Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-11-06
Sold by E. S. Leadbeater & sons.

gu slior, it has ever b fore IL the 18th
amendment to the constitution OF "the
United s ates, which declares That ihe
right If citizens OF the United s's:es to
y",a shall not be denied or abridged by
the Upi.ed States, or by any State, On
accom- OF race, color or Previous con-
dition of servitude." It's work IL neces-
sarily OF an extremely delicate nature;
| it re auires skill, learning and wsd ON,
and ''is O. bv any to be entered Into uG-
sdvis, dly or lightly, hut reVsrentiy, dis
creetly, sdsisedly, sobsrly and 10 The
| fear OF God" Il will demand all the
diligence, patiencs, acumen and ability,
which il is possible 10 employ in the per-
formance OF such q sscTed trust.
And now, of course, yCu wish 10 Know
something of the work oil your repre-
ssDtatives.
Their attention was fret called to the
necessity of taking an oath Of Office. A
great principle was Involved here.
Members oil other conventions had not
taken such an oath. Ii was not ques-
ton affecting the members Individually
or personally, but ss representatives.
In theory, ell the people OF the COM
mon wealth are supposed to b. present.
and attending the convention, ri hopgh
10 fsct only TIER representatives are
present, go, to take an oath when II wae
not u, usl or customary would bav b en-
to concede and yield a portion Ct The
sover, ign rights of rhe people, for lhcy
would ss people, community, State
have taken the oath through aud oy
their Representative.
The convection is composed OF sober,
discreet, industrious and honorable
members. IL has upon It's roll many
men of strong minds ard OF great
ability. The question was ably and
thoroughly debated The matter was
decided l. the negative, mol to give up
or surret der the sovereign right OF the
| people. OR oppopeJts mSy deride us,
but oil fair-minded men will agree that
much depended upon the proper de-
cision OF this weighty problem.
OF the suffrage and judiciary comm ttees
can speak moro particularly, being member OF
| both. The first is compose OF Twenty-Five
m ,mbers drawn from ell parts OF the State
" hen we set down to work We found this
stste OF Affairs In the southwest and valley
there are very few L, groes, and in one county,
DiekensoD. not one. Thete members OF the
suffrage com aittse from that section
were not particularly anxious for any
fundamental change in the Law. In
some p rtions Of that section OF the
State known as Il "Bis, k Belt" the negroes
out.number the whites three four 10 one.
Naturally, the members from that sec
tion desired radical change In
,,tbe law. Here, then, wss diversity Of tenti'
ment, interest and desire with the 10Th
amendment always staring as In the face We
toiied through the o Of summs', With day
sessions and sometimes night, remaining TO-
getber at tmss a. long as five hours. after ding
the sessions Of the convention in addition,
We examined, criticised and analysed the suf'
frsge clause In the Constitution Of every State
In the Union. Han after plan was proposed,
discus ei and abandoned.
| Finally, the work Of tie commiit,e result
ed in two reports, majority and minority
report. sigrsd the minority report together
with Senator Daniel, Major Anderson, and
Delegates Stuart, Bouldin and Harrison, al
of us save Mr.. B B)uldin, who is from Halifax
representing cons ituencies where the whites
are largely in the majority. Senator Daniel
is from Lynch burg, Mr.. Stuart from Russell
county, ksior Anderson from Roskbridge And
Judge Harrison from Freder OK.
Under the minority p'an, sny man who can
read any DR. vision OF the stlte Constitution
will be voter, and this would embrace ev,rj
white man in the city II Alexsndria excep
GO yer ty.eisht, As there are only that MANI
white men OF voting age in our town who ar
illiterste. These seventy ;igbt wonli be ad
mitted voters under the understanding clsuf 9
This plan is copied from the Mississippi Con
stitution which has been sustain ei n v.liC
by theSdp,sms Court OF the United STATS.
Under the provision Of the Mississippi Con
, | stitution in connection with the prspaymen
OF a poll or c.pitation tax. the negro vote 70
of Fl, IN upwards Of iO0, 900 to about 10000
Louisi,ns, North Csroins and s,uth Caro-
I lima have also adopted modern constitution
} containing provisions for pro'e,tion OF the IL
, literate and non-property owning white men
Ii is the purpose OF the Virginia convention
10 do the came. Bat our opponents have sal
that II is the intention OF this body to dis'rsn
, ehise white men, and thoy have endesvoie o.
= to SOW the poisonous seeds OF slsrm, disIrus
and suspicion in the sensitive bOsoms Of an.
} of our voters. win you not rather place you
| con61euoe and trust Ia your friends, my 10
. low citiz rs, and follow thsm1
: The white msn without property aud som
. who are illiterhte have be,n in the ranks Q
J the great democratic army and among i
! truees and stzunohe't followers. They coul
Q not be led from its bsnuers by threats. fear o
/. rersns.ion in the two stirring campaigns whe
BRYAN was cur ch' eitsip. and ] will rever vot
| 10 o;sfrsnehiss them, never, never, never.
Tho judiciary COMMITTEES Is composed o
> fifteen lawyers, and to 10 was committed II
e duty Of providing System OF courts for th
r eom mon wealth. This was difticult an
a arduons undertaking. II Involved tbofoug