The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-03-28
SOUTHERN STATES SUFFRAGE.
Record of the Republicans in Oppo-
sitfon to it's Full Exercise Since
Organization of that Party.
Clinton, March %.

Organization of that Party.
Clinton, March %.
Editor Messenger:
The movement which was made
some time ago II the congress to de-
prive certain southern states of a por-
ton Of their representation in the I2g-
i~slature of the union and of their just
share in the election of presidents was
thought to be a harmless exhibition
of reconstruction" -sectionaliSm,
which would fail to receive the support
of any considerable number Of sena-
tors or representatives. Hence it did
not seem worthy Of serious attention;
but since the proposition has come for
ward, though i'll a thin disguise, with
the approval of the republican speak
er Of the house Of representatives and
the two members Of his party whom
he had selected to be his associates on
the committee on rules. it is in order
to inquire into the sources Of the
power to perpetrate this deprivation
and into the Justice Of it, even if the
power exists. And the inquiry may
serve a valuable purpose, aside from
the light it may throw on the question
before us, because it necessarily car
ries US pack to first principles, to the
terms on which the thirteen states
agreed to unite. and to the political
teachings of our revolutionary sires,
from which we seem to have i~rrecover-
ably drifted away.
The cornerstone Of English liberty
for which our forefathers fought a
seven years war was that taxation is
unjust unless imposed by the consent
and enactment of the representatives
of the parties to be taxed; and the
successful termination Of the war
seemed, and was universally believed,
to have rendered it impossible that, i'll
any system Of common government
which these states might adopt, any
one of them should be denied repre-
s%entation in the legislature in proper
ton to it's share of the public burdens.
indedd, it is we'll known by the stu
dents Of our history that without the
incorporation of this fundamental
right in the proposed scheme of gov
eminent, the more perfect union"
would have been an impossibility.
Hence, when the states conferred up
on the congress the power to lay and
collect taxes. they imbedded it in the
compact that the number of members
each state should be entitled to should
be in proportion to its wealth-produc-
ing, or tax-paying ability. "Represen-
tatives n direct taxes" they provid-
ed, shall be apportioned among
he several state according to
their respective numbers, which shall
be determined by adding to the whole
number Of free persons. including
those bound to service for a term of
years, and excluding Indians not
taxed, three-fifths of all other per-
sons" this "three-ffths" ratio having
been agreed to in the congress of the
confederation-a congress which is ig-
nored in almost all the school his
tories Of the United States-when,i in
1888, an amendment to the articles Of
confederation was being framed for
the purpose OF changing the basis of
state contributions to the federal
treasury from land to persons, the
reason being that three free men were
considered as efficient as five slaves
in the production Of wealth.
This fundamental principle of COM
munity rights, standing as the first
compromise in the constitution, every
state and every statesman was moral
ly bound to preserve, protect and de-
fend;" but soon after the subjugation
OF the southern states the republican
party determined to erase it from the
constitution and substitute the pro-
NlSloH III the lfCn aInenOInent that
"manhood suffrage should be the
basis OF representation, the object be-
ing, as well known at the time and
not denied by anybody, to punish the
white people Of the southern states,
their children and their chfldren's
children by coercing them to political
equality with the ex-slaves-to sub
jugate the southern states to negro
domination" as President Johnson
| Chara CtpYiZa6 n in hic roarco-1 ~ r.
cember 8. 1867, which he believed would
he worse than the military despot-
isms under which they are now (were
then) suffering"
This amendment was passed over
the presidents veto on June Is, 1866,
and sent to the legislatures of the
southern as well as OF the northern
states, the theory OF the republican
party being that, as no state could Sc
cede, the states Of the C~onfederacy had
never ceased 20 be members of the
tederal union. But. as the people Of
these states refused to Join In de-
grading themselves. and a sufficient
number OF northern states ~repudiated
the amendment to insure its defeat.
fhe republican party rejected it's seces-
sion theory. and converted ten of the
southern states into helpless provinces,
placed ballots in the hands of the ex-
slaves, ~disfranchied enough white pAo-
pie to give the negroes and their ear
pet-bag leaders a clear majority: and
the representatives of these maiorities
adopted the lth amendment in eight
Of the southern provinces. Bv such
methods, after more han two years of
such misrule as Geoge III and his par
lament were never accused of. this
violation OF the first compromise in the
constitution was proclaimed bv Sec
rotary Seward to be q part Of the law