The colored American., 1900-09-01
CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS.
4 Series OF Questions Propoundfd by q
Louisiana subs cribeT-

be tween EeVeESE II tn = u tAS ~
Hen's PIogI essive r. publican C-uo'
lat L IN IN pos sib!e fCT cur govern
uept 10 enact a laW or ket q Ia"fs
for tie protection 81 I,s cH1zsDs II tbeH
respective states, Il mean tEe eoiOieo
American es vel ss 10 eLset AAH
for their protection tTCm the Bcztrs II
China, CT Anarchists, or olhEF eT4hF
DsIs atkDsd.
doge TO q rGpublican senate AID COLI
gress If il would enact laws 10 lhat ei-
fecI
3rd. Has cCrgreEs II G right 10 enact
1sws TO regulate melhod " which q
Nezlo should be IUDh hed ioF CLINE
con mite d III bls state?
4tb, Since il bees me a necessity for
governments 10 Iay, lsLd by sets OF
congress an indemnify 10 fCrelgD
nov er for obstruction Of life sLd prop
erty of their futjects, do sou not be-
lteve The same conditions 6re existing
today ia the UIiled stats; eCIoIttoDs.
gkich demand just such lsws?
5th. With The IreteEt construction
placed On stsIes' ligbtF, hts Congress
The power 30 regulate OK change the
suffrage laws OF The several South ell
States as now in ia for ce?
9th. De yCu Relieve II such STEPS
Culd be taken ty tht q D. Z. IL would
lose prestige or ca cay?
/ contend that the laws cCuld be en-
acted and enforced and not lhe least
harm done TO the party. Z. l.. Z.
DopaldsC nville, La.
The foregoing que stions are aDsweFed
as follows, which answers We hope VIII
dify our apparently perturbed d frie ds:
AS to the first inteTTOgatOTy, Is It I'M
possible for our govern ment to enact
law or set Of laws Tor the protection Of
its citizens in their respective states, as
well as TO ensct laws for their pro-
lection from Boxers in China, CT an
archists oc other criminals abIOao?"
We answer: No, il is not impossible for
our government 10 ensct Such laws as
are indicated therein. Indeed, the ma
tIonaI legislature las long since en-
acted such laws; nor hSYe they been
declared unconstitutional by the United
States SupIeme Court, (See the Four
teenth and Fifteenth Amendments TO
the CoDstitutiOn,) but they have been
declared dIstastful by The supremer
court Of public opinion, and hence are
more hOnOIed in the breach than III the
observance. Laws are put on the
statute books to be invoked and SUED
under whenever the rig hts they guaran'
tee are enfTinged. COloTed AN ericans
seldom test their rights in courts OF
law. They resort to indignation meet
ings. If they would pile up suits in
courts OF law to recover damages for
the denial OF their 10 manhOod sights. the
trial of such causes would tend to create
a fav vOrabIe public sentiment in favor Of
the cOIOred citizen, which would greatly
offset the prevailing publie sentiment
AS to the second inteTTogatoTy, NV hat
harm. If any, would be done to re
publican Senate and Congress. if it
would enact laws to that effect?n We
answer, no real harm would cume, ex.
cept in Sd far as the tue sp;ii5 of re.
publicaDIsm has been sacrificed to win
the favor of the Negro hating element
in this country, who would resent any
to enforce or enact laws com.
peiliDg fair treatment Of the brother in
black.
AS to the third interrogatory, HAS
Congress the Eight to enact laws, TO
the method by which Negro
should be punisl ed for crime COM
mitted in his statt?n We answer. no.
that is enc of the rights, unless the
crimes be in direct violation OF the laws
the United of States which Congress
reserved to the states; but that no state
has right to pass 8 law which. in its
proVlsloDs for the punishment OF |
crimes or for any other purpose. shall |
ne repugnant TO the Constitution of the |
United States
AS 70 the fourth interrogstory-
''S nee 1t became a necessity for gov
Q = ma an Re tn L.