The age-herald., 1901-09-26
VIII Be POWerIess at Polls But
 Will Go to Supreme Court IMMIGRATION LAST RESORT
If They Are to Be DIsfranchised They Will Not Live in State-Confer- ence Sings "Nearer My God
 to Thee"

At meeting of the negroes of Ala bama, held yesterday in Birmingham, resolutions were unanimously adopted declaring war on the proposed constitu- tion. It was decided that in the event the measure Is ratified at the polls that it will be tested in the United States Supreme Court. Should the Supreme Court render a decision favorable to the whites the negroes believe it advisable to immigrate from the State.
 An executive committee consisting of H. V. Cashin of Morgan, c. C. Caper- ton of Jefferson, and A. N. Johnson of Mobile was appointed by the conference to solicit contributions to carry out the objects of the resolutions. The resolu- tons follow.
 Resolved, That, while favoring uni- versal manhood suffrage as provided in the existing constitution of Alabama, the colored citizens of the State can see no cause for alarm in an abridged suffrage If 1t bear equally in all directions and have for It's object the elevation of citi- zenship the reform of the ballot and the rescue of our beloved State from the corrupting and debauching influences which now dishonor 1t
 Relief for CoIored Man.
 "The most stringent qualification upon the suffrage, under existing conditions, can be contemplated with pleasure if 1t promise relief from the insult and abuse with which the colored man and family are constantly assailed: and will tend to silence the boding Banshies awful of f,,ao cat at every cross-road in Alabama by a cer- tain class of statesmen whose purposes are perfectly understood. We are not in despair at the prospect of lawful lirni- tations upon the suffrage. However high the prize of citizenship the colored boy will win 1t, and no earthly power can turn back the advancing tide of educa- tion industry and wealth.
 Resolved That the suffrage qualified tions prescribed in the proposed consti- tuition do not comprehend largely our ob- jection to the new instrument; we. are rather surprised at the liberality of the same, and under a fair operation the colored vote would equal the vote actu- ally cast For Convention.' But the new constitution does not provide single guarantee for honest elections not line; and a proposition submitted by the distinguished Democratic leader incorpo- rating into the constitution the machin- cry of elections-the only certain and safe assurance of honesty at the polls died in the hands of the committee, and the convention to which we entrusted the organic policy of the State submits to the people of Alabama a plan whereby the electorate of the State is determined by boards of registration in the several counties appointed by partisan State of ficials; plan which, in our opinion, le- galizes and perpetuates fraud. and Is, therefore, repugnant to the best interests of the State.
 Little Patience With Democracy.
 Resolved further, That the colored people of Alabama have small patience with either of the two warning factions of the Democratic party of Alabama, realizing that both have been and are now exploiting with the colored vote for their own selfish ends. Indeed, we more than half suspect that those who have usurped power by suppressing the Re- publican and Populite vote of the State would as readily eliminate the white vote which has of late years become alienated from the Democratic party, as 1t has suppressed the colored vote. And we warn the unfortunate classes of white voters that they are being used as
 
 destruction.
 Resolved further, That the publicity given to the efforts of the mercurial body. the constitutional convention of Alabama, to indirectly evade the F ed eral constitution and the manifold eyi- dences of improvement of the colored citizen in education, in wealth. as a tax payer and in all the qualities of good citizenship present the strongest appeal fn thnqa m of n ho xr,hO hrno enlightenment and just purposes can save their State from threatened condition little short of anarchy.
 PowerIess In Election.
 Resolved further, That we realize our utter powerlessness to affect the result of the approaching election for ratification of the proposed constitution, and that our redress for the ratification of the pro- posed curtailment of our rights and priv ileges of citizenship must be sought for in the Supreme Court of the United States; and failing in that last resort, we can seek homes in states, territories or our new possessions, where the rights of manhood will be respected. And we earnestly beseech colored people of Ala bama to contribute whatever of their earnings that may be necessary to defray expenses of testing the constitutionalty of the proposed constitution should the
 
 Resolved. further, That we protest against the rapist and criminal being held as an exemplar of the measurement of negro manhood from the fact that criminality is as a.bominable and loath- some to us as to the white citizen, and that we have not hunted down and exc cuted the criminals is due to the fact that such performance would be an n- vasion of the duty of the officers of the law, who are designated with those pow CTS, which, if assumed by us would be in violation of law. That we stand ready to convict criminals whenever the law and evidence justify it, and we challenge the citation of a single instance wherein a negro in the capacity of juror ever failed to convict a criminal when his guilt appeared.
 Committee to Get Funds.
 Resolved, further, That an executive committee, consisting of the three fol- lowing persons, viz: H. V. Cashin of Morgan County, c. c. Caperton of Jeffer- ann Cn,,ntv auH Tnh0ann nf Mo