The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-29
WHITE SUPREMACY
Flag at FrankIinton. Elo-
quent Speech by Hon.
c. M. Busbee.
How Negro Suffrage Was Put Upon the South
ern States. Negroes Voted Upon Ques-
ton Whether They Could Vote.
Especial to News and Observer. }

(SpoCldl TO news ana ODSerVeT)
Franklinton, n. c., July 2S.-This was
a red letter day for the white folks
in this county. Five hundred white men
were here to hear Hon. ChaS. M. Busbee
speak. He made a magnificent speech
one of the ablest and clearest that the
voters here ever had an opportunity to
hear, and it made profound impression.
White Supremacy flag was raised
here today by Mr.. Ray former Popu-
list from Wake county.
Sheriff Kearney says Franklin is good
for several hundred majority for the
amendment-and Sheriff Kearney knows
While all of the speech was fine, the
portion that interested the people most
was his discussion of the manner in which
the right of suffrage was conferred on
the negro. The gist of his argument
along that line was thus summed up:
Negro suffrage was put upon the South
ern States because the passions engen-
dered by the war had not cooled. 1t was
a crime against civilization. 1t was put
into the constitution of North Carolina
without legal warrant
Reconstruction Act March 1869 gave
negroes the right to vote. 1t was vetoed
by President Johnson but passed over his
veto. This veto was based in part on
the ground that Congress had no power
to regulate suffrage in the State. Con-
gress had recognized the sovereignty of
the State before that, by submitting to
the Legislature the fourteenth amend
ment, which the Legislature refused to
ratify.
The negro was given the right to vote
by the Reconstruction Act upon the ques-
ton of calling a convention and the cleo
ton of delegates to frame a constitution
fort he State which should give him the
right to vote; that is, he was permitted
to vote (when he had no legal right to
do so) upon the question as to whether
or not he should be given the right to
vote. And at this election the best men
in the State were disfranchised by the
Reconstruction Acts and by orders of
Gen. Candy, the military satrap of North
and South Carolina, with headquarters at
Charleston. Gen. Candy had sole con-
troll of the elections, appointed regis
trars and poll holders, allowed voting to
be done for two or three days, had the
returns sent to him and declared the
result.
No man who had held any office be-
fore the war and given any aid to the
Southern Confederacy could vote. Candy
in a general order published long list
of those who were disfranchised, including
even an "acting constable" Aiding the
rebellion" was construed to mean do
ing almost anything during the war; ''buy-
ing a Confederate bond" selling a horse
to the Confederate Government etc.
The 14th and 18th amendment to the
United States constitution were ratified
by negro suffrage when thousands of
white men were disfranchsed. The cleo
ton for delegates to the convention which
framed the constitution of 1868 was held
on two days, November 10Th and goth,
1867, andt he election to ratify the con-
stitution was held for three days. April
21st, 22nd and 23rd, 1868, all under aCn-
by's orders.
1t hardly lies in the mouth of Repu0
licans to talk about DISTINGUISHING people
or about fair elections. There never
has been a period in the history of the
State when negroes and their allies gov
erned that the State has not suffered
from turmoil and vicious government
and public disorder and blood. The days
of 1867 and '6S, Littlefield running the
Legislature and running free bar in
the capitol-universal loot--carpet bag
gers and scalawags, that article of pe-
litical furniture. the "Freedman's Blu
reaut," the Kirk War, etc. And in recent
years when then egro got back in power,
the race troubles came back in Whining
ton and Newbern, when a revolution was
necessary in order to restore decent and
CIVILIZED government The people of North
Carolina do not intend thatt he negro
shall ever again control the government
of this State or any part thereof.