The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-03-15

], therefore, Mr.. President, Will &C.
mand taat these very reasons Should
be embc lied ia the journal. because !
wish Ii TO be well understood that the
great city OF New Orleans, Ihich
have the honor 20 represent. does not
need such law and that IL
will give to certain parishes unfair
advantage over our city.
Feeling convinced. therefore, that
this whole ordinance Is wrong in prin-
ciple. inexpedient, AMI unwisc, AND
that voice the se-itinsnt' II my Goa
s;ituents, | now desire 10 vote no.
/ Mr.. President these are about the
1 views held by a large rIajority OF the
voters of North Car >iina On this same
question, and for such reasons they
will vote to repudil;e the amendment
next August.
THE OPINION OF TIE LEADING (
DEMOCRAIC PAPER ~
LOUISIANA.
/ In addition to these expressions 10. /
members of the Louisiana ,cous6itu- 4
f! tional convention, l call attention TO 1
the following editorial that appeared 4
! in the New Orleans TimesDenocrat, I
the leading Democratic paper CT Lou I
isiana, on Friday morning, March %. |
1898, the next day after the adoption
of section by the convention:
TRIUMPH OF POLITICIANS. !
| After themselves disavowing and
and fiercely denouncing section .. q
majority of the members of the consti-'
tutional convention Yesterday passed
that offensive sectiCn-offenSive 10,
Democracy, to political honesty. and TO
Americanism. And the con-
vention, too has passed this offensive
section in the face of the fact that the
ablest Democrats in the United States
, Senate have declared it to be unconsti-.
tutionaI. Senators Caffery and Nc
Emery have both protested against its
, passage and have declared that IL con-
travenes the Federal Constitution. I'M
this opinion they are joined by SUCH
stalwart Democrats and uncompro-
missing State rights Senator's and Conf
gressmein as the following
! Then follows the names OF Senator'S
E and Congressman who are recognized
a. among the ablest constitutional
lawyers in this body and in the House.
j The New Orleans Times-Democrat has
not since that time changed its orir-
6 ion as to the unconStitutionality OF
|. this measure. That paper N many
d recent editorials has repeated the opin-
{ ion that was expressed the day after
i the action of the convention. | read
| the following from an editorial OF re-
: cent issue:
ls The people of North Carolina will
/, vote in August on the proposed consu-
n tutiona, amendment disfranchsiay the
d negroes from voting, and which con-
l. tains the famous grandfather clause'
3 borrowed from the Louisiana constitu-
= tion. 3 + The grandfather clause
v which the Louisiana constitutional
y convention invented, is obiec.ed to as
; Of doubtful constitutional!ty, contain
% ing elements of great danger, and be-
u sides altogether unnecessary.
= The theory that the opposition to the
70 grandfather clause comes from the
X Republicans is wholly untrue. The
u Northern Democrats have unanimous
,e ly declared against this plan OF dis
p franchising the negro as uncoustitu-
he tiCnal.
rs WHAT THE WASHINGTQN POST
n SAYS
"a The Washington Post, which has
never Joined in the sectional crusade
lie against tine people of the South, and
+ which probably understands the pecu-
., liar social and Industrial conditions OF
our section better than any other
ne Northern paper, takes the same view
as Indeed, the Post is the strongest de-
UT fender that the South has among
Us Northern papers, Yet that paper de-
ne noumces the amendment as unconstitu-
"a, rtional and wicked in morals. l read
Oh the following extract from a recent ed
itOrial:
st 1t is to be hoped that Senator Butlei
hx,; ira uh q
nd the defeat Of the North Carolina suf.
IL frage amendment.
Ia If it sought simply TO make the ac
re-. of voting an intelligent and enlighten
var ed function and to reduce tc mini
ne mum the opportunities of bribery am
III corruption, we should hail il as a steI
ne toward purity and wholesomeEess il
cu- politics. But, as We see the matter
the scheme is simply 70 disfranchis
OF the negro because he is black, and t
me protect at least majority of tn
aid whites who would otherwise be dis
pes franchised under an impartial applica
II ton of the same rule.
;tl- North Carolina, in a word. has Dor
nat rowed from Louisiana the iniquitou
the expedient whereby illiterate white vo
not tiers may retain the franchise epjoye
re- by their fathers or grandfathers j
1867, no matter what may be their pei
wv sonal disqualifcations under the re
ere strictions imposed upon the negroe
is without exception. We believe the pla
ern to be unconstitutional, as we know
ON has been so denounced by both til
AMI Louisiana Senators in the case Of the
and own State, and we have not the Sigh
,re- est doubt that it is wicked in morals q
pa it is stupid and blunderng In eAp'
MI 1iency.
ems The defeat of this measure will be
ma national benefaction-
ate, AN ABSURD CLAIM-A SLANDE
this UPON THE SUPREME COURT.
bus Before passing from this part of u
SOD discussion. desire to refer to OF
de- other argument that have heard d
iach vanced in support of this PROPOSE
Aid' amendment.
A certain Judge in my State, who b.
we a reputation not only fer considerab
Ell legal learning but also FOR high cha
un- acter and conscientiousness of motiy
De was appealed Ito to write a legal OPT
IN ion in support of section s. The judi
or wrote an article in response, but har
ly a legal opinion. The sum and gu
isti- stance of his article, after attempti
Iou- to prove that the white man was S
1861, perior to the negro (Which every adv
ear cate of this provision seems to f.
1864 called upon to do,) was to express t
tor hope that the Supreme Court OF {
of limited States would take note of (
egal fact that public opinion had chang
,tec- in regard tn Hhe fifteenth amending
the and would hence uphold section
side through in violation of it. Since II
7 all time I have noticed that one of I
con- leading Democratic candidates for ec
t no ernor in my State has written am ar
Upon Gle taking the same position. l do I
iere- deem it necessary to reply to such
or cIoin, for ite evident atsurdity ,,nor