The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-24
A FREE TALK WITH WHITE MEN

Messenger we have held a chat with
our white friends relative to the
amendment to the constitution or
North Carolina We have essayed to
present it from various standing points
and under several phases. In from
one to three editorials each lay, with
paragraphs added 1t has
been our desire and effort to make the
so plain la even the way
faring man though a fool could not err
therein" 1t is a plain, easily UNDER J
stood question, and when rightly ap-
urehended is most convincing as to
duty. The white man who fails in Au-
gust to support the amendment mas
lost the great opportunity Of his hte'
and will have cause ever after 10 la
ment his folly and cry over his of1ence
against his race and state. 1t is a Sc
rious thing to live. 1t is a very serious
him to be a citizen of an old
great state. 1t is a most serious tnlng
TO have the power to serve the STATE
to uphold civilization and law, ana 10
aid in the conservation of liberty, anu
in the perpetuation of free n noble
institutions. A man who fails here is
a very dead failure.
The people of the south, the people
of North Carolina, have stood a vast
deal that was wrong. that was oppreS-
sive. that was sorely affective. For
nearly t~hirty-five years the great All
eIo-Saxon race was made practlcallS
~4hewers of wood and drawers OF water
for a few thousand of mean and lSho-
bIe whites and their coarse, ignorant,
unmoral tools and allies, the negroes.
They were long suffering and long en-
during indeed. At last the states IN
the south are moving to rectlIy the
wrongs, to rid themselves of insolence
and outrage. and to establish staole'
sound, honest, good government LII
North Carolina that is the movement
thar is so heavily pressing now Inc
amendment to the state constitution Is
presented by the intelligence n VII
tine of the state as a great and suni-
.cient remedy for m~ultitudinous wrongs
and hitherto incurable evils. Inc
is built on right principles
is for the good of the entire state ana
will very greatly benefit the negro
race. while removing causes OF race col
,isiops. heart-burnings and outrages.
Rev. DR.. Stage. of Charlotte, In MS
able. memorable address delivered at
New Bedford, Mass, in last April, said
to his northern hearers:
1.-The best action would be for the
nation to take from the constitution
of the United States the1oth amend
ment. stating it was put there IN Iihls
~ nassion and under the pressure Oh
misguided enthusiasm. BY TINS one
act all friction between the white anu
negro races would in time be remoVsu
TT would convince the negro mat ms
an,+ragas would not be tolerated by the
government, and restore somewhat VI
[ha feeling of the ante-bellum negro
vii knew there vas no escape from
5,is wrong doing. This race CANNOT ue
controlled anywhere on the earCn Will
.out some such fear of the consequences
Of its acts. If this cannot De accom-
plished. then the states must 90 Ine
best they cam
This is wise and shows that the aole
divine has made a close study OF the
negro and understands precisely the
situation now existing in the SOUTH
The north, as we have a occasion
to saw more than once in these COL
umns. is learning something OF the ne
gro, but practically it is still very pima
To his character, unfitness n many
forthcoming Now and then a soil
Sary voice gives out a bit OF warning
that the adoption of the 14th n loth
amendments was a big error, put LOT
the most part the northern mino Is
still darkened and sees Sambo IN d
false glare. The Philadelphia lnQuir-
er. rep, said hi in the south the pal
lot box lis altogether too free. IL
means that the negro is not ht'eo 10
exercise the elective franchise Dr-
.Stagg studying closely the outlook IN
tn south says this and we are per-
shaded that he is correct in his view
We quote:
ITO deprive the ignorant negro on
the political liberty, which ne no" U.s.
for license will, by the lmmeuid.e
Cl2ngS IL Will DIluS III HIS
the white man. let US hope, soon Dr1ns
again the old relations in feeling tnat
existed between the races at the Close
of the war. If the change Is long De
layed, however, it will come too late'
the young whites of h south, more
familiar with the new issue" than the
Old, have a we have seen but little OF
that sympathetic feeling for the G
frhat their fathers had. The negro Is
. to them a political n only; n
have no cause to love him and in spite
If their traditions they are beginning
to hate him. 1t Were better for both
races that this should be changed, al
tho first possible moment : II
may not be ~expedient for you here in
Massachusetts, to vote; then you
-bonId MOI vote. Once upon = time
Tou thought it was not e%xpedient for q
large number of the be. best vS slti ss;s % Q,
80 Ala not vote. These were also
sonth of the Mason's and Dixon:s line
We say: On the g 1O North 9f e1e S a
---1A rot 70 vote. My Fellow MEL