Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-03-17
Mr.. PATERSON AND THE SUFFRAGE
QUESTION.

Hon. 8. s. P. PATERSON is a resident OF
this city and member Of the lower
Branch OF the legislature OF VIRGINIA.
Before he entered upon his duties, he
took the following iron-clsd oath:
az, 8. 8 P. PArrEsoN do declare my
self q citizen Of the commonwealth of
Virginia, and do solemnly swear that
l will support and maintain the consti-
tuition and laws of the state OF Virgin.
Ia; that l recognize and accept the cav
IL and political equality of all men be
fore the law and that L will faithfully
perform the duty of a member of the
House OF Delegates to the best OF my
ability. So help me God.".
Now what was one OF the amend
ments which is embraced in "the con-
stitution and laws of the United
States" which Mr.. PArTEsoN with his
his hand uplifted 10 God swore to sup
port
The Fifteenth Amendment is as fol-
lows:
The right Of citizens Of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States, or by
any state on account of race, color or
previous condition Of servitude.
This then is the specific provision by
which Mr.. PATTRsoN is bound. How
does it conform with she following
declaration made by him Sunday,
March 11th, 1900 in the Richmond. Va.
TIMEs1
He said:
"The regular session Of the General
Asse mbly, which closed on Wednes-
day, has been the most important in
many respects in the history of the
State. First, il has provided for TAX
ing q vote at the election to be held in
May, to ascertain whether or not there
| shall be convention to revise the Con-
stitution. No patriotic citizen who
knows the needs Of the State can fail
to give bis unqualified support to the
call for the Constitutional Convention.
That body alone will be able to deal
with the question OF limiting ignorant
Negro Suffrage. The question OF this
suffrage is most important, because
the present constitution perpetuates q
great evil and it cannot [be amended
practically in sny other way. Party
government was never under such an
day. 1t was not intended to be a gov
eminent without criticism. but of
criticism. 1t cannot and does not give
satisfaction where there is practically
only one party IN control of the desti-
MES OF the State. No man can have
any influence on legislation who
chooses TO abandon his party and play
the part OF q mugwump, because OF the
race question. The necessity for the
convention is greater ct this time than
it has heretofore been at any period of
the States history. Experience has
shown that no Republican;party can get
into power or even have a respectable
following as long as an overwhelming
majority Of its meIcbers is composed
of ignorant Negroes who are utterly
unit for the right of suffrage. This
gives the Democrats an immense ma
1ority. There is ct present one Repub.
lican in the State Senate, composed of
forty members, and four in the House
having one hundred delegates"
We do not know whether Mr.. PArTE
SON is member of any church. We
do not know whether he claims to be
Christian, but we do know that he de-
clares his purpose to work to nullify by
state enactment, the very constitu-
tional provisions winch he stands
sworn to maintain and support.
Mr.. PATrRsoN says that the purpose
is TO disfranchise the Negroes. In this
he makes both race and color the basis
OF his acknowledgements.
He does not either say or imply that
he wishes to disfranchise ignorant
whites, but specifically announces that
he.is after the Negroes, who according
to his state ent are unfit to exercise |
the right of franchise and should never
have been vested with the ballot.
How can Mr.. PATERSON make these /
conform to his oath of Of
fee We can see how he might son.
advocate the repeal of the
Fifteenth Amendment by Congress,
but how can he conscientiously do it
by state enactment when he is sworn
not to do this very thing?
I'VE must confess thnt the hippancy
with which an oath is regarded by
some people has always been source
Of surprise and wonder to US.
1t must not be forgotten that Mr..
PATERSON voted for the Commissioners
If Valuation Bill, now admitted to be
,ne Of the most pernicious measures
lpon the statute books of Virginia and
n this, he was supported by Hon. JOHN
3. EPPs and his colleagues.
The patron of the bill, Mr.. PARKS
lays that Hon. E. @. FowLKEs was the
'nly Richmond delegate who opposed
he measure.
There has been criticism OF the Ne
yroes and declaration that they vote
ike hoek of sheep. We ask in all
airness il there has ever been q stern
,r Indictment against our people than
ire to be found in the following few
ines OF Mr. PArTEsoN's statement
"Good measures, and others, per-
Il - v-~ -. - n.r.