The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-24

no 0fk401xatton tndL WaSS ocuoknnAteu Xu klux. This organization was guilty ok excesses and were not countenanced. 1t soon disappeared. That was the con- dftion of this country when the people resorted to a more peaceful and effec- } Eve method securing predominance m fhis State through the ballot box. l wish the fact of our condition to be knowuL and while there are those of m alive yet who know these facts, l think they should not be forgotten. Now if the delegates will consider, uince that time. the white race has pre- dominated in this State. and the people rho have voted at all elections. and preserved us. have been the white race. and that without regard to literacy or illiteracy. They have all voted, and fhey have voted from the first estap- 1fshment of government in this country down to the present time. Contrast these two people. See what condition we were in when the negro predoml- mated in this State. and made our laws for us. and enforced them, and see our condition when it passed from them hack into the hands of the white men. Can anybody look upon those two pie lures and come to any conclusion other than that the negro, as a race, IS lh- capable of f-government? and has no appreciation of the duties and ob- lixations of 8 citizen of a Republican form of government or that the white man. by reason of belonging to the white race. or his education, or some other characteristic. Is competent to rule and can be trusted with the States government with perfect safety.
 The facts cannot be denied. and seem to me sufficient to satisfy everybody of the truth of the preamble to the plat form of the Democratic party. that the one race is capable of elf-government as a race and the other as race should not be trusted with the right to vote. Now. MT. President, and delegates of the Convention. having these matters in view, having our pledges before us, we have tried to frame an article upon suffrage, which would preserve our in stitutions, and we have at the same time tried to comply with the Fifteenth Amendment of the Constitution. and have admitted to the exercise of suf- frage every competent negro in the State. I do not doubt, and I have heard no man yet say. that every per- son of the negro race who ought to vote has not been admitted to vote, and the only question that seems to trouble some of our people is whether the white man shall vote. and not the negro That is what confronts us today. l think 1t is our duty as Democrats, and as citi- gems of this State. to comply with our pledges, and admit to the exercise of the franchise every white voter if it can be done legally. So far as the de- tails of the plan submitted are con- cerned they will come up as we pro- ceed section by section. The Commit tee Is not partial to anything they have said or written in the article. We have presented to you that which seemed to us the best solution. but if any man has anything better than that which we have presented to you, no one will join in it's adoption more readily and satisfactorily than myself. I know full well. delegates of this Convention, that during the few years that will be spared to myself and to men of my age, we will be sure to maintain our supremacy and good government. But we look to conditions that may exist fifteen twenty or thirty years from now. when the old men will be gone, and when the question will be for the younger members of this Convention. and our children who have not yet arrived at the state of manhood. That is what we are looking out for; that is what We desire to provide for. and I shall most sin cerely invoke your earnestness and ability in solving this great question, which is now under consideration. We do not believe that is is an insult to confer the franchise upon the descend ants of those who wore the gray. It is recorded that Moses of old said to the children of Israel, Teach the statutes to your children, as you lie down; teach them as you walk in the way and as you get up;" and we be- sieve that the old Confederate soldier has taught his children to love their country and it's laws and government. MT. Presi lent, it is no dishoner to say to Confederate soldiers son that the State recognizes that you are better citizen and have a better right to vote than the negro who can read and write. I think 1t is due him. and would rather this right hand of mine would become palsied rather than it should write "disfranchise" against one of their names. I would rather my tongue would cleave to the roof oi my mouth. before I would pronounce so unjust a sentence against him Those are my sentiments upon this question, and I have no doubt, as a lawyer who has investigated the case that his enfranchisement is perfectly constitutional. MT. President, l may have been betrayed into saying toe much, and l Will not say anything more
 Cries of "Go on, Go on.'
 MT. lhClp tO iCASi rapidly to another provision. Men whc have objected to what might be called the ''understanding clause" surely have not apprehended its true meaning Surely, they have not understood that it embodies the Federal law of the United States with reference to na- turalization of foreigners; surely, they have not considered that before that could be declared unconstitutional, the courts would have to declare unconsti- tutional the laws which have been adopted by Congress, applicable to the naturalization of foreigners. The thing that troubles me. is not what is now fo transpire or to transpire within the next few years, but that which comes after that, and whether the permanent seuuirements are sufficient or not to protect the people in their rights, the civilization of this country, and the f happiness of the people, in the perma- nent plan. That prescribes property qualification, an understanding quail fieation to read and write, and 1t also provides for those who have been reg i,iarly engaged in some lawful employ ment for a year. There never was a sentence, or provision, more perverted or less understood, than that provision in the Article reported by the Commit fee on Suffrage and Elections. The < Committee was at least day and half or two days selecting those words They used the word engaged because fl had been ofter interpreted by the f~o,,rt oP fhiS State and if is