The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-04-05

Eaen the legislature met q Few readers
began TO urge this amendment A
large number e the Democratic MEM
bers OF the legislature protested against
II, first, on the ground that they had
pledged their constituent not to vote
for anything Of the kind, and next, On
the ground that their constituents we're
opposed to 1t, Cad IL 1t was submitted
it would be voted down. The leaders
continued TO work and hay on the par
ty lash
At this iuncture efforts were made 10
| try ID &c. the leaders, Instead OF
submitting this proposed amendment,
| 70 submit another anendmeat. one to
prohibit the colored man from holding
Office, but not prohibiting him or any
body else from voting. It was claimed
that they had not pledged the people
not TO prohibit anybody from holding
Office. II was further claimed taat that
would be constitutional because the
fifteenth amendment did not use the
words Ito hold Office" but used the
| words Ito vote"
Il was also pointed out to them that
no race prejudice ever was raised
when the negro simply voted, because
they compose only about one-third OF
the voters of the State, but that 1t was
only when the negro held or aspired 70
office that race prejudice and antagon-
ism was or could be aroused.
1t vas further pointed out to them
that the change made In the county
government, putting the negro counties
funder a different county government
system, In accordance with the recent
decision Of the supreme court, was suf-
ficient to settle whatever negro ques-
ton there was; and IL that did not set
tile K, then an amendment to prohibit
the negro from holding office would
settle it beyond question.
They contended that it would be
going too far" to prohibit the negro
from holding Office. Besides they con-
tended that such an amendment would
be unconstitutional, while at the same
time they contended that section 5,
which Disseminated against the negro
right 10 vote, was constitutional.
Mr.. President, these ringleaders not
only refused to submit an amendment
to prohibit the negro from holding Of.
! fee, but on the other hand, they ex-
plicitly provided in their amendment
that the negro should be eligible to
hold office 1t Is clear from this that
these politicians are carefully nursing
and preserving the race issue for use
in future campaigns
am told that there were many
stormy meetings in the secret caucuses
of that legislature, but the party lash
was laid ON from morning till night.
At last, by bare majority, as | under
!, stand, this dangerous and undemocra:-
ic measure was driven through.
But, Mr.. President, while a sufficient
number of members OF the legislature
were whipped in by the party lash to
break their pledges and pass this pro-
posed amendment, yet am proud to
be able to say that the masses Of the
=. Democratic voters have not been whip
ped into line with the party lash and
! will not be.
THE PEOPLE WILL NOT TOLER-
ATE SUCH TREACHERY.
! There ia not more Independent set
Of men on Gods green earth than the
voters of North Carolina. They have
been doing their own thinking since
I the last election, and the result Is that
, they have decided THAI section 5 is
dangerous and the are going to vote
Q against it. The Democratic leaders
have discovered it and here they rush
with new device, to be known as sec
tiol 6, that they think Will hoodwink
these voters or satisfy them to run the
risk OF section 5. But the trick will
. not work.
r Mr.. President, the masses Of the
c Democratic party in North Carolina
| do not endorse the treachery Of their
, | so-called leaders They contend. and
/ correctly, that the Democratic party in
| the past has always stood up for man
/ hood suffrage and that ait least they
. ought to be honest with the people on
! this question. They point to the late
] Senator Vance as the leader Of the par
\ ty for this Democratic doctrine OF
manhood suffrage, for which he>aiways
stood AS long as Senator Vance liv.
ed no such disfr2nchising scheme as
this csuid ever be gotten through q
Democratic caucus or a Democratic
= legislature.
+. FEB VANCE DEMOCRATS AMI
VI MANHOOD SUFFRAGE.
e To illustrate how the rank and file
/. of the Democratic party in North Car
. DINA looked upon Senator Vance u.
= their leader, and who followed hin
s 4loyally while he was alive and who re
: we're his memory now, will read al
d interview with an old-time Feb Vanc,
e Democrat, given in the last few days
: Mr. w. H. Hargrave. ex-Democratit
e representative from Haywood county
0 In the general assembly of North Caro-
lima. He says:
g / am an old-time Democrat, ant
u there are many in my section who Cal
i boast Of the same distinction. Witt
e some exceptions We are opposed to thi
l. attempt to deprive white men of thei
5 prerogative.
e. / fought similar measure when
'e was in the legislature eleven years ago
y 1t was introduced at midnight caucus
le and for that reason the proceeding
were never printed, as / can remember
u 1t was the warmest kind of debat
"a but the measure was defeated by
Is small majority. Such eminent Demo
L Gratis as Judge Hoks, Lieutenant-Gov
'e ernor Daughton, and Mr.. George Jone
81 fiercely opposed the bill as undemo
s cratic Zeb Vance was not present a
n this caucus, but was known to be il
% sympathy with the opposition.
70 No, We old-time Democrats do no
W Va SdhlZC
: clubs. We are going to make still
20 fight against the proposed amendmen
y and the election law. Let me tell YOU
~ the amendments will get a big SUI
L prise when the returns from Haywoo
'e are turned in.
Now, it may be asked, How Is it pos
Is sible for these supporters Of the am
re endment to hope to carry the State i
the coming election in the face of tn
n, past record of the Democratic party fo
lie manhood suffrage, in the face of thes
RS false promises and broken pledges i
l. the last campaign, and in the face c
c. the fact that ring politicians who wer
a the enemies OF Senator Vance hav
T. captured the machinery OF the party
n Indeed, the man who is now Democrat
OF ic State chairman was by Senate
Vance defeated for confirmation