T
11 ill 10
1
IK
I IN
McEnery on the Franchise Laws of
the Southern States.
THE GRANDFATHER CLAUSE IN LOUISIANA
No Complaint Made by Any Party in Louisiana Against the
V Suffrage Amendments-It Is Working So Satisfactorily
That Republican State Committeemen Are Trying to
Claim Credit for Its Passage. !
te had by the respective State com-
amttees. ,
j 4sp; vF. HERWIG, Chairman,
! '"W. E. IIOiWBUL, Chairman.
"New Orleans. January 6. 1900."
iNo complaint was uiade of fhe suf
arage article in the ccms'titution
been built for $1 per square yard, cording to the view of the proprietor
when they ought not to have cost that the presence of the negro at the
more than 19 to 21 cents per square j polls -was dispensed 'with. In the
yard, "were found to ibe full of barrels 1 cities and towns, where they were
in order to give them bulk. State cred-1 not emnloved in large numbers by
it was at the lowest ebb; warrants on I any one person, they soon learned the
was (before the adoption of the con
stitution. The Constitution of. the United
States does not confer the right to
vote on anyone. This is left exclu
sively to the States. I am not aware
the State treasury went (begging on J money value of their votes, and; of any restriction upon-the State as
iCarondelet street at 20 cents on th. I throurih a chosen leader would sell
dollar, State bonds at 50 cents on the to the highest bidder.
dollar. Demoralization, and. distrust
were everywhere.
Under white rule e State recover
ed- rapidly. 'Levees have been rebuilt;
The (Republican party existed only
in name, composed of a few stragglers
in New Orleans who kept tip a sim
ulated organization for the purpose
bonds have gone above par. The State AJ?jZ iJS
treasury is f ull; warrants are at once of iiig delegates to the .Republican
M,hPd 1 ,ta TroTKvrmis for national convention. It Is only since
both white and colored. Peace pre
vails everywhere. The whites and ne-
the regulation of the suffrage that
the party begins to show some vitali-
rr .nr'ai rma tCri' has tyv T attracting to it some intelli
decreased; courts speedily and impar- anu awecie wnue citizens
tially administer justice. Officers are m -
rtmTP, rTSil ,ihrma ntiil dill-1 6": a iespecaaimii 10 cerciM?
Remit White immigrants from the the right of suffrage. Old. time but
West have come to Louisiana in large respectable Republicans and lemo
numbers since the overthrow of negro crats and the -more intelligent of the
-flvwnrm,- pn-, n wmr and uegroes demanded a Change in our po-
v, i - l -iL-iJ n , ,,
adventurous carpetbagger, none ven- ""Vr1 wuaiuws a rexormauou
tnred -itthere before that time. The f suffrage. The members of the
TwmiA Tnca iwn watch- convention which adopted the consti-
ful that there be no return to that era ?tim 1S98 were ahle and conseien-
of debauchery and crime -which I have were comromeu wicu a
described. Only one serious attempt serious problem, and, in any opinion,
has been to go back to it. The negroes they solved it. The suffrage article
were massed as they were in 1868- of constitution provides that ev-
187G, but the energy ofjtne wnate peo- f4- -
rf: pie .prevented this attempt to go back Ja fide resident of the State for
"T uuiur iu. -tiit; vuiuwu ox t r riod- and so thev -will ever LW, year or tne pansn one year ana
V X -cwujiu weui cpntanam oan Andteullt with them for tuuua TO "vote -ix ne can read ana
so far as to claim that the .Repnbli- e, or if he own property, real or
. Washington, Jan. 23.,S;pecial. Sen
ator McEnery of Louisiana delivered
a strong speech today in defense of
the iwhite people of North Carolina.
