The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-31

appeal for white supremacy. and there never will come a time when there be danger of negro domination. in Ala bama. Will you substitute for our present magnificent system of fraud, long tried and well esta abhshed, com mission established from a central of flee in Montgomery? The whole scheme is not in favor of fair elections. 1 will
 not question the motives of those who
 presented 1t. but I declare to you that
 the scheme as presented by the ma
 jority of this committee. permits the
 most infamous frauds that were ever
 planned in Alabama. They provide for
 a Committee on Registration. They
 provide means for limiting the mem
 bership of the Registration Board.
 They will register them for this year,
 and every negro that registers may
 be over 45 yetrs of age. and will be
 voting 45 years hence. I do not say
 that they will do 1t, or that they intend
 to. but I say that the scheme permits
 them to do 1t. I say there are coun-
 ties in Alabama where t will be irn-
 possible to do 1t, and I say there are
 counties in Alabama where it will be entirely practicable, and the chairman of the committeee is not i'll advised as
 to some of the counties in wbtch 1t
 would be practicable to do it."
 Now. MT. President. there is not a
 gentleman on this floor for whom I
 have more friendly feeling than for
 the speaker who used the language
 quoted, yet I must admit my surprise on hearing such broad assertions com
 ing from so able delegate and chair
 man of the Democratic party of Ala
 hama. He boasts of "our magnificent
 In l.
 other speaks for record that the docu-
 ment drafted and passed by twenty
 nve Of the most learned lawyers in the
 confines of the State after weeks of study and asduous labor, as a scheme
 and fraud. He goes so far as to
 designate by. implication where it is
 practicable to perpetuate this fraud, and the intimation while not in words Is that the scheme was c0ncocted for such perpetration.
 AS l said in the beginning, I s.,au not attempt to discuss the technicalitIes of
 me provision. l have confidence in
 inc ability and respect the honesty Of the whole committee and accept tha
 report at its face value. I sinplv wish to refute. sir. that my constitu- ency have joined hands in the recon struction of the organic law of this State with other than homes. rnotives
 hail from a section, -~ir, fhere Inc negroes are as numerous as the nloy- CTS in Texas and the p.ckaninnies rol.
 iick among the nnagnolias like monkeys m eocoanut forest. A section where
 tne cotton bloom Is the emblem of prosperity, education and refinement ana Tn the sinewy muscles of the black man loVes labor is found and not lost.
 l I0DfAGanf n
 put tneir own political salvation ba,,e worked out the salvation of the state
 Then to question the honesty of this people at an eopch in eur supremacy is In easv srase .e IS Ike smiting the breas that
 Iursed you. l speak by authority when , teii you the Democrats of the Black beit nave tired of the notoriey that they are their brothers keeper and theirs Is the home Of ballot-box stuff nng and political thievery. I tell vou honestly and candidly, if this Conven- ton should disfranchise the negro even at the sacrifice of representation in congress and at home, my people will IalIy 10 your nag and ratify your ac-
 It has been said by a delegate we need have no fear of negro domination In Alabama. l tell you, we people of the Black Belt do fear such domination. While 1t is true peace and harmony exists between the races, and the ne- gro Is no longer factor as against the social ani political interests in the Black Belt, with the probable and al- most certain formation of two strong political parties in this State as one of the results of the new Constitution we n e.. lowed the free franchise as under Re- publican rule. without restriction, his- tory will repeat itself and the spirits of the sires now resting in death will witness the shotgun they once car ried, in the hands of their children, and sentries regularly walking their beats to protect our homes and our firesides. And, if their noble spirits can reason as in life, they will picture anew in their mind the prison cells in this city, the flashing bayonets of negro soldiery and the harsh command of negro of- fcials as they closed against them the dungeon door, with no Angel of Mercy like unto him who unshackled the Apostle, save a brave and defiant man. hood. V
 Strange, but true, that with all the honors and reputation achieved by the Black Belt In war. in statesmanship in letters poetry and song. we are best known to the people of the State-yea, even to the Chairman of our party, by our political notoriety. Members of this Convention have almost wept with joy when they would tell us how anx- ious they are to relieve us of the ne- gro incubus forgetting the fact that for a quarter of century the Black Belt has ploted the oli Democratic ship from among the breakers on divers oc- casions and saved her from Wreckage. They fail to conceive how the negro can be disfranchised except when we need him and good will, good cheer and prosperity reigns supreme in the Black Counties. while it takes dollars and limited social equality to vote him in the white counties. It is an art gentlemen. learned only by experience, one fraught with danger--a 'magnifi- rent system" that can not be inherited or perpetuated. It is an achievement of faith with the evidence not seen. It Is Christianity. but not orthodox. It is prime but humane. 1t is wrong but right. It Is justice but injustice. It Is life instead of death. That this subor- dination will continue, we do not be- lieve. Even In the election of the dele gates on this floor, through out sheriff t was learned that a threat had been made that en effort would be made by the younger negroes to concentrate their forces and control the election. It was purely out of fear they did not attempt to put their plans into execu- ton. Nightly meetings were held and this Convention discussed, and while none become sufficiently emboldened to ell hAis. fS lafN an