The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-27

condition of slavery. 1t would equally apply to the class of negroes who aided in putting down the revolution or lSei- 65. There is no more reason under the Constitution for refusing to extend these privileges to the children of ne- groes who were soldiers in either war than there would be for refusing to ex- tend their pensions to their descend- ants" In view of the position which he then deliberately assumed. and ally defended, 1t is surprising to find that he now contends that the adoption of a similar plan in his own State would be followed with such disastrous con- sequences. How can he expect US. or the people of this State. with his able argument in the Senate before us, to accept the conclusion which he am- phasizes In his letter to the delegate from Jefferson. MT. White. where he says: The transmission of the electoral power by the blood of inheritance from father to son would destroy all dis tinction between regal government and democracy and would throw the door wide open for return to the system that the American Revolution abol- ished. The steps would be few, and would be rapidly taken to the complete restoration of monarchy. sn soon as we give to any class of voters the power to qualify their sons as voters by iu- hertance. In this case. it is the drst | step that tells with fatal and irrevoc- able effect" It Is surprising that the distinguished | Senator would indulge in expressions like this when he must know that, In large part. the effect of the descend ant clause. as applied in our suffrage plan, is to save from dlsfranchisement the sons of those brave and patriotic | men who sacrificed their lives and their l fortunes in defending the cause of the | Southern Confectionery. No one has been | found who questions the right of the | State to confer the right of suffrage
 upon those who have fought the bat | ties of the State: and if 1t is within | the power of the State to single out | class of patriotic citizens and confer | upon them special privileges. it is i'm
 possible for me to understand how it can be denied that the State has the same power to extend the privilege to their children and to their childrens children. In dealing with the powers | of a sovereign State. we must distin- l guish between the propriety of doing a thing and the power and authority | of the State to do it. While some may
 question the propriety of conferring | this privilege upon the soldier-as ma ny do question the propriety of the | States making provision, by pension or | otherwise, even for the support of the
 soldier-it seems clear to me that when | you concede the power to confer the
 right upon the soldier himself, it fol- | lows that the sovereign may, if it chooses extend the right to
 his children. and. if you please, to his
 children's children.
 The distinguished gentleman from
 Montgomery (Mr. Oates) who signed the minority report, seems to think 1t would be something awful should we adopt a suffrage plank which would ex- clude practically all the negroes. MT. | President, no plan which has been l suggested has contemplated the ex-
 clusion of all the negroes. The end
 and object of the plan which is re-
 ported by the majority of the Com
 mittee does not contemplate the ex-
 clusion of all the negroes, but the ehm- ination from the electorate Of the ig-
 norant, incompetent and vicious ne-
 groes who, so long as they remain
 voters, stand as an everlasting menace | to good government and to the peace
 and prosperity of our State.
 MT. President, I listened to the elo-
 quent protest which the distinguished
 gentleman from Montgomery made 1 against the dsfranchisement of tEe ne
 gro, and as he spoke, could not fail
 to ask myself. what has he done in
 this Convention, or what does he pro-
 pose to do, to prevent this. The re- | port of the Committee on Suffrage is
 unanimous, with the single exception of the proposition supported by four | members to strike out the clause giving
 to the descendants of soldiers the right
 to vote. Suppose the supporters or the
 minority report are successful in strik-
 ing out this provision. In what re-
 spect are the negroes benefited? This
 clause protects a right to vote in the
 hands of those who now possess it. and
 includes the negro, and 1t is impossi-
 ble for me to understand how he ex- poets to benefit the negro by striking
 it out of the Constitution.
 MT. President, have been surprised, | in the interesting review which the | gentleman has given us of his dra-
 matic experience in the military ser
 vice, to note that the only heroic con duct which seems to have impressed
 him was on the part of negro body
 servant, while one of his own race is
 described as climbing saplings in his
 mighty strides to escape the bullets of
 the enemy. I deem it unjust to the
 white man. MT. President. when com parison of the races is being made, to
 select an exceptional instance of de- pravity as the white mans exemplar, | to be set over against an exceptional
 case of valor on the part of the negro.
 In contrast to the conduct of the mis- erable creature of whom he speaks,
 beg to refer you to the conduct of
 Poke Miller. green country lad, who
 enlisted from that portion of the State
 which I have the honor, in part, to | represent. He was wholly without ed-
 ucation, and when he signed the roll,
 he signed 1t with his mark. In the
 thickest of the fight, the standard
 bearer of his company, fell mortally
 wounded, and even the veterans around
 him seemed to hesitate to take his
 place when this mere lad seized the
 colors, and, waving them aloft, ad-
 vanced upon the enemy. His comrades
 shouted, Bring the colors back to the
 men," and the answer came back,
 Bring the men to the colors,' and
 they did, and as consequence the
 ramparts were taken and the enemy
 completely routed.
 MT. Oates-Will the gentleman allow
 me to interrupt him just there?
 MT. Knox-When l get through, Gen
 eral.
 MT. Beddow-I rise to a point of or
 der. A number of people are on
 the floor of the Convention through
 courtesy, and they are continually ap-
 plaudlng in violation of the rules of
 this House.
 The presidapt nro tero-The Chair