The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-11

/ have stated.
Mr.. Pettus. VIII the Senator from
Mississippi allow me to ask him dues-
ton?
Mr.. Money. Certainly.
Mr.. Pettus. Does the fact that a law
is badly administered, contrary TO It's oD-
yious meaning, render the law 1nconstl
tutional. or is it merely n violation OF the
law by the judge who so administers 1t
Mr.. Money. | understand it in tnat
way-that it does not affect the constr
tutionality of the law: and that is why |
say that this word capable gives a
new meaning TO the law which the
courts have never given TO it.
AS TO READING AND WRITING.
let us see in another case. tie says
here:
How many men in your voting precinct
if called upon tomorrow to write any sec
ticn of the Constitution in the Emgl1Sh
language from dictation, would be able
TO correctly write the same?
There is no such requirement in the
law. The law does not say a man shall
read it correctly. It says he s5all reid
if. 1t makes no difference whether he
reads is correctly or incorrectly. 1t Is
lust as in the case of the constitution Of
the State of Mississippi. where. II order
in some way TO alleviate the rigor Of the
clause requiring ability 10 reead, il vas
said that if the citizen could not read
the constitution or Il section of IL. lac
should understand it and 10 able I" IN
terDret III. and 1T was well understood
that that was a liberalizing OF the prov1-
sion; that he was not expected 10 make
such an Interpretation - II as a :awy"r
would speaking before conrt or Il Judge
from the bench, or an ordinarily intelligent
man discussing it on the street corner.
Mr.. Pritchard J DO nor wish 10 pu'
the Senator off his guard.
Mr.. Money. [ does not max, any diff
ference The <'n1 Or can get up as of
ten as he wishes.
Mr. pritehard want to ask the
Senator if he does not Think when it
says they must read and write the con-
stitution. that the inference is they must
be able to read and write it
Mr.. Money. Oh. yes.
Mr.. Pritchard. Write il correctly and
read ii correctly?
Mr.. Money. No, do not. do not ad-
nit
Mr.. Pritchard BY what rule. of con-
I
conclusion?
Mr.. Money. | just simply take the
law The law states that they must be
able to read and write. The law does
not state they must be able TO read and
write it correctly. There are n great
many people amongst the voters Of every
State. both black and white. who can
read the law, hut will not read. it cor
rectly. and who can write the law. but
will not write il correctly. and they CONF
within this provision and are entitled to
vote.
In his speech the distinguished Senator
paid very high and deserved tribute
TO the brave citizens of North Carolina
who went into the civil war under the
banner of the Confederacy and returned
to homes which had been devastated and
ruined. while their antagonists upon the
field had gone home to peace and plenty
and all that; and he wants to show us
that the descendants Of those men will
not be able to vote. ] think that was
the burden Of his argument If the
Senator from North Carolina will find
it for me, / will be very much obliged to
him.
Mr.. Pritchard will accommodate the
Senator. Does he want me to read il
for him?
Mr.. Money If you can find that part
in which You allude TO the return Of
the Confederate soldier to his home,
will be obliged to you.
Mr. Prtchard. Very we'll
Mr. Money. While the Senator is look
ing for that. / want to say there is no
man living who has more respect for the
people Of North Carolina than l have
Ny father was born in that State. and
both Of the parents of my wife Were
born in North Carolina: and her conserva.
tisnl, her steadiness. and her intelligence
have been equal to those of any of he1
sister States. On any field. whether dur
ING the Revolutionary war or the Civil
War. no troops behaved better. I had
the pleasure once of being brigaded with
a North Carolina regiment, and no more
gallant fellows ever trod upon the bat
tlefield. / would go as far as the Senator
from North Carolina to resist inflictinc
upon what he calls the very poor people
Of the State any sort of deprivation Of
their rights, but these people have made
an experiment of the elective franchise
i'll the hands of the colored men. and
when he cites what was said i'll 1870 and
at other times, they were beginning then
to try the experiment of negro suffrage
THE CONDITION OF THE EAST
They have tried that experiment and
while my friend says that there is NJ
fear of domination of North Carolina by
the negroes on account of their numerical
inferior'ty. vet I will remind him that h
said that 10 or 10 counties in his State
are under the control Of the negroes So
far as votes go-that is, they have the
superiority in votes-and that
the condition of some sections of his
State only year and half ago was
utterly lamentable. l have here, which
| may have occasion to have printed.
begging leave to do so, the statement
made by gentleman now, | believe, q
contestee in the other House. of the CON
dition of things in Wilmington just prio,
To the election of 1898. and also of Mr.. |
ChadbOurn. who was the postmaster at
that place. | believe. which shows con-
dition OF things that would simply appea,
to me to be intolerable
Now. these gentleman, having tried ne
gro suffrage. having found that they were
unable TO preserve the progress of their |
state and its prosperity, to advance in |
their civilization. have found. as they |
a.. r..1