The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-27

de was not climbing saplinBs.
 I now consent. to the interruption at this point.
 The President pro tem-The gentle Montgomery if he desires to asf question.
 Mr. Oates-The purpose for which I rose was to ask the speaker if he thought 1t was fair illustration of my argument to pick out, or to claim that 1t was discourse and a present. ation to this Convention of my career in the Confederate Army, because saw proper to relate one or two incidents? My friend. as gallant as I know he Is, would have been there if he had been as old as l was, and if he had been where I was, and all along through the scenes that I went through. he would know that these were only two small incidents in the many which occurred while was In that army. Now 1 was making t6e argument, as principle in favor of indivldualism, and not as a comparison between the two races at all. but as a mark of individualism, wherein I showed that in a particular instance a negro hal displayed so much more gallantry and patriotism than white man. That was only to illus trate my point of individualism that every tub should stand upon its own bottom in the matter of political rights rather than any contention of an equal ity of the races. 1 never presumed to say anything of that kind.
 MT. Knox-I am sure that the gentle man did not intend anything of the kind. but 1t seemed to me and many other delegates that he did, In the ar gument which he submitted, in his ef- forts to magnify the importance of the nI nr Ite v. ait and in his anxiety, that he should not be deprived of his right to vote. he did seem to forget. to some extent, the other race, so far as his illustration was concerned.
 The principle of inherited capacity for citizenship is recognized by :enator Shelby M. Cullom, a distinguished Re publican, Chairman of the Hawaiian Commission. in his report on the Ha- waiian Islands on pages 2 and of Senate Document No. Is. third sess on Fifty fifth Congress. where he uses this language:
 An important subject of our inves- tigation was that of the adaptaoility of the several races of the people who inhabit the islands for American eiti- zenship and their ability to sustain the obligations which attach to the right of suffrage. The American idea of universal suffrage presupposes that the body of citizens who are to exer- else 1t in a free and independent man. ned have. by inheritance or education, such knowledge and appreciation of the responsibilities of free suffrage, and of full participation ill the sovereignty of the country as to be able to main 1 tain a republican government" That the Southern man Is sceptical as to the ability of the negro to become a good citizen, and to exercise the re- sponsible duties of citizenship in a manner which would justify their ex- tension to him. is scarcely to be won- dered at when we remember that MT. Lincoln. the negro's greatest and truest friend. held similar views himself. In his speech at Charlestown, Ill.,, on Sep tember Is, 1858, Mir. Lincoln said: T will say that I am not, and never have been. in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races that l am not. nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office. nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say, in addition to this, that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the l ] social and political equality. And in- asmuch as they cannot so live. while l they remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior | and l. as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior posi- ton assigned to the white race" q Complete Works. 369.)
 While we regret. MT. President, that in the suffrage plan we have not the | ,F atf Af remember that those who battled with these difficulties in Louisiana and North Carolina were in a like condi- ton. They. too, had the opposition of both of their Senators, but they were not deterred on that account from es- tablishing constitutional reform, and saving the State from the domination of the ignorant and vicious element. l But no great reform movement like this has ever been accomplished except | by beating down obstacles which con front it on every hand. If we are right. as I believe we are, let us stand by our guns, no matter how virile the criticism or how prominent the objec- | tors. If our position is founded, as l believe it Is. upon the bedrock of truth. and meets the wishes and needs of our people, it will be accepted, and despite all opposition, whether from within or without. 1t will stand like the granite promontory in the deep. The high pillows may roll around it, and the mad waves may beat upon IL. l only to fall harmless foam at its base
 The distinguished gentleman from Jefferson (Mr White) in the course of his remarks on yesterday, made a touching allusion to the disaster which he predicted would befall the report of the majority when it encountered the decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, when he described the final obsequies of the offspring of the Committee. at which he 5aid he might appear, merely as a friend of the fam fly. but in no way connected with the | deceased.
 Mir. President. when the people are heard from-the people about whom the gentleman from Jefferson has had So much to say during the delibera- | tions of this Convention-and the old soldiers and the sons of the old soldiers come to pass judgment on the course which the gentleman mas taken with reference to this suffrage plan. there may be another funeral in which the | distinguished gentleman will appear not as friend of the family, merely, but as the principal in the case, when some new Byron may be inspired to sing;
 Unhappy White, when life was in its
 spring.
 And thy young hope waved aloft its
 wing, Twas thine own hand that struck the