IMr. McEenry said:
'Mr. President, the solution of the
race question in tthe United States is
one of thej most serious problems that
e er coniDontea a nation. It is con-!
lined to no ttocality. (E-ery State is
nffected by it. The social, political
and industrial welfare of the South
have influences on other - sections of
the country. We are but on the
threshold. No man can predict what
is beyond. So far the best intellects
of the South have endeavored to find
some remedy to1 make the 'South pros
perous, notwithstanding the presence
of a vast nunnber of ignorant blacks,
to make her social position clear and
defined in the separation of the races,
and to place her on a political basis
that Will insure stability to her dnsti
tutions; make the ballot box the sacred
depository of 'the liberties of the peo
ple instead of the charnel house where
under negro domination they were as
sassinated; to prevent them by means
-m -m J 'MT - - I I r I - It X ' " I T I Ii K I t H I ir,l l'1-ur T I I I I - 1 I I W T
i?T:Vrrr-r Its elimina- This test is cSmnle . nh.
can party of Louisiana was responsi
ble for the suffra'ge clause, as it had
forced the Democrats to adopt it, and
that the 'Democrats had no right to
claim credit for it
From the day 'that the negro was
enfranchised and negro domination
,t , Wn n aihnrWn? auesUon personal, assessed to him to the
with the people of Louisiana to regu- a-moiinf of $300. The qualification to
late the suffrage so as to eliminate the r!aand te ls tested by the ability
q. qo nc iofnnr-10' tine voter to fill out the blank an-
ant white man who has no conception Patim to register, which is as fol-
of our form of government. The rtg
.laws:
S JLS? tJ -tomitol 187b, when canstitutioIl t alone affect the islana. My name is . I
it aoverthrown, there was an era Qffwc 1 nriiPr in waa born in tl etattk rn f
of corxupltion, vice and tyranny not Grleails ,w,hK emigrated to , parish (or county of ,
equaled m any age. Congressional in- th gtot tie ciril war ,Tlie n, 0n the day of , in the year
:""; "Vii Ullu, ve troling motive dn the adoption of the . 1 am now - years, - months
an inUal step to this corrupt era the .eonsUtutional provision was to elim- and days of a,ge. I
(Ireedman s 'Bureau was organized. .nn im.an,a- mnCa .frm..h in this Stn.tp sin ,
The negro was made to believe tihatLua ,mo.0 ot. ;af0 ?n n since . nnri in
he was under the special protection KZrZ, in flwa nf of ward No. ,f friX' cil exemption a9 not parnai to tne
otf thp 'o-nrpmiPn nnui it nr-mtv iTi,d t . " w " v- . , ' T , , i wnite. race, ix ciepnvea a greau many
01 Tne oOAerament and it armj and iLisiaaa, I It is a dangerous power, , and, I am not disfranchised by L-p in he citv oif New Orleans of
that the white hulk was his inferior, olie ich bas (been a tent fac,tor in any provision of the constitution of 4 tw of
have resided
in this parish
and in precinct No.
to the persons dt may admit to the
electorate. Its power is unlimited.
The only restriction imposed by the
Constitution of theJ United States is
that .the right to vote shall not be de
nied or abridged on account of race,
color, or previous condition of servi
tude. As I have stated, the State, in
the exercise of its exclusive power to
confer the right, to vote, does not
deny or abridge or deny the right of
other citizens to vote by exempting
a certain class from the xjualMcation
provided for the great body of electors.
There is nothing in the text of the
suffrage cilause quoted to show that
jthere. is any denial or abridgment of
me ngnx to vox e on uccoum txi ra."e,
color, or nrevious condition. The
State, being the sole judge of the
quaflifications of electors, can discrimi
nate among the illiterate as to Sec
toral capacity. This is what f5e State
or Louisiana uas done. Tnere were
certain persons Hiving in the country
parishes who served the State with
fidelity who could not read or write
and who did not own property. The
descendants of these people! had no op
portuniity immediately, after the war
to obtain an education, as tthe strag
gle for an existence was 'hard. They
had been voters. They attended pub
he affairs. They knew wno was
President, Governor of the State, and
how they were elected.- ana nad a
very, good comprehension of the prin
ciples of the government and the du
ties of public officers. v They were in
corruptible. ' . 7 ' - ''
No money or other Consideration
akin to' bribery could (influence them.
They had a personality. They did hot
vote en masse at the dictation of any
one, ilt was rignt, it was just, tnac
they should be continued as voters.
The exemption is not partial to the
and that any personal grievance he me OYexthrwr of governments and the this State
bad would at (vnofi ibft rio-litl flw'- hh ti.. m...
1 JJi?JS of tvlng uMican goT- tide 202. i(fll
and corruption which prevailed under
this government ;from 1SOS to 1877.
The recollection of that period is
like a hell-bom dream, and one is
almost unnerved at the mention. It
is the darkest and most shameful pe
riod in the history of the human race.
