Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-10-12
GOV. CARROLL URGES IT,

eloquent plea for support OF the
amendment.
In part he said:
Il have come here today as O del
egate from my county 70 aid In the
nomination of q gentleman for the
responsible pasition Of Comptroller
of this State. In addition to this
duty, at the request OF the State
Committee, / have come to raise my
voice in urging you as delegates
representing every county OF Mary
land 10 indorse unanimously. the
franchise amendment.
ANY division in our ranks on this
important subject would be hailed
by our opponents in every section
of the land as an encouragement 10
opposition and would thus render
the path to final success more diff
cult than it really is. /, for one,
confess that | feel most deeply upon
this question.
The purpose Of this amendment
is two-fold: First to place an abso-
lutte Limitation upon the ignorant
and venal negro vote, and, second,
in doing this, TO keep out the white
Republican party, as constituted
here, from the control Of the policies
and the finances Of Maryland. /
can assure you that we have no de-
sire TO hide our purposes or TO mince
our words in reference TO this sub
ject. The white Republicans Of
Maryland well know that without
the negro vote, comprising as il
does more than half their number,
it would be idle for them TO contend
against the united Democracy of
this State.
I'VE recognize the broad fact that
from the foundation of our govern
ment'to the end of our great Civil
War there had never lived a man,
whiteor black, of any political persua-
sion who had for a moment dreamed
of such a condition as would force
upon the PROSTATE South the right
of free and equal suffrage to the ne
gro race. We affirm without hesita-
tion that the shameless crime was
conceived in the passions engender-
ed by the civil war and was brought
forth and nourished by the North
ern leaders of the Republican party
to humiliate and to hold in subjec-
tion forever a gallant and defeated
people.
More than this, we now main
tain that the drift of public opinion
in every Northern State has watch
ed with quiet sympathy the adoption
of amendments and laws which
nullify the provisions of our nation
al Constitution authorizing suffrage
TO the negro race. When these
questions have been brought up on
appeal TO our highest Federal courts
the learned judges have dismissed
them with the simple announcement
These questions do not come within
our jurisdiction When q violent
Republican attempts with the halls
of Congress TO denounce the Repre-
sentatives Of a Southern State for
passing laws which limit or abolish
the negro vote hisallies in the House
do not support him, but, gathering
around, they whisper in no uncer-
tain tones, Perhaps, all things con-
sidered, you would better let the
sleeping dogs lie still.
Il defy contradiction TO these
facts, and would now ask what has
brought about this condition, and
why is il that the negro vote has
been ruled out Of every Southern
State axaant thia za0d-Ala StA4A-Af
Maryland? It is simply because
we know, as everyone knows. that
the negro race, even when aided by
its white Republican friends, was
never intended to influence the
white man s government, and when
ever it has been attempted the re-
suit has been ruin and disaster.
believe me when l tell you that
in urging you to support this amend
ment we are not treading upon un-
known fields. We have had through
out the South the most mournful ex-
perience that ever fell TO the lot of a
gallant people, with the predomi-
nance Of the negro element support
ed by the army Of the United States.
For eight long years this reign Of
horror was well nigh insupportable
and desolation marked the fairest
portions Of our land. Overwhelm-
ing debt, ruin and degradation
everywhere stared them in the face,
and they were only saved from
death itself by the fortunate with
drswal Of the army which had assist
ed the work of destruction.
II IA