The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-03-29
WHOEVER EXAMlNENs THE SIN
Mons ELECTION LAW WILL
FINDIN IT THE SUM-TO-
TAIL OF POLITICAL
VLLAlNIRS
NO. 1
INTRODUCTORY.

Editor CAUCASIAN
What, heretofore, has been the
guaranty of the people of North
Carolina that their elections would
be free and does that guaranty
still exist? and whence was it de-
rived
The answer to these questions is
written In that provision OF our
State Constitution, which is both
briefer and more expressive than
any other, and is as follows
ART. l, SEC. 10, ALL ELECTIONS
DUG HT TO BE FREE.
This provision however was no
new declaration. 1t is also found
in the Constitution of 1868, from
which it was copied by the Conven-
ton that revised and amended
that instrument in 1875. But it is
Of far nobler origin than this. It
Is in fact part Of our history. It
is portion Of the inheritance,
which we derive from heroic an
cestry, who purchased it with blood
and inscribed it, in crimson letters,
| upon the very linten and doorposts
of the temple Of our liberties For
| this declaration is but literal trans
cript from that great Bill of-Rights,
which was first formulated by the
Convention Of Halifax over which
Richard Caswell presided in 1776,
and was afterwards re-afHrmed by
the Convention over which Nathan
lei Macon presided in 1885. This
guaranty therefore is coeval with
our free institutions, and descends
to us with all Of the increased val
ue which long possession has add
ed to an undisputed title.
This freedom of elections is in
truth the basic principle Of popular
government. Without it the will
of the people is enslaved. With
out it the ir voice is silenced. And
without it there can be no freedom
of any kind. For the right OF suf
frage is that one right which is
preservative of all other rights, and
em braces them all as the acorn en-
closes the oak. A right SO fund.-
mental as this ought to be inaliena-
BILE and was meant to be inviOla BILE
And to protect it from violation
the Intelligent reader knows, that
each member Of the General AS
sembly, before he can be seated
must take solemn oath to sup
port that mandate of the Constitu.
, ton by which 1t is secured. What
then must such a reader think Of
the present General Assembly
which in defiance of that mandate
and in disregard of that oath, has
devised an Election Law which
q hampers and obstructs the freedom
Of elections, in so many ways, as t.
add the sin of sacrilege to that O
e perjury
This Election Law makes quite /:
n little volume, covering 80 pages
, and containing SO sections. Ant
yet, in the adjustment of all of it
parts, there is the most perfect uni
ty OF design. To dissect it there
q fore in such way as to unravel it
d many intricacies, would be so larg
8 an undertaking that any review Q
e it must be incomplete. fortunate
q ly for me, it is now being widel,
distributed in pamphlet form an
is easily accessible. And whateve
else may be said of it, it's value a
u a campaign document cannot b
e overestimated. 1t deserves to b
= read by men of all political parties
o and all who read it will affirm, tina
d no political party has ever befor
published such libel upon itself
n In considering a measure, sue,
=, as this, the question of authorshhii
=, is the first to present Itself. An
that by common consent has bee
Il attributed teS Mr.. F. NJ. Simmon.
l. W91Ho because of this and his othe
'e dement's, now aspires to a seat i
d the United States Senate. But jus
10 tice to others compels me to ga
q that the whole credit of this thin
"a Is not his. For it is simply impos
sible, that so complex and MOI
strous an invention, could hav
been the work of a single invente
1t is in fact the product Of man
+. minds, long laboring together in th
same dark labratory, and with til
If sole object of manufacturing majol
n tiles without votes. This however
20 said in no spirit of detraction, S
far as he is concerned, since thel
y will be left for him, after deduct in
r all that is due to others, enough
10 OF glory for any one man. For b
a. has borrowed nothing from other
that he has not improved, while i
the adaptation of his means to b
7e ends he has shown all the skill {
te the true craftsman. But it is, as
re compiler, that his industry is mos
> to be commended. For in gathel
ing his materials, he is believed
~ have ransacked the election law
o. of all the states of this Union, I'll
til whatsoever things are false, an
te whatsoever things are dishones
=. and whatsoever things are unjus
% and whatsoever things are impur
% and whatsoever things are hatefu
sn and whatsoever things are Of ev
ne report, are all embodied in tn
Law, which taken as a who
makes one consistent and compr
hensive scheme, the purpose
" which is to shackle the limbs
40 q free people, and to erect upo
fear and fraud the rule of an arr
10 CANT, an insolent, and a mercile
as minority. And this is true, whetl
" or we consider the instruments
at which the election machinery
~ composed, or the methods by whie
W the work of registration is pc
y formed, or the manner in whie
is the election is conducted, or tt
81 agencies by which it's returns a.
.c. certified, or the ultimate trinun
by which its results are declared.
~ And now let US turn to the La
I'd itself. 1t is entitled "An Act
er Regulate Elections" and it's title
De more than usually descriptive. F,
If it is taken in sufficient quanti1