Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-04-27
SATURDAY, APRIL 81, 1901
SHOULD WE BE DlsFRAEoHIsHD2

TIE articles OF Hon. CHARLRs T.
O'FFERRALL, ex- Governor of Virginia
continues to attract attention and the
following extract from the one pub.
Hshed in the Richmond, Va, TIMES of
March 8oth, 1901 will prove rich read.
ing TO all who love justice and admire
fsir-plAy. He said.
"The Fifteenth Amendment to the
Contribution OF the United States is as
follows:
l. "'The right Of eitizens of the
United States TO vote shall not be de-
nied or abridged by the United States
or by any State, on account of race, col
or or previous condition of servitude.'
2, 1.-The Congress shall nave power
to enforce this article by appropriate
legislati)n.'
The Negro was made 9 citiz of
the United States by the Fourteen tn
Amendment of the United States Com
stiIutIon, and the Fifteenth Amend
ment declares that his right to vote
shall not be denied or Abrid ged by any
State because he is Negro, and If any
State shall violate this constitutional
provision Congress shall have power to
enforce it by appropriate legislation
I've hear it frequently asserted that
the purpose in calling the convention
was 20 disfraachise the Negro without
affecting the outrage of the white
man.
nHow this can be done and keep with
. the Constitution OF the United
States Is problem too abstruse for
my comprehension. No one can deny
shat under the law the Negro is the
equal OF the white man. It neeessari-
ly follows that if right is conferred
upolrA white man from which the Ne
gro Is excluded, il destroys This equal
tty.
III Negro is disaushf,ed from vot.
lnR because he is illiterRte or q non-
prC pertY holder, and the initerate or
non property holding white man Ia Al i.
1owec % vote, the Negroes equality be-
lore the law 10 destroyed. II an illit-
erAte or non-proper y holding white
man Is clothed with the right 90 vote
upon tbs ground that he or his father
was voter In 1880. or he or his father
Was confederate so der, the equali-
" or the Negro before the law il again
destroyed, for the white man only
could vote ia 1860. and q white man
onlV could be q Confederate soldier.
1t 10 the imposition upon the Negro
Oh . requirement. to make him q voter
which necessarily disqualifles HIM and
places him below the white man ia DO
ltlcal equality. As I have said, the
Constitotion Of the United States has
not conferred the right of sui cage up-
on any citizen; every StaTe has SUI
preme control OF this question, and
can prescribe who shall be voters and
VINO shall not be voters, but it ca mot
make hsh' OF one race or color and
'fowP OF another rass or color.
Now, there Is no use shouting over
this gospel which is eHunciated az the
law, beeGuse ex-Gov. O'FRRRALL Ia
not Negro-ioVer. but he IL a great
sticklsr for the fundamental principles
OF government, the observance of
which alone can bring about A.natieA's
prosperity.
Still, it makes as teel good and tie nds
so promote that feeling of happiness
which 10 exhilAratin2 IN the extre me
to see . man OF ex-Gov. O'FKRRALL's
weight and importance meet the issue
sqaarely and stand In the breach, defy
ing the prsjudiced and cond GINNING
the mob.
But he quotes further:
''Chisf Justice Waite In the ease of
The United States versus hesse and