The sun., 1900-08-19

constructions az there are officers 70 admins
ter H. II dishonesty administered, " v a YER ,
TtOs Z to fu be avoided BY all Who prize tie ballot
"a representing liberty. ....,. .A,,.-
"A straight plan ana aon,Ion monersGill VIII p,%sa
vicious and dangerous lliteratcs 4 properly
s sonal property or the reward OF personal ser.
Vice TO small. but sufficiently large amour, q,
TO encourage, voters who will take interest III
senator McESery did not stop here, however.
but continued a VIGOROUS campaign upon 'n'
smbbs, who represents his parish IOuachiua)
In the convention, he sald; A.. .o-.di-
hope you may be able 70 defeat the heredh- r,,h
mitted 10 the conv vsution as oompr9mise.
With you wish 20 see the negro. as iar ae ne can
deprived Of ss TO S.nno xGs the
'"piaSba,Itfd aSbmItfed the article :. number Of able
lawyers on the Democratic side OF the Senate
Without hesitation they ssid Il was grossly "
violation OF the Fifteenth amendment enS y,
the & article cH miT6t be the loss Of our representa-
tion In Congress and our electoral vote.
Senator Turpie. who is one OF the most LOYAL
COMMITTEES. had serious doubts as 70 the under der
standing clause Of the Mississippi Constitution
That clause rs nov before me HOUSE ,,ad sIeso
"Jhe lawyers whom. I consulted are TuIpie
souri,, Berry OF Krkansas Walthall Of Missi.sippi,
nirley OF Tennessee, Pettus OF Alabama ana
Mclaurln Of South Carolina, and in the louise
that able jurist Judge Culberson OF Texas
In fact, have canvsssed and the universal
sentiment Is that the article cannot stand ju-
The 3rst proposition was published in the
Il is a fact 1T was talked Of as Joke, No one
Senator McFnery's opposition 20 the grand.
father clause was taken up by the fress ana
I sRRst fRs tho Suase w
ought TO be settled IN, "a manly, COURAGEOUS
and honest way" cal led for general approval
roe, Mansfield and other towns Declaring against
the grandfather clause and three-Iourths oI
the Democratic paners In Louisiana opposed
The two Senators caught It, as might have
been expected. red hot" from the members
3f The oonventlon: It's President S ndr,tc Mr; a. ~
state Central Committee, said that he had read
with disgust and distress the views. OF the sena-
Insisted upon passing the grandfather clause
over the opinion OF Senators McEnery and
GSe The Senator senator tSsr snS jSS
Democratic party Tor having embarrassed 1t
ga ag 2SdSR doddsd o as Fq%c ssnaSr aStS SE 4 d
asked aHgriiy what he would 70 in case the
convention passed the suffrage measure before
that in the Senate would support any plan
adopted when attacked. My duty TO the people
Of Louisiana would demand this
This was telegraphed on March 49, 1893. when
TO all appearances the suffrage article had been
abandoned and the grandfatheE clause was
dead beyond all resurrection killed by Sena-
tor McEnery's vigorous opposition. -Four days
afterward. on March a. the convention revived
the, apparently dead article, grandfather clause
and all and pass ed II, 10 the surprise Of all.
Its action left Senator McEnery In a rather
remarkable position. 1e had vigorously op-
posed the Louisiana suffrage plan, had shown
It's apparent unconstitutiQnallty and had, he
thought killed II. but after he had given pledge
to support any suffrage plan adopted. the very
plan he had objected to and, as he thought,
defeated had been passed. Thus he is called
on 10 defend what ne has pronounced clearly
unconstitutional.
Senator McEnery was reelected United States
Senator in 1900 with the same understanding
and pledge he had given before 70 support in
the Senate tho Louisiana suffrage clause. which
he himself so disbelieves in. It Is this pledge
that makes him speak now against. Senator
Chandlers letter and will make him
Chanders chief opponent II the latter brings
up this matter In the Senate and the defender
OF the famous grandfather clause. AS for Judge
Semmes. the originator and defender OF the
clause, who is responsible for It's insertion
In the Louisiana Constitution, he died year ago.