The colored American., 1903-05-16
THAT ALABAMA DECISION.

tice for the lIIlCeTdIe WHlteS anu
Injustice to the Intelligent Pa
triotic Negroes.
Editor of The Colored American:
Please allow me space IN your col
umns TO express an opinion from
coIored mans point of view, on the de-
cision of the majority of the Supreme
Court of the United States in the re-
cent Alabama case. We look upon the
decision as not only surrender to the
Democratic South of all the civil and
poIitical rights of the Negroes down
there but of the dignity and sacred
ness of the Constitution and the honor
of the United States as well. AS l un-
darstand it, the State of Alabama ad-
mitted that it's new Constitution was
framed for the purpose Of disfranchls-
ing the Negroes without disfranchls-
chising a single white man, and that
in the administration under it, nearly
all the Negroes in Alabama were re-
fused registration, while every Whlte
man who applied for registration was
registered and given life time certln-
cate. clearly and openly admitting that
the Negroes were d1franchlsed 1or no
other reason than their race and color,
in direct contravention of the provis-
ions of the Fifteenth Amendment to
the Constitution of the United States.
The Supreme Court, at least majority
of them. failed to say whether the Con-
stitution of Alabama was in confiltc
with the Fifteenth Amendment, but de-
MED the relief because they say 1t was
nolitical and would be undertaking to
administer the affairs of the State gov
ernment.
Assuming that the Alabama Consti-
tuition is Unconstitutional in that it
deprives Negroes of the right to vote
on account of their race and color, 1t
seems TO us that it would be no un-
inst interference with the State gov
ernment if the Supreme Court had is
sued an injunction compelling the
State officers not to- do what the Consti-
tuition has forbidden, especially when
that provision of the Constitution was
consented to by all the States. 1t ap-
pears to us also, that the Supreme
Court is the only tribunal to enforce
the Constitution and laws, and not the
Congress of the United States. If the
Fifteenth Amendment is not to be en-
forced then it is falsehood, delu-
sion and a snare encouched in the or
ganic laws of this nation, and casts
reflection upon, the American people.
The colored people have not forgotten
when some years ago Louisiana
State officer was convicted of prevent
ing Negroes from voting in that State,
and when the same case came before
this same Supreme Court, Chief JUS
tice Waite. speaking for the Court, dis
missed the prosecution and said THAT
the Fifteenth Amendment did not con-
fer upon Negroes the right to vote, nor
any political right, but simply con-
ferred upon them a civil right to the
same treatment as white men and that
they should not be Disseminated
against because of their race and
color" Now when the Negroes come
with case showing that all white men
were registered and all Negroes re-
fused on account of their race and
color, the Supreme Court says 1t is
political and they are unable to grant
relief. The American people ought to
bold, frank and honest with the Negro
es and not deceive them into the be-
lief that they are citizens under the
Constitution entitled equal treatment
with the Poles, Scandinavians, Greeks
and Russian Jews and what not, that
they may come to this country from
Europe and when we come before the
Supreme Court with case, plead "the
baby act" and say they have not the
power to enforce the Constitution and
laws. If the Negroes in any one Of the
States of the South could capture and
control the government and enact