The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-01-26
BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS DEVOTE
THE DAY TO THEM.
IN DEFENSE OF NORTH CAROLINA
enato McEnery Defends the Pro-
posed Franchise Amendment to- the
Constitution Senator Ross Adyo-
Gates Sovereignty Over the Philip
pines-The Roberts Case Taken Upin
the House Opening speech by NJ.
Tayler-Mr. Roberts Speaks.
SENATE.

"dSAll5l ION JdIiudTy
making occupied the senate today.
The features were the concluding
speech Of the session on the race ques-
ton by Senator McEnery, of Louisiana,
supporting the proposed amendment
TO the North Carolina constitution, and
a carefully prepared Philippine speech
by Senator Ross, of Vermont.
AT the opening Senator Turley, of
Tennessee, reported from the commit
tee on privileges and elections a reso-
luton on the case of former Senator
Quay. The resolution follows:
THAT the Hon. Matthew S. Quay is
not entitled to take his seat in this
body as a senator from the state OF
Pennsylvania"
That resolution was the judgment of
the majority of the committee. The
minority of the committee filed a re-
port declaring that Mr.. Quay was en-
titled to a seat in the senate.
Senator Pettigrew, of South Dakota,
offered a resolution, which on objection
went over, calling on the president for
General j. c. Bates report relating to
the treaty with the sultan of Sulu.
Resolutions were adopted calling
| oPOli ttS VI oIlCSPol1NCIIOC
with Great Britain concerning the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty; the treaty with
the Colombia government as to the
Panama canal, n with the new Pan
anna canal company Of France.
The Allen resolution calling upon
treasurer for information as to all
communication with the national
City bank, of New York, concerning
the old customs house transfe was
adopted.
THE ROSS RESOLUTION.
enato Turner, of Washington, con
Guided his Philippine speech, begun
yesterday and Senate Ross then spoke
on his Philippine resolution. The Ross
resolution declared the constitutional
provisions do not, unaided by IN act
Of congress-, extend over the Philippines
and Porto Rico; that the United States
take sovereignty of those islands un-
restrained by the constitution, etc. It
was Senator Ross maiden speech.
1.-The cession of sovereignty owe a
country by one nation to another" he
said, effects only the political rela-
tons to the inhabitants of the coded
country and makes them subjects
thereafter of the nation receiving the
cession. Laws, usages, and municipal
regulations in force at the time of ceS-
sion, remain in force until changed by
the new sovereignty. The constitution,
therefore CduuOI, VI us own IHllSIeHl
force, extend itself over such terri
tory He cited authorities in support
of this contention.
He maintained that the United
States ultimately would have the right
to arraign this nation before he bar
of nations to give an account of it's
voluntarily assumes stewardship, in
which many delicate questions would
be involved. He urged the creation Of
a separate department to look after
the interest of these islands and the
removal of all civil appointments
therein from politics.
McENERY'S SPEECH.
Senator McEnery, democrat, Of
Louisiana, then was recognized to de-
liver his speech on the reSo-
luton of Senator Pritchard (republi-
can, of North Carolina,) relating to
the proposed amendment to the consti-
tuition Of North Carolina.
He said the race question was one
of the most serious which had ever
confronted the nation, and added:
$50 far, the best intellectS of the
south have ~endeavored to find some
remedy to make the south prosperous
Notwithstanding the presence Of a vast
number of ignorant blacks; to make
her social position clear and defined in
the separation of the races, and to
place her On a political basis tina Will
insure stability to her Institutions,
to make the ballot box the sacred de-
| pository of the liberties of the people
instead of the charnel house where I'M
| der negro domination they were aSsas-
sinated; to prevent them by means OF
the ballot and superior numbers from
| again getting control of the state ana
| inaugurating the era of terrorism and
which prevailed under this
| government from 1868 to III.
se-Tha recO1laction of tina period Is
like a hell-born dream, and one is al
| most unnerved at the mention. 1t Is
the darkest and most shameful period
| i'm the history of the human race. The
wonder now is that by force it was
not sooner terminated by an outraged
people.
"Annul the legislation of Louisiana,
which has for it's sole object the ad-
vancement of both races, the progress
of the state, socially, politically, and
| industrially, and inaugurate again ne
gro domination in that state and the
| tragic period Of 1876 will be re-enacted.
There never has been n DISPOSE
ton on the part of the people Of Louis
| lana to deprive the negro Of any OF his
! political or civil rights. There mas
| been and will continue to be determf-
nation, fixed and unalterable, to deny
him social privileges on equality with
the whites; to prohibit him from as
piring to an equality in social LIE,
which nature forbidS."
Senator McEnery said the suffrage
article in the Louisiana constitution
was approSed by all citizens of the
state.
From the day that the negro was
enfranchised," said Senator McEnery,
and negro domination prevailed in
the state until 1876 when it was over
thrown, there was an era Of corruption.
vice and tyranny not equaled in any
age" He reviewed this situation and
her spoke of the beneficial results or
white supremacy. He said the regula-
ton of the suffrage in Louisiana did
not affect the negro alone, but a large
number of persons who had immigrat-
ed to New Orleans since the civil war
1t vas a dangerous power unreasonins
and without intelligence and had to
be controlled. He declared that the
bestowal Of political power upon the
impersonal mass could not be justified
The exclusion of that mass was no a
violation Of any representative law The
proposad North Carolina endm