The Washington times., 1901-09-03
NO NEGRO CONSENTNEBDED
Mr.. Ayers, of Wise, Speaks Before
the Virginia Convention.
An soridged Electorate Consulted i'm
the Case of the Underwood Con-
stitution-No Mora, Obligation TO

Seek Colored Races Endorsement
RICHMOND, Va. Sept. 2.-The Consti.
tutional Convention was called to order
at noon today by President Goode. Fifty
nine members answered to their names.
The fact that this was holiday was at
tested by the enormous crowd which filled
the hall. The galleries were thronged,
the western. gallery having the largest
number OF negroes at any time since the
convention met. Every seat on the floor
was occupied.
Prayer was offered by Delegate Dun
away. A number of resolutions were pre-
sented by various members protesting
cgainst sectarian appropriations, regulat-
ing the liquor traffic. and in favor of fix
ing homestead exemption at $1,000.
Delegate Pedigo. of Henry County,
moved that the convention adjourn in
honor of Labor Day. The motion was
lost, only Mr.. Pedigo and one other mem
Der voting aye.
On motion of Mr.. Petit the convention
resolved itself into Committee of the
Whole, and Mr.. Ayers, of Wise, was rec
ognized.
Mr.. Ayers said he should vote to sub
nit the new constitution to abridged
electorate. He was opposed to any act
which would in any way abridge the
rights of the negro or which would con-
flict with any Federal constitutional pro-
vision. The negro had made his own po-
lticai history. He had no quarrel with
the unfortunate negro, who was here
without his own volition. Virginia had
been the first State to take action against
importation of negroes. He quoted from
the Ulster County IN. " Gazette"
which contained an account of the death
of George Washington and in which was
an advertisement of public sale of negro
slaves.
General Ayers sent to the clerks desk
and had read the various acts of Con-
gress concerning the reconstruction
period and the holding of the Underwood
convention. He showed that by those
acts the flower of Virginia manhlod was
disfranchised, with the result that the
convention was composed of aliens, ne
Rroes, and camp followers" Under the
lead of the men who were then in control
of affairs. the negroes Of the South had
had instilled into them a hatred of the
only friends they had then or now. He
reviewed at length the incidents following
the war when the white men carried
arms to protect their homes from the
hordes of irresponsible and worthless ne
groes and his equally irresponsible white
leaders.
The Underwood constitution had been
submitted to an abridged electorate, and
no man would assert that there was any
moral right which required that the work |
of this convention should be submitted to |
the negroes of the State. General Ayers |
outlined a suffrage plan in the course of 1
his speech. He favored a council of three |
for each masisterial district in the State, |
which board or council should have charge /
of the II gistration of all who desired to
exercise the right of suffrage. Voters
should have character. be familiar with
the duties of citizenship under republican
form of government; no property quail
fcation. no poll tax. or other educational
qualification other than that 60 be ex-
ercised by the registration boards. The
boards would be partisan, trough the Re
pubiicans were TO have representation.
When negroes fitted themselves for citi-
zenship the boards could register them,
but the plan was constitutional.
He thought it was wisest TO postpone
the vote on the question of determining
how the new constitution should be made
operative until the constitution should
have been framed He would vote for
submitting a good constitution TO an
abridged electorate, but let us first see
what we are going to put forth as the
work of the convention
General Ayers speech was along the
lines of legal argument, being handled
in a manner that held the attention OF
he<lawyers of the body for more than
an hour and a half.
The committee rose, reported progress.
and at l:5O o'clock the convention ad-
Iourned.