Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1908-05-28
BILL DOOLY'S LETTER
In Which He Treats the Subjects He Dis
cusses According to His Own Views
and May or May Not Reflect the
Editorial Opinions Of the News.

Editorial Opini0nS OF inc News.
Yesterday the News was edited that
contained Dooley's first installment.
The first thing after | got to the post |
office | was tackled by some of my
friends, who begged leave to differ
with me on some points. These friends
would like to make me believe that in
Alabama the whites were not disfran-
chised as we're the blacks, as one clause
in the state constitution so provides for
clerk to fill out tickets at the polls
for a voter who is unable to fill it ouG
himself
This may be true that such was the
intent of the law, but do they do thisY
In all cases the law is, if a man can
make it appear to the registration
board that he or any of his ancestors
have ever been engaged in any war in
behalf of the United States, he is
aualitieh voter and is given a certiti-
cate for life. | don't know how that
is in Alabama but do know how it
is here.
never INDUCED in anything like
politics, but an old proverb says that
everything is fair in love and war and
| if that is the case it must be fair in
politics, and as this is general election
year, ] must preach some political gos-
pel and will hew to the line, and if
the chips happen to fall ON your politi-
cal corns, you must not get mad and
use cuss words and say Uncle Bill
don't know what he is saying.
Now, let's see if there is anything
dead up the branch. We will first see
how many voters we can find in Ala
ba1na. According to the last census
report there are 232, 294 whites and
181, All blacks, making total of 413,
765 In order to ratify the constitu-
tional amendment, the election was
held Nov. II, 1901. The vote counted
for its ratification was 1903, 613. The
vote returned against its ratification
was 81, 734. The vote counted for the
constitution being 1903, 6ta and the vo-
ting population being 41a 1855, it APP
pears that the 81, 734 returned against
the constitution plus 222, 768 that fail
ed or refused to vote upon this vital
issue of government gives a total of
304, 142 votes, which to say the least,
was not in sympathy with the oligar-
chy returning 1903, 613 ballots to domin-
ate the states future policy. Now, to
this end let's see what the constitution
of the United States says.
The sovereign citizen is the supreme
authority to whom is delegated the re-
sponsibility for the public policy of the
American republic. The political at
2 fairs of our country are directed by the
domination of the ballot, which is the
sceptre of authority of the sovereign
governing power of our nation. Our
= administration of government is select
ed or rejected by the American voter.
, Without the ballot, the sceptre of our
e sovereign authoriy, the citizen is de-
g graded to the condition of subject.
I The nation could not tolerate condi-
e tion of half slave and half free man,
V and neither can it tolerate condition
as regards some American citizens as
$ possessing the right to vote, while 9th
4 ers do not have this right The letter
and the spirit of the fundamental law
o of the land, recognizing the principle
of equal opportunity to all, is violated
n when some American citizens are en-
franchised and others disfranchised
/ No taxation without representation, il
the keynote that fired the hearts thai
o fired the guns at Valley Forge.
" OF the clearly defined rights which
belong to the American citizen through
a the express declaration of the con>ti
tuition of the United States, none are
20 more plainly set forth than are the
l. rights of the legally described citizeI
to voice in the affairs of our republic
n In Article and Section 4 of tn,
Constitution possible aggression upol
5. these sovereign rights of the citizen
were anticipated and prohibition
ls thereof was made, declaration that tn
citizens of each state shall be entitler
s. to all privileges and immunities OF cit
liens in the several states.
Article 4 and Section 4 declares t
every state in this union republican
form of government and this declara
IN tiOn can but be construed as guaran
teeing to the American citizen an &C
70 tual form of republican local state gov
+ ernment and the right Of participation
to therein.
r Amendment IA and Section 1 of tn
1e Constitution, defines American citizen
% shin in these words: "All person
v. born or naturalized in the Unite
nd States and subject to the jurisdictio
nv thereof, are citizens of the Unite
he States and of the state wherein the
adj reside. No state shall make or 81
aG force any law which shall abridge th
wv privilege or immunities of citizens {
II the United States. This declaratio
as not only legally defines American cit
d. zenship but it also guarantees thu
d. American citizenship must be recos
ay nized by the state. All persons boz
re or naturalized in the United States an
subject to the jurisdiction thereof, al
not alone recognized as citizens of tt
United States wherein they resid
This declaration undoubtedly puts Il
- stamp of superiority of nationality n
IN on the sovereign American citizel
eu There can be no controverting Il
" proposition that each state is guaral
II teed republican form of governmel
"a and the terms of the Constitution a
NJ indeed explicit in the declaration tn
IN Ia the citizens of each state shall be ent
e el tied to the privileges and immuniti
U" of the citizens in the several states.
cannot be disputed that citizens
vs.. some Of the states are denied suffral
icy rights which would not be abridg
nd were they citizens of others of the SO
nv eral states and il is unleniable tn