The age-herald., 1901-07-25

follow your banner but if you have none, then let us adopt the one of the commit tee. In the white mans veins IS the blood of liberty, and whether he can read or write he will always govern, and has always done so. Why has the tide Of emigration gone to the West and avoided the South? It Is because of this mass of negro voters who are menace to good government in the South.
 Governor Oates Speaks.
 Governor Oates, who had signed mi nority report opposing the grandfather clause then addressed the convention, he The primary object of the convention. he said, was to reclaim our beloved State from the evil of dishonest elections Who was it put it there?
 I am a conservative continued the Gov ernor, and will never favor radical meas ures Take the negro He Is not respon- sible for his enfranchisement or being here. Those who fought us and conquer ed us were the ones who as part of their policy passed the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments. The negro was grateful to those who had emancipated him. This was natural. although slavery had been a blessing to them They were likewise grateful to those who had enfranchised them and in consideration of their ignorance they did well. It was the white skinned scalla- wag who led them astray. We may still feel irritated at what happened twenty five years ago. The only instance in the history of the United States where Con- gress violated the fundamental law was where it regulated State franchises. There were only two ways of getting rid of the carpet -baggers, said the Gov ernor, either by shot guns or counting the ballots against them. I advocated the latter course as the most peaceful and while I never actually handled the vote I am just as guilty as those who did, as I advised it. But this thing has gone on until white men have begun o cheat each other. It Is said the only way to remedy this is to disfranchise the negro. We are pledged not to dis franchise any white men, and If, then, anybody is to be disfranchised 1t must be the negro. But I am in favor of elimi- mating from the franchise all who are unfit to vote, whether a few white men are included or not Unfortunately there are some white men who are not fit to vote. I came to this convention not for honor but to give my feeble efforts to- wards remedying this evil.
 First. is this grandfather clause con- stitutional? 1 believe 1t is not. The doubts as to the soldier clause, I and others will always be ready to solve in his favor. The report in the main is a masterpiece of it's kind. but I cannot sit silent and accept any clause which I think Is wrong. None of the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States have settled this point to which some of the decisions of the Supreme Court to this effect Among others the Williams case from Mississippi.
 The descendants of all soldiers are 10 be admitted to the franchise. I believe that this is unconstitutional Is not this discrimination to keep out the ne- groes? I wish we had not a fifteenth amendment, but having taken an oath 10 support the constitution of the United States I cannot support this clause. Is 1t good to be radical or best to be reason able? The question whether we shall com pletely exclude the negro from all par ticipation in the government or allow the best of them to vote is a far-reaching one. Did you ever hear of such a large number of people who have been participating in the government for thirty years having this right taken away and tamely sub hitting? You may hear of troubles in the future that are not dreamed of now. Let the best of them vote. The ballot 1s not a universal right. Those ladies in the gallery are citizens but they are not allowed to vote. An elector is trustee. He is given the right to vote on account of his supposed capacity. The negro can not be sent back to Africa. They are citizens of the United States and have the right to go when and where they please. The negro Is the laborer in the south. and will he not be better laborer if contented than discontented? What would you do for labor in the hot fields of the south without the negro? Where is the laborer and who can take his place?
 He paid tribute to the negroes during the war and said there never was such an instance in the history of the world of the gratitude of slaves to their mas ters (Applause from the negroes in the gallery and from a few delegates). He spoke of an instance fin the war when five Alabama regiments were making an att tack and a negro CWillis HID seized gun and joined regiment and fought with them. He compared his conduct with cowardIy white man in the same regiment.
 q am no better from any wounds on my body" continued the Governor. T did nothing but my duty, and propose to do that here" (Applause).
 This doctrine of inheritance IS regal doctrine and has no place in our demo- cratic government. He spoke of Senator Morgan, who he said thougnr the same. He paid tribute to the Senator which
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