Evening star., 1901-06-25
SOUTHERN ELECTION LAWS
TEST OF THEIR VALIDITY IN GER
TAIN STATES.
Declarations Made by Speakers at
Meeting Last Night of Afro
American Council.

Discussion of the proposition to test the
validity of southern election laws occu-
pied the attention of the Afro-tSnerican
Council last night at the John Wesley A.
NJ. E. Zion Church. on Connecticut ave-
nue.. A large audience composed of both
races was present The meeting was pre-
sided by Prof. Jesse Lawson, chair
man of the executive committee.
In opening the meeting Mr.. Lawson said
The states OF Louisiana and North Caro-
lima have adopted constitutions calculated
20 nullify the fifteenth amendment to the
federal Constitution, and conventions are
now in session in Alabama and Virginia
with apparently the same end in view. 1t
is the purpose of the Afro-American Coun-
Gil to test before the Supreme Court of
the United States the validity of these
constitutions. The ablest legal talent avail
able has been secured, and action has been
taken in Louisiana to bring the matter be-
fore the courts. In this movement We ask
the hearty cooperation of all law-abiding
citizens of both races, north and south.
Rev. B. j. Boldng, DID, was then in
troduced. He said that the time had ar
rived for the colored people to act and
he was glad that the Afro-American Coun-
Gil had taken the matter in hand.
Mr.. Bolding was followed by Mr.. Judson
w. Lyons, register of the treasury. Among
other things he said:
The Grandfather Clause.
'The grandfather clause in the Louisiana
and North Carolina constitutions is clear
ly in violation of the fifteenth amendment
given by the republican party to the colored
citizen for his protection. 1t has been pro-
posed by the democrats that the fifteenth
amendment be repealed, but that will never
be DONE the American people under the
guidance of the republican party will never
take any steps backward. We should re-
member that the republican party has
never passed any law against us and has
never repealed any law passed in our favor.
Il have been south lately, and can say
from personal contact with it's people that
some of the best willie people in that sec
tion see that a great blunder has been
made by the adoption into state conStitu-
tions of what is known as the grand
father clause, which allows all persons
who voted on or prior to January l, 1867,
and their sons and grandsons to vote with
out property or educational test. We are
bound to fight such law in the courts, and
we call on the people to help u.s.
Rev. George w. Lee, L. D.. pastor of the
Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, followed
in g humorous vein, but advanced some
practical ideas which at times convused
the house. He thought the republican party
was not doing it's full duty by its black al
lies. and said IF the party is standing
by the rights of the coored citizens, as
has been alleged by Mr.. Lyons, the party
must now be taking long sleep. 1t is
in full power and control of the govern
ment but do not hear of anything 1t
is doing or saying to protect the colored
brother in his rights which the southern
states are now taking away from him. The
party must wake up if it wants our peo-
pie to believe that it is alive to our inter-
eStS.
Citizenship n Boon.
The last speech of the evening was made
by Rev. Walter H. Brooks, ID, pastor of
the Nineteenth Street Baptist Church Mr..
Brooks said that citizenship is the highest
boon to any people, but citizenship without
the right to vote is not worth much to
anybody. This country cannot afford to
stand idly by and see ten millions of its
citizens denied the right of suffrage con-
ferred upon them by the fundamental law
of the land without entering a protest. He
was glad to that The Evening Star had
taken up the discussion of the subject, and
he hoped that the good work would be
pressed forward with great vigor. col
lection was taken which resulted in q
liberal contribution to the cause.