The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-03-21
([-I FREDERICKSBURG Va, THURSDAY MARCH FL 1901.
CAROLINE.

Caroline County, Va, March lS' l9ol.
To TnE FREE LANCE;
! have seen in your paper recently sey-
eral letters from citizens Of this county
in reference to the unconstitutional Conyen-
tion. and ~ To the merits and demerits
of the two prominent Democratic candl-
dates for the Convention. am n Repub-
lican aud expect to votefora Republican,
if one is nominated, and, therefore, have
little to say in reference to the differences
in the Democratic ranks.
The mere fact that n man has been
and il an Office holder shows to my mind
this-that the public recognizes his abil-
ity and his general fairness in executing
the laws, and il should be an argument
in his favor, rather than against him.
This county is Republican county,
and yet in the last county election. {. I.
Smith for Treasurer got | 500 majority,
and r. b. Gill for Sheriff got 300 ma
jority over Republican candidates, which
goes To show that the negroes must have
voted for Smith and Gill, since there are
only about 800 white voters in the
county. and OF these POO are Republicans.
Now wish To say word in behalf oi
the colored man. He has been II voter
for over thirty years; and in accordance
with the Constitution OF the United
States-see. 18th and 18th amendments
no state shall discriminate against him
ON account of race, color orpreyious con
dition of seryitude; and under the Con
stitution of the State Of Virginia he has
the same rights as the white man. Not
withstanding these facts 1t Is stated
openly that the object Of the Convention
il TO disfranchise the negro, and that no
white man shall lose his vote 1t may
he that some limitation of suffrage Is
necessary and would be willing to ne
cent the following, ~ fair to all, a. Il
qualification for suffrage Payment oi
all taxes assessed against the voter;
property qualification OF at least 500
and the ability to vote n simple Aus
tralian ballot so arranged as not to con
fusr the voter. and no one to assist the
voter except on account Of physical dis
ability. unless the voter beoyer fifty years
old. Such n law / conceive would be
fair To all. Under the present law the
udges of election can afford assistance
to every Democratic voter and refuse as
sistance to every Republican, or mark
his ticket so az to make him vote con
trary TO his wishes am glad to state
that in this county most of the Judges
have acted fairly and marked the tickets
for the voter under a liberal rather, than
n strict construction of the law.
voted for n Convention for the reason
that | considered that no election law
that could possibly be framed would be
worse than the present. Also that the
present Constitution was in many re-
spects odious to the people, and hoped
that n better could be framed. believe
that with the present election laws there
il no hope of electing a majority OF Re
publicans to the Convention, but so lar
as this county is concerned | would pre-
fer the election of Samuel E. Pitts, who
would not wish to disfranchise any one
ON account of his color, be he white or
black. so long as he showed himself a
good citizen and performed his obliga-
tions to the State and county and to
society in general. And so think many
intelligent white citizens OF the county.
Conservative Republican.