Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-09-06
MORGAN ON NEGRO
nlSFRANCHISEMENT

The following letter. addressed TO II
friend by Senator Morgan OF Alabama,
undoubtedly the ablest man in the
Democratic party, shows his opinion of
the results OF the Grandfather clause"
which has recently been placed in the
constitutions al so many OF the South
crn States These constitutions dis
franchise all illlI-rate persons. but pro-
vide that No descendant OF any person
who was n voter previous 10 the recon-
struction period shall he deprived OF
his vote. no matter how iiiiterate lie
may be. This let's in the white Hitter
ate voters and shuts out the negroes.
Here is the letter..
Dear Captain whltc-The American
Revolution was not 50 much n redress
OF grievances as IL WAS n struggle 10
abolish hcredity In government That
was the real line Of division between
democratic AMI resal government and
the Church established by law. Hered-
Ity disappeared. and its associated
rights OF perpetuiiy in the ownership OF
lands and many minor hercdltnmeits
OF feudalIsni. such rs titles and tehurcs
and seryltudcs. when our new demo
cratic scheme OF government was insti-
tutei.
Political herctiliS, and all Its appur-
tenanecs. such as prerosntise and titu-
lar nobility aud primoscniture. ana nj.
Its protecting laws, such ns corruption
or blood. prcmunlre and cscoinmunicii-
tion, persisted and were placed under
the heel OF prohibition by our cons'ltu.
tIon. Whoever would restore any OF
these. 10 that extent dlscTcdits the
cause OF the Revolution.
without suffrage the new system
had no possible means OF expressing
the sovereign Will OF the people In laws
and their enforcement by executive
and judicial authority.
..Th.sc necessary agents OF the gov
crnmcnt by ana for tho people can only
be chosen 10y the voters: and voters
could only b. created by law, not by
Inheritance. These voters are chosen
representatives TO perform the single
function OF clccting the lawful officers
OF government.
..ro max. blood the medium OF trans
mIttIng the electoral power from father
TO son Is to uproot from Its foundations
the whole system OF democratic gov
crnmcnt and 10 rcinstate the system
and the form OF regal government.
'.Thc transmission OF the electoral
power by the blood OF Inheritance
from father to son would destroy all
distinction between regal government
and democracy. and would throw the
door wide open for II return to the sys-
TEN that the American Revolution aboi-
ished. The steps would be Few and
would bc rapidly taken. TO the COM
plctc restoration OF monarchy. 80 soon
rs we give any class OF voters the
power to qualify their sons rs voters
by Inheritance. In this ease II Is the
frst step that tells with fatal and lr-
rcyocable effect. The argument Is ir-
resistiblc. that offices should follow the
blood II the power that creates them Is
the blood OF Inhcrlinucc: and this Is NIL
that IL meant In the British system OF
titled nobility which alone lc.islntes In
the House OF Lords and OF regal blood
and prcrogative which upholds the
throne. and the power OF appointment
TO office. which Is the appanncc of the
throne, and the pardonlng power over
which the people have no control. '''
when such titled class OF voters
is created 10y the organic law II Will
soon occur to them that no other class
should be allowed to vote. and they
will usurp all power. II Is far from
being a comfort To me that some ne
grocs are included. and many white
men are left out. by the ordinance re-
ported by the majority of the commit
tee on suffrage in this ordinance OF In
heritable blood. With great respect.
JOHN 4. MORGAN,
.War.n Springs, Virginia. July 9Th"