The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1900-04-05

from LHem, however poo. anu iEuoEdEL |
they may be. the right to vose, or
which will In any way diminish or les
sen that great privilege.
Mr. President, could pledges lie
more direct and solemn?
PLEDGE BY THE DEMOCRATIC
PRESS.
Nct calv this, Mr.. President, but |
every Democratic newspaper in the /
State denounced the charge that their |
party had any such intention in most |
vigorous language. The following is |
an extract from an editorial in the
Daily Wilmington Messenger of Sep |
tember IS, 1898, which IS a sample OF !
the editorial utterances of the Demo- |
cratic press of the State on this quss- |
ton.
Mr.. President, before reading the ex-
tract | desire to call attention to its |
language. 1t will be noticed that the
editor denounced as liar, and used
many adjectives to strengthen that
wcrd any and every man who dared
to make such charge against th-. pur-
poses OF the Democratic party. He
wrote a long argument to show that
any attempt to disfranchise the negro
voters, unless at the same time Hitter
ate white voters were also disfran-
ch;sed, would be unconstitutional and
would net stand the test Of the court.
l read the following extract from the
editorial referred to:
The most stupid lie of the campaign
is the Populist lie put cut by the
Skinner and Thompon gang and slyly
repeated by the black radicals, the
bald-faced lie chat if the Democrats
81, Ctot1 Sh11,
franchise the negroes. If they desired
1t ever so much, they have NO power;
to effect 1t. The lie is so stupid that it
could not have been started and re-
peated but for the profound ignorance
OF the niggers generally. If they
knew anything, they would know that
North Carolina has no power under
heaven to abridge the political rights
and to deprive OF the privilege of vot-
ing the negroes any more than the
whites. The franchise is a right
secured under the Constitution of the
United States, and it takes the same
| power to aI5rogate the righ. as to con-
| fer to repeal a law as to make 1t. SO
| it is all bosh and falsehcod to try and
| bewilder and befool the poor, ignorant
negroes in the way 1t has dome. 1t is
|
| them by lying and deception. Their
right to vote is as absolutely secure as
the white mans right to vote.
AS We stated yesterday, the three
amendments to the Constitution intro
duced and adopted soon after the war
fixed thu status of the negroes as citi-
zens equal with that of the whites in
their rights. The only way to rid the
~ Iva ha =
same means and processes that were
gone through with to enfranchise him
in his stolid and stupid condition. So
it is a lie out Of whole cloth when the
dirty t.ticksters imposed upon the ig-
n,oranlt, credulous negroes by telling
them that a Democratic victory means
Gepriving them of the right to vote.
Mr.. President, that editor IS now
contending that it is constitutional to
do the very thing that he proved then
would be unconstitutional. He is now
freely using the words "lie" and liar
to denounce those who question the
constitutionlality of section 5, and he
piles up the adjectives and foams and
raves when anyone calls attention t
his editorials CT 1898 CIR to the othes
solemn pledges made in that campaign
PLEDGES ON THE STUMP BY
! DEMOCRATIC SPEAKERS.
Not emily this, but every speaker pu
into the campaign by the Democratic
State committee, SO far as can learn
made the same pledge. Hon. james
. H. Pou, ex-chairman OF the Demo
. !. cratic State committee, mot only mad
the pledge in his speeches, but he als'
. made an affidavit to that ehect. l
{ seems that at one of his speaking
some pe-scn in the audience doubte
;. his intention and asked him If h
. would make an affidavit to supper
what he said in fis speech. He agree
to make the affidavit, and he did max
= the affidavit, and here 1t Is:
y State Of North Carolina, County Q
b. Wake.
J.. James H. Pou, being duly sworn, de
:. poses and says:
: Il have never said that II the Demo
- Gratis regained control of the Stat
. they intended to disfrandfise the ne
! eroes and illiterate white voters.
never have said anything like this, an
+ 1 know that such is not the intentio
Of the Democratic panty. l have neve
= heard single Democrat give ute
ie ance to such a sentiment, and do nj
q believe, if such proposition comes b.
~ fore the general assembly, that it woul
n receive a single Democratic vote.
= believe that a majority of the uned'
!, Gated white voters OF North Carolir
- are Democrats. The Democratic par
is appealing to them for aid in preser
y, ing white supremacy in the cent
r., west and In restoring it in the easter
lv part Of this State.
p. They are responding to our appe;
q, and to repay them for their aid wi
-. a disfranohisemert of their votes vou
ne be folly and ingratitude indeed. T.
~ men who make these charges knC
-; they speak falsely, but their campai!
,d this year is run upon the idea that t
-. people OF North Carolina would rath
~ believe falsehood than the truth, a.
de they would rather hear libels upon t
~ 'i1onored dead than to hear argumer
,lt based upon truth.
~ ~ JAMES H. --~~ -
~ Sworn TO and subscribed before l
~, this October 1. 1898.
On On (seaD GEO. w. THOMPSON.
s Notary Public
>r, Mr.. Pcu is tine only speaker, so
=, as know, who made AN affidavit hi
o. self to try to convince his audiens
no that he was telling THE truth when
,to was making these pledges. but u7
no ON my desk a number of affidav
from voters, who testify that otl
w. Democratic speakers made on
,a, stump the same pledge that the pa
~. organization officially made in tn
nj campaign handbook. will read one
,av them:
State CT North Carolina, Hertz
isa County:
=; A. W. Simons and Jack Exeret
leo inig duly sworn, dispose and say: L
tbo they heard Hon. R. A. Daughton,
,ev CT the Democratic speakers who
m. speaker in The senate OF 1893 and II
Ala make a speech at Harrelsv1lle.
Hertfcrd Courity, on or about Octo
of 1898. III "iAicn Ni, ~ a.,
md eo the chsl nau ne.,s,,I;e,.s .nd PEW
ave cratN pai'y oy go,