The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-03-31

ed.
II don't KNOW" answered Mr..
Moss.
A little later, in answer to anoth-
er question by the Ohio man, Mr..
Moss gave the whole thing away. Mr..
Moss admitted that there were a
large number of negroes in the SEW
ehth district who were registered and
he admitted that if they had voted
they would have voted the republi-
can ticket. Mr.. Mauser wanted to
know why they had not voted. Mr..
Moss said there was n reason, but
that it was not in the record in the
ease and that it would be wholly
apart from anything he had intend
ed to bring up in connection with
1t, but that if the gentleman from
Ohio really wanted to know he
would tell him. Mr.. Mauscr wanted
to know.
'Well, the negroes in the district
take the contestants candidacy as a
Jokc,' said Mr.. Moss. ct would not
say anythin" against the contestant,
either as to his character or his abi!-
ity, but that is the simple TRUTH"
DantZler got 1873 votes in the district.
The claim upon which all these con-
tests have been based for nan years,
as lntimated above. is the claim for
the $4,000. But the argument, 80
called, is as to the validity Of the
South Carolina constitution Of 1895.
The claim in brief is that the consti-
tuition of 1895 as to it's suffrage pro-
visions is in violation of the act of
congress readmitting South Carolina
into the Union in 1865. That act pre-
scribed that South Carolina should
never put any limit upon suffrage
which was not contained in the con-
stitution Of 1865, and while it is no.
claimed by any sane man who knows
anNthin" at all about the character Of
this government that congress- can or
dinarily put any limitation or pre-
scribe amy other condition Of suffrage
in the States it is claimed in some
feeble way that South Carolina in
1865 entered into an agreement with
the federal government that it would
not put any further limitation upon
the suffrage. It is shown by the at
tornays for Messrs. Legare, Patterson
and Lever that this act of 1868.
known as the Demonstration act' is
unconstitutional unless secession it.
self was il legal as it was an actual
fact, and no court anywhere north Of
the Mason and Dixon line is in this
generation going to grant that. The Sill
rremc court Of the United States has
already declared in the ease Of Texas
against White that the Southern
States were never ont of the Union.
according TO which decision congress
could not. Of course, prescribe condi-
tons upon which South Carolina
Id come back into the Union. But
w!lile this is shown by these attor-
1r'.s. II is net claimed us the point
in question. which is, they declare.
that it is for the courts and not for
congress to interpret the law and She
constitutionality of South Cardinals
constitution. Three times now con-
%rcSs, under The advice Of this CON-
mitlca, with a personnel little chang
ed. has taken the same position and
refused to unseat the Democratic rep
resentatives from South Carolina.
And yet the negroes come again and
indicate that they are going to keep
on coming so long as they can get the
$1,000. They know beforehand that
they haven't even Il suggestion Of Il
plausible ease ana that there is not a
shadow of Il chance for them TO get
Mlto congress-.