The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-03
SAMUEL |. PATTERSON, Of Caldwell.
JUDGE TENTH DISTRICT:
W. B. COUNCIL. of Wautauga.
THE DREADFUL RESULT FROM
THE DEFEAT OF
MENT.

Some time ago the Messenger re-
ferred to the possibility Of North Car
-olina's becoming the dumping ground
for the yagrant, wandering negroes,
and even others, in case of the defeat
of the proposed suffrage amendment to
the constitution of the state. 1t is a
very serious question and deservedly
attracts attention. That gallant ex-
confederate and bold, vigorous, effec-
tive canvasser, Captain Buck Kitchin,
of Halifax. directed public attention to
this matter when he recently spoke
twice in Wilmington, in which he did
positive good and aroused the demo-
Gratis to greater enthusiasm and resolu-
ton to win. 1t is very certainly a ques-
ton of great pith, and moment and
worthy of every white mans attention,
as to what will result to the state if
the combination Of white radicals,
trading populists and ignorant negroes
shall succeed-what will be indeed the
effect of a failure to carry the amend
ment and settle now the great, domi-
mating question of negro supremacy In
North Carolina? What will be the eff
feet of a failure Of the adoption of
the amendment upon the population
of North Carolina in the fu-
ture? In South Carolina the negro
is quiescent, serene, undemOnstrative,
contented. He has not done much Vot-
ing since 1867. His schooling for TWEEN
ty-four years has been such that he
does not attach much Importance to the
franchise, and rarely worries himself
over politics. The new Louisiana law
has practically eliminated the negro
voters, only a few thousand voting in
the last election. Mississippi has got
control of the negro vote to such an
extent there is no danger threatening
the state from negro domination. Other
states-Virginia, Georgia, Arkansas
and others-will soon or late ollo in
the work of eliminating the negro as
an important or controlling factor in
state affairs. Let North Carolina be
kept nde negro rule, and several
things will be sure to happen. Educa-
ton will be blasted in so far as the ne
61OSo oIS ~
be paralyzed. Disturbances between
the races will grow. But worst OF all,
and his is the point, most undesirable
additions by the ten thousand will be
made to the population by the influx of
negroes from all the other states.
North Carolina will indeed become a
veritable "rogues harbor," as it was
L. .--.-- nc Cnpnn
two hundred years ago. 1t will be the
refuge for all sorts Of drones and
tramps and rascals and criminals, and
many worthy negroe will come in too
so they can enjoy the privileges and
powers of the untrammellled franchise,
and in a decade, the negro population
will greatly exceed that of the whites.
Now they do not amount { o as much
as half of the whites as We think the
census just taken will show.
We clipped from an exchange the
other day a short article that empha-
sizes with vigor this view of the danger
of a great increase OF negroes if the
amendment is defeated. We believe it
was the Clarkton Express that said
this. The contention of the well put
article is that the white man living
in eastern North Carolina that goes to
h polls next August and votes against
the amendment votes either deliberate
1y or ignorantly to make his descend
ants the consorts of negroes. If I can
not prove this to the satisfaction of
any reasonable man, then 1 am willing
to be counted a fool the balance of my
life
That is strong language. The writer
shows how other states have acted in
regard to the negro voters. He then
says that North Carolina will be the
Mecca of all the negro politicians who
aspire to rule the white man and win
the hand of his daughter. O., you say,
there is no danger of that. Let US see.
Not three months ago a black negro
named Fonsie Kelly, not a stones
throw from Clarkton, entered the home
of white parents and took off one of
heir daughters and skipped the state.
How did this thing come about? These