt as to its constitutionality.
Senator McEnery who was som.
years ago on the Supreme bench O
that State declared it to be "grossl,
unconstitutional"
The Georgia Legislature in No
vem Der, 1899, for the same reason
defeated this amendment by vot,
of 1877 to3.
The New Orleans Times Demo
crat, when the proposition was be
ing considered, gave it as the opin
ion Of Senators Turpie, Vest, Nc
Laurin, Walthall, Pettus, Lindsay
and Others, ali Democrats, that tn,
grandfather clause" was unconsti
tutional.
Suppose we grant, for the sake O
argument, that the amendment ha.
worked welt in Louisiana, do tn,
people Of this grand old State wan
to see a strong political ollgarch,
entrenched in power here, afte,
forty or fifty thousand white voters
have been deprived Of their RICH
to vote, as they surely will be, i
the amendment were adopted
They may contend that the
amendment has brought peace
good order and honesty in the cleo
lions in the State of Louisiana, bu,
the Times Democrat, the leading
Democratic paper of that State
gives the lie directly to such state
ments, for it condemn ned the frauds
in the recent election held down
there. So did other Democrat,
papers. So did Senator Caf1rey.
Daniels, in his series of interview
on the operation of the am endmept
published an opinion from Mr.
kruttschritt who was a mem Der oil
the Constitutional Convention.
In concluding long argument