New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-05
BONAPARTE Exposes PLOT
Maryland Democrats Would Dis
franchise Mang White Men.

Baltimore Oct. Am adjourned meeting of
the Republican State Convention was held to-
night for the purpose of making a nomination
for Controller, Henry NJ. Mccullough. of Cecil
County being nominated unanimously. Charles
J. Bonaparte, Secretary Of the Navy, presided,
and he and George 4. Gather, president of the
second branch of the City Council, were the
principal speakers.
Secretary Bonaparte confined his remarks
chiefly to a consideration of the proposed con-
stitutional amendment, the declared purpose Of
which is the disfranchisement Of negroes. but
which the Secretary coutended will if adopted.
result in depriving thousands of white citizens.
especially those Of foreign birth or parentage.
Of the right to vote. He said in part:
The Democratic platform admits that the
party wishes and that the proposed amendment
is meant to rob negroes of their constitutional
rights: II denies that the Acknowledgement Of
white mon is either desired or intended. The
admission is discreditabIy true; the denial more
discreditaby false. Every man who voted for
the amendment in the Legislature every man
who was prominent III its advocacy last IhurS-
Gay, has sworn-some of them often-to uphold
tie Constitution Of the United States All n.
them have held some hold noW-ofnces Oh
trust and profit by virtue of that oath; yet we
are told, and told without disguise or shame
that they have all plotted together to defeat ana
overthrow what is owned to be the undoupteo
purpose and intent OF that Constitution. and II
is q boast that they can and viii do THIS Win
inpuuity. Now, II this be true. l 90 not dSh
you I need not ask any Republican, what one
should call or think of like these: but do
ask whether any sane white man can or VIII De
lieve such men If they tell him they will respect
his rights. Do take the word of one VINO
thus trifles with his oath and glorles in dong II
AS to this question. however. we need take
nobody's word; a voter has only 10 read the
proposed amendment and Judge for himself. he
ought not to doubt after doing so much; but II
he does, then let him think on what these men
have done and tried to do since they came back
to power in 1900 and doubts will trouble him
no more. The colored voters Of Maryland were
last year 81 900; the white voters. placed by the
amendment in precisely the same case with the
colored will be. as nearly as we can Judge from
official figures, over 64.00O. Does this look like
a measure affecting negroes only. In the city
Of Baltimore we have some $4,000 colored
voters. The Poe amendment groups with them
over $4,000 white voters The rights OF fve
white men are endangered to expose those or
two negroes to the same risk; yet we are told
and asked to believe that no white voter need
concern himself personally to whether the
amendment be or be not adopted.
1t is said that shall have on exhlbltlon our
ing this campaign at least one Governor OF a
Southern State to show US what sort OF Gov
ernOr we may expect to have ourselves WAeh
the Poe amendment has become a part OF our
constitution, and how much better IN tols re-
spect We shall fare than we do now. 1t VIII pc
an interesting feature of the campaign ana II
current reports are well founded as to the one
Governor who is sure to come, nus- own that
I personally think his choice erninently appro-
pirate for the cause he viii be here to advocate
I hear also that certificates are TO be furnished
US by these visiting executives to the effect that
in their respective States few or no white men
have been disfranchised under constitutional
amendments from which the Maryland amend
roent is said to be copied. In most Southern
States there are no independents and so few
white Republicans that the dtsfranchiseTnent OF
black men accompIishes there in great part what
the ring would accomplish here through the
amendment. Moreover in those States grand
father clause whatever its inherent injustice or
incompatibiIity with American institutions. does
in fact cover all but infinitesinla1 portion OF
the white population. Thus IN virginia the IN
habitants of foreign birth or foreign parentage
amounted in 1900 to less than ) per cent Of the
ropulation and in some other Southern States
the proportion was even smaller; in the city OF
Baltimore they then amounted to 81 per cent or
the population.