The sun., 1901-06-19
NEGROES ASK FOR JUSTICE.
vTRGINLAY CONVENTION GOING SLOW
ON DIsFRANCHIsINo THEN.


Out Of the way the Republicans VIII
win-The Negroes Present . Memorial.
RICHMOND. Va. June IS The negroes OF
Virginia are greatly stirred up over the pro-
posed movement to disfranohise them In
this State That tho Constitutional Convsn-
tion was the outcome OF q movement which
had the Acknowledgement Of the negro a. its
ultimate oh ject, cannot be denied After
the movement was launched. however. and
got under pretty good headway. some Of tho
wisest Democrats In tho party put on their
thinking caps and recalled some facts that
gave them food for reflection " was re-
membered that In the hot Bryan campaign
In Virginia flve years ago. the returns were
something Of a revelation Gov 0'rerral
who became satisfied that 10 TO 1 and ths
Democratic platform couldn't stand on its
support before the American people. and
would only meet with defeat at the polls.
looked more carefully into It's principles.
and decided that IL was all wrong. He was
denounced right and left
After the returns got In In November. 1894
the majority Ia the Democratic column caused
him 70 make up some statistics that were
interesting, He showed by actual figures
that In tho counties and districts OF the state
whore there was large negro population
those districts known as tho black belts
by reason Of the oongested negro vote-the
majorities were heavy for Bryan. while tho
districts with large msjoritiss Of white voters
returned their ballots for Mckinley.
The reason was apparent The white counties
were independent. and did their own think
ing, their own voting. and came pretty near
being counted. while the negroes knew little
ignorant of the intricacie4 and possibilities
of the Walton election system in this State
and many Of their ballots were lost In the
shufYie, thrown out or manipulated In accord
ance with the election machinery.
Among ths members OF the convention
one hears A great deal of talk about the 'purt-
iCstion Of elections" In Virginia The sub
Ject has been frequently alluded TO in the
Committee on Organization Every one who
expresses himself declares that he iavors
a Constitution which will annihilate every
pretence or excuse for fraud and chicanery
In the elections Just how to get an election
Law which will get rid Of the trouble from
illit.rate negro votes and AZ the same tims
establish a method which will keep the state
in the Democratic col umn without getting
black eve at the hands of the United states
volved be brought to iinal trst IS big
puzzle Then there are many who oppose
the disfranchisement OF n" negro They
wa nj 10 hold on TO his vote for political rna-
sons and are afraid that the withdrawal OF the
suffrage from him would create something
OF a political revolution In this state
Willie all TINS j. IN the AIR the negroes have
begun to bestir themsev~s, Their leaders
maintained strange silence on the subject
until after N" convention assembled. me
many reports floating around and hints
dropped bore and there since tho BODY opened
! seem TO have aroused the negroes. som" 81
| their leader held long conference which
| was followed by u number of consultations
| and Interchange OF view. The result was
! that the Virginia Negro Business, Men
League, ~ which Giles b. JACKSON, leading
| negro lawyer nj this city and who - well known
| throu ghout the South as we'll ss m Wash
! iugton Ncw York and Other Northern cities,
| is one of the most iunupntftl spirits ha, PIE
| pared 4 carefully wordod memorial 70 the
| convention on the subject OF the suffrage,
| and asking the pryitg" Of addressing tho
| body on behalf OF the colored people interests
! \ petition has also been pt"pur"d and hld
| before the convention. asking that the body
| will not separate the public school fund O. the
! state aud mako appropriations To the white
| amount Of school taxes collected from the
! two races.
/ subject Of the suffrage question II under-
/ stood 10 have been drawn by Giles Jack
son " + Graham and ! Htll, leading
! oolored men ~ This city. and . has tho in
| dor~e'ueut II Booker I Washington the
| well-knoWn negro educator of the south
| The paper rrrnind- th" body that the nrgro"s
! I'D not ufint Themselves upon the people
! Of Virginia. but were brought TO this state
| IN uost Caars against their will although
! vastly benefited Slice b"ing hers A'i"n-
! tiun Is direrfad 10 the service Of the present
| ,ruaration'- parents iu helping to nurse the
| whites. aud their stand ~ remaining with
| their masters while th" Civil War was IN pr x
! re-s Tie negroes In Virginia, n II Stated,
ar" not a disturbing factor, md since th" C.vi!
| WY thcv have learned their lesson from their
| mistakes made Immediately after the strug-
| g.e between tho states
II /, admitted that the future Of the negroes
| rests with the south 4 pathetic plea j.
made for help for an unfortunate race. ard
| an appeal for DOust ruction rather than de-
-truciion 1t is stated that already -migrn-
| ton agents are creating alarm among tbs
negroes Of the rural districts by telling Them
| they are 20 be deprived of citizenship, and
| that the negro schools under the new Con-
! ,rItu'tDu will he virtually blOtted out
nle-I some incentive Of reward is given
to the negro youth. says the paper he Will
! be ONE = ooa-t. revealing IA crime, and a
/ body u death about the neck Of Oh" state 10
| While all intention Of ruling the white man Is
| di-cIaimNd add, the memorial. the negro
| does ak that since 10 Is taxed. works the
| roads. J., punished for crime and il cal cd
| upon u defend tho country, he may have
shall rule over MN he paper goNN on 70
say that though the taxes collected from the
| negro are small he Is potent factor In help
| ing other to pay taNes
ihe memorial -ays that tho negro rscs
| IN Virginia numbers 800 900 not ono Of whom
! /, a ueIuber Of the constitutional Conv veution
| IL disclaIfus any dictatOTal or faut-fndin 2
! spirit and declares that II entrrtains an
| earnest desire to be Of some assistance In tho
| exception Of grave and petpIeEIng task
| Tui, memorial has attracted a good deal
| Of attention and IL Is believed its spirit will
! not bee ignored when the question comes up
! for dl,CussiOu While there ara only fifteen
/ Republican msTberS Of tho convention. IL
| can be readily seen that they can do nothing (
! against the large majority Of Democrat.
| that COMPOSE the body unless there develops
| "A strong sentiment among the latter to oppose
! any revolutionary measures with o view Of
/ blotting out the negro vote in this state
| REPUBLICAN TAkFs THE OATH OF oPFICH.
| Col J G SUMMERS, a Republican member
| Of The Constitutional Convention. went to-da y
| before j Udge here and subscribed 10 the
| oath of ONCE. which involves supportiug &
| tho Constitution of the lnited states He
| then had his action made part Of the record,
/ OF the convention
| THIS body laSt eek by decided vote laid
| on the table motion 10 take the oath OF
! offlnc. since n involved pledge oI allegiance
| 70 tho constitution Of the United states, and
| mirht ln'orfere with tho amendment OF
! TIE sufrl 20 clause
| The question whether the Constitutional
| Convention will take n, onth Of allegiance
| 70 tho uited Ststos, as set forth IN the lnder-
wood Constitution. Will come ny for another
| discussion tomorrow Eugene Wihers, tho
| father Of the convention movement, while
! examining tho records to-day, discovered
| that In the Underwood Constitution, which
! was called by Military Governor OF Virginia
| SCoNeld, the Convention refused 10 take the
| oath tabled u. and whom Gen Scohed was
| advised OF this he approved Of II