The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-12
DEkUNCIAT0RY OF PROPOSED FRAN
CHISE AMENDMENT.
SENATOR MORGAN'S SPEECH
In Defense OF the White People of
North Carolina and the WHO'S ~outh.
Resolutions Regarding the Philip
newar-SenatorP ettigrew q harges
Trcachery on Our Part Toward the
Filipinos-House to Make lnvcstiga-
lions as TO Polygamist Postmasters.
SENATE.

dCulAA6 IO1r Jdllu&Tl o--Il II SELL
ate today a resolution was offered by
senator Allen. OF Nebraska calling
upon each cabinet officer for ali item
lied statement OF the amount Of the
$780, 900. 600 defense fund each depart
lei expended, and was adopted.
A resolution, calling upon the secre-
tary of the ANY for Admiral Dewey's
report in which he made the statement
hat he could take Manila at any time.
offered by Senator Pettigrew. was
adopted.
The resolution offered some time ago
secretary of war for information as TO
an alleged interview between General
Torres, of the Filipino army, and Gen.
eral Otis, was called up.
Senator Lodge offered a substitute
for the pending resolution, calling
upon the president, if not incompati-
BILE with public interests. TO furnish
general Information regarding h Phil
ippine insurreotion in official docu-
ments and dispatches.
Senator Pettigrew said he thought
congress was entitled to all informa-
ton regarding the action OF our forces
in the Philippines. IF W. have attack
ed an ally" said he. lit is important
that the representatives Of the people
in congress should know the facts at
once. / eliev we have attacked an
ally. 1 believe we have been guilty of
gross rreachery. / believe we have
ally friendly with US than any other
ma alton ever went.
81 do not believe We attacked an al
ly," replied Senator Lodge. Il am sure
we never recognized the Filipino row.
eminent. They had no government eX-
cept the government of a dictator set
up by himself to impose his authority
upon other tribes. The president has
acted thoroughly in conformity to the
law and the facts will uphold his
course. These facts / am in favor of
having placed in the hands of all SEN
ators. They will strengthen the hands
Of the administration"
At Senator Pettigrew'S request the
resolution Went over until Wednesday.
The resolution heretofore offered by
Senator Pritchard concerning r%estric-
tionS on suffrage was modified by him
so as to provide that any state enact
menlt confirming the right to vote to
those descended from certain persons
or classes of persons, is in violation Of
the 14th and 18th amendments to the
constitution and Iepugnant to repub-
Lear Institutions.
| Senate Morgan spoke against the
resolution. He referred to the far
reaching Importance of the issue on
suffrage as related ITO the coming pres
idential and congressional elections
and said it was imperative that some
course be adopted which would pre-
yer a repetition of the Hayes-Tilden
controversy. He discussed at length the
legal aspect of the 18th and the 18th
amendments as affecting negro suf-
frage.
At 2 o'clock the financial bill became
the regular order, but finally went over
until Thursday.
Senator Morgan, continuing, discuss
ed the negro in general, maintaining
that there is natural supremacy in the
whites and a natural deficiency in the
blacks, morally, socially, and intel
~iectually. To force this lower stratum
into a position of political equality with
the highest is only closing the progress
Of all mankind in its march toward the
highest planes of human aspirations.
Senator Morgan said that no great
body of white people in the world could
be expected to quietly accept a situa-
ton so distressing and d~emoraliZing
as is created by negro suffrage in the
south. 1t is a thorn in the flesh and
will irritate and rank in the body po-
little until it is removed. He declared
hat negro suffrage in Louisiana and
other southern states had been an un-
zroken line af obstruction to progress.
Senator Morgan declared that in
many places in the south thousands
Of negro votes in doubtful counties,
with little concealment, were bought
for 81 each.
IF southern white men," he said,
have falsified election returns, they
have the stronger, il not better reason
that they are acting upon the same
law of s~elf-defense a insulted and
outraged human nature resorts to for
the protection of homes and families,
from a ace that sets at defiance all
moral restraints upon their brutal de-
sires."
This evil, he thought. would end only
the United States had provided
a home for the negro race suited to
their traits. He pointed out some of
the efforts that had been made TO force
the negro into political and social
equality with the white man and had
failed Mature is against" he de-
clared, land the sentiments Of the
white people are against it."
In conclusion Senator Morgan said:
The democratic party has always
been a white mans party and when
the appeal of the people Of Louisiana
and North Carolina, supported by the
democrats in all the southern states,
- IIduc 10 IfcIl, a vast DOIy OF white
men all over h country who have not
acted with them in the past, will unite
in a demand that these sovereign
states shall not be destroyed for tax
ing care Of the lives and happiness Of
their people"
AT the conclusion of Senator Nor
gan's speech, enator Pritchard gave
notice that he would address the SEN
ate on the resolution on January 22nd.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The house today ordered two inves-
legations as a result Of
introduced by Representative Lentz'
OF Ohio. The first IS to be an iayessi-
CATION by h committee on postoh5ce5
and poSrroadS into the charge thar
two federal appointees Of the president,
Postmaster John G.. Graham, OF Provo
City, Utah, and Postmaster Orson
Smith. Of Logan, Utah, are under in
dictment as p~olygamists. and whether
| afidavits 10 that effect Were on file at
the time OF their appointments The 9TH
er is a general investigation of the mil
itary committee into the conduct of
! General Merriam and the United