The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-26
NO ACTION WAS TAKEN
Governor Jones Opposes the
 Co mmittee Report.
Williams of Marengo, Harrison, White, Hef1in of Chambers, Weatherly, Handley and
 Jones of Wilcox Spoke.


 grandfather clause" of Section of the Article on Suffrage was not abated, and there was a large attendance in the Convention and in the gallery when the Constitutional Convention assembled yesterday mornig.
 Immediately after roll call the dis cussion was resumed. Mir. Williams of Marengo. secured the floor and spoke for the majority report. He comes from a black belt county and said that his peopIe wanted to get rid Of the negro and desired to save the franchise to all white men. They had no ob- jection to the hereditary provision and would be glad to see the right of -suf- frage secured to white men in that way.
 General Harrison of Lee, one of the members of the Suffrage Committee, and a signer of the minority report on the grandfather clause addressed tbe Convention. His speech was listened to attentively and made a profound impression. He thought the provision as framed by the majority was lncon- stitutional. He said the sons Of Con- federate soldiers did not desire such favor at their hands. They could come in under other clauses and would be able to maintain themselves on any of the other tests. He told of the con ditions provided the courts should hold that the subdivision was unconstitu- tional and said the majority shows that it is not sure of its ground. CHe was not hostile to the Committee and felt that he was only doing his duty.
 Mir, Hefiin of Chambers. spoke, for the report of the Committee.s. He pro- claimed boldly that the negro was not fit to vote and 1t was the object of the Convention to deprive him of that privilege. The people had promised to deprive no white man of his vote and he warned the Convention of the result If that promise was not faithfully kept. He spoke for the white man and said under the plan proposed the negro would flourish and prosper and in a few years he would be more contented than ever.
 Capt Frank s. White of Jefferson, . who is also a member of the Suffrage Coa1mittee and signed the minority report, spoke against the grandfather clause. He only differed with the com mittee in one particular, and that was on this clause of Section 4. He thought
 
 eral Constitution prevented the passage of such a plan and did not think the Democratic platform required any such thing. He was in the White League of Mississippi and had stood for white rule in that State in the dark days of the past. and the situation was no graver there than it is now in Ala bama. The question Is, what can be done in the face of the Federal Consti- tuition and the plan must be taken as g whole? There Is a discrimination against the negro in the majority re- port which will not stand, as the Su- preme Court has held that the rule must apply to all alike. He had a let ter read from Senator Morgan to sus- tain his view of the matter. In con- clusion Captain White declared that if the suffrage clause should fall, the whole plan would fail.
 Mir Weatherly of Jefferson spoke for the majority report of the committee, and told how the South had been at odds with the North on the matter of negro suffrage for twenty-six years. It had, by different methods, long since decreed that the negro should not vote. The negro has all of his civil rights and privileges. but he can never have the unrestricted right to vote. It has been sought to meet all past difflcul- ties by the plan of the committee which provides for all white men voting and getting rid of the negro. The plan Is temporary ard will soon pass out He read from Senator Morgan's utterances to prove that he did not favor the ne gro holding office, and while favoring the descendants of white fathers and mothers. why oppose letting men vote who are descendants of Confederate soldiers? He had not concluded his remarks when at o'clock recess was taken until 3:30 o'clock.