The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-03-15
SENATOR buffers SPEECH
Continued from lst page.l

ure. Inc objection | raise TO the bill
here and the objection with which /
fought the measure in the committee
room Is that 1t is legislating purposely |
positively, and conclusiveiy against
enc race; purposely, positively, and |
conclusiyely in favor OF another race.
Is it judicious to work this change Ia
| che law? | speak from an experience
OF fifty years IS citizen, and in which
| time 1 have had occasion to observe
the prevailing couditicn in my State. |
and | tell You that the provisions are |
first of all unnecessary
Mr.. Howard, of Challapoochee, OPP
| posed the bill. He said: In my section |
| OF the State the negro who has never |
| spent one day in school is the best citi- /
zen of his class and the most intelI- |
gent voter of his race 1t has been my |
observation that education is not a |
| test of citizenship. We are hedged in !
| by the Federal Constitution which pro- |
| hibits us from barring any man from |
! citizenship by reason OF race, color or
| previous condition of servitude, and | |
can not see how the bill before the
| House can be considered in any light
/ but as violation OF the provisions Of
that Constitution If we are to limit
the franchise, it is limit that should
work alike in both races
| Mr.. Overstreet of Screven began
with a statement that he would feel
that he was doing the people of his sec
! ton and State an injustice and falling
far short of his duty to his constitu-
ents If he did not raise his voice in op-
position to the pending measure He
said: From the time when the 1f-
teenth amendment to the Constitution
was enacted up to the present day the
best part of the negro race in Georgia
has voted and stood by the party 10
Which l have the honor to belong. /
would take pleasure>in going on record
as as favOring the elimination of the
ignorant and purchasable voter of all
classes of this State, but l am not in
faVor of the discrimination which is
proposed in this bill
''On the call of the ayes and nays,
which were demanded only three
members, Mr.. Hardwick. Of Washing
ton, Mr.. Bell, of Forsyth, and Mr.. Ell
lis, Of Bibb, voted for the bill
Mr.. Hall, of Bib, was against the
bill, because it might he the means, he
claimed, of interfering with the white
voter
In voting against the Hardwick bill
MIR. Holder. Of Jackson, had the follow
ing to say: L oppose the bill because
believe it to be in violation of the
constitution of the Republic But
were 1t constitutional, it is not right to
deprive any man of his ballot on ac-
count of his color. | believe in every
man in this State being allowed to vote
regardless of his coIcr so long as he
complies with the requirements of the
State in paying taxes, working roads,
responding to his country's call to go
TO arms when his services are needed,
ana as long as he is obedient to law.
oppose the measure because it will
also disfranchise hundreds of honest
, white men who can not read and write
and give reasonable Interpretation OF
the Constitution. l oppose it because
> 1t Is unnecessary
l also insert some extracts from the
. debates in the louisiana convention:
DEMOCRATS IN LOUISIANA CON
STITUTIONAL CONVENTION DE
> NOUNCED THE CONSTITUTIONAL
= AMENDMENT AS VICIOUS AMI
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
= In the New Orleans Times-Democrai
OF March 2S, 1898, the views OF the
t Democratic members of the constitu.
0 amendment are given as follows:
9 Mr.. Clingman said: Il am opposed
to section 5. I favor an educational 0,
property qualification, with a poll tax
!, to take effect at the adoption Of thi!
- constitution
Mr.. Chiapella said: Il believe tina
section is violative of the amend
y ments of the Federal Constitution, ant
n | fear that the adoption of this uncon
stitutlonal ordinance is fraught VIII
n danger to the State of Louisiana and I
Il The national Democratic party.
$, therefore Xot no."
|. MlT: Carver said: II feel constrain
~ ponates the payment of poll tax as
ed to vote against any plan that inco1
=, prerequisite for voting, as does sec
=. ton of this ordinance Such a prc
~ vision in my judgment violates III
W canons of taxation and the cause {
III suffrage as well. I think it is unwis
dangerous, 1nexpedient and contrar
n to the sound principles of govern
ment.''
Mr.. Chenet said: 81 vote again
~ the ordinance in it's present form b,
oS cause, in my opinion section 5 is I'll
constitutional
IN Mr.. Drosman said: II am OPPOSE
he to poll tax as incorporated in this bill
ar Mr.. Strickland said: ct contains
ar section. section 5, which, in my opil
RI ion will work great wrongs and dan
age to the best interests of the peop
of the State, which violates the fund
mental principles of free governmer
all the accepted theories of free go
,s. eminent, all the accepted theories
h. suffrage, and is undemocratic, u
W. American, and unconstitutional. T.
Nv adoption of said section will, in n
~ judgment, compel.the repeal of the A
o. stralian ballot law, a wise and go
Of law, and without which large majc
"a ity of the members of this conven'ti
m could not have been elected. and who
. enactment by Democratic legislatu
h;s was one of the best and most patrio
,ed acts in the history of the State
ON, Mr.. Wise said: 81 am opposed
i'm the adoption of this ordinance becau
wd l believe an educational and proper
md qualification in the alternative, wi
M the payment of poll tax as pre-
Quisite for voting would meet the e
gencies of the situation, and becaus,
- believe section 5 is unconstitutiol
and vicious and undemocratic in pr
ciple."
1no Mr.. c. K. Browning said: II
mas pose section on the grounds of it's I
in constitutionality, and section on D
Or ciple, believing such a requirement
American, undemocratic, and unit
and by every honest and manly meth
use endeavored to defeat it, and have &c
.ule on record on these lines
nr;- Mr.. J. T. Boone said: Il opp
in this ordinance for the following r
sous: The educational and prope
qualifications are placed beyond
We'll reach of many of our best citize
the These citizens are too proud TO v
because their father could vote. II
desire to vote because they are WI
out men and good citizens, and have
w. uops +r;od m do their d,,tr -. -.