The wonder now is that by force it
.was not sooner terminated by an out
raged people.
Annul the legisllationj of Louisiana
which has for its sole object the ad
vancementxf both races, the progress
of the State socially, politically and
industrially, and inaugurate again ne
gro domination in that State, the
. tragic period of 1876 will be re-enacted.
The White Republicans of .Louis
iana make no complaint against the
provisions of the present 'constitution
regarding suffrage. The more intelli
gent' negroes accept it as a wise settle
ment of the question of suffrage. The
ignorant as ; the negro race are indif
ferent about it, as they have - long
ceased to have any political affiliations
except those which were momentarily
created by the purchase of their vote.
There never has been any disposi
tion on the part -f the people of Lou
flsiana to deprive the negro of any of
his political or civil rights. There has
been and will Continue to 'be determin
ation, fixed and tmalterable, to deny
him social privileges on, equality with
the white, to prohibit him from as
piring to an equality in social' life,
which nature forbids. ,
Very recenltly the so-called National
I Itepublican party in ilxraisiahja 'held a
meeting of its executive committee
The chairman, II. P. Herwig, of the
regular Republican pafty of 'Louisiana,
was present and eveidently the con
trolling influence in shaping the pro
ceedings of the National Republicans
There was a combine made between
the two organizations. The following
resolution was adapted:
"Resolved, That all Republicans, and
alii other persons who' are qualified as
electors under the constitution . and
laws of this State, without distinction
ns'.to race, color, religion, nativity or
former-political affiliation, who con-
domn the usurpation of 1896, who fa
vor free, fair and honest elections,
who believe in the selection by the
people of their registrars' of voters and
of all other election officers, and who
desire to strip the executive of Ithe
power to dictate to; and control,
through his appointees, all conven
tions, registrations and elections, arc
invited to participate dn the selection
of delegates to the convention which
is called by this committee."
The following agreement was enter
ed' into between the two organizations :
"lit is agreed between P. F. Herwig,
k , chairman of the State Republican
Cfomimittee of the State of Louisiana,
and W. E. Howell, .chairman of the
State Itepublican Committee cf the
State of Louisiana, . toat .tnere nan
be a joint call issued by the commit
tees, presided over by the said Her
wig and HoWell, for a primary elec
tion to elect delegates to a State con
vention to be held at a time and place
to be agreed on, say, not 3ater than the
of February, 1900, for the pur
pose of nominalting- a Republican State
.ticket and for delegates at large to the
National Republican Comveiution called
to 'meet at IThiladelphaa on the 20th
day of June, 1900.
"All -Republican qualified '.electors
under the constitution! and laws of
Louisiana shall 'be ent itled to partici
pate in said primary.
"Rules and regulations for the con
duct of said primary to be agreed on
by a committee of five: from each
party. r ' ' '
The said Herwig and Howell obli
gate themselves to appoint a commit
tee of. their respective committees, to
renort to their respective State com
mittees the means adopted to. carry
onit hp mronses aforesaid
"The object and purpose, of this
flXTwuTimt lis to iharmonize all party
differences .and to present a imi'ted
front, to the common enemy and bu'rld
aVp a strong Republican party in this
State.
"Final adtaon on the, agreement is to
With the exception of this disfran-
s reference to ar
, T" 11 -v- X-a X 1 .
summaiily punished. This too often Umment. It is corrupt. It is unreason- causes to be conviction of crime the
ir " " ff 1 ! Fiiir-. iiir II I'M S iiIK 1 II If I I 1 LTt'IIl-. lb JIMS 11 U I LUillSIiimfJmT w 1 iirJi to mn.
mony of some negro who imagined he thought .It is a dead weight, and is at hard labor, inmates of charitable
viieuuu diiu ps nvw-wom wuvny moved by an external force. It has no institutions, execut thie iSWIdW
iiiii.c-u. TkArftrm !i nrv. nn rndiinriiifl irv. It irallS Hrtrid' thiAcft ,00111 : .
n . , I " - I uciuuui VWUHIII'CU. i 11 illlV
.ls? uxvc "ocui. .u unaer rne nower ana oominion or oue ouDiic inson. intprri into-A rirtna
dxmyrxr rt ! ntrv-r. o I o urn c . rm . ,-r mAnmr I . s I
v,vv iviin.va. , um m avj- iTTian or a. lacuon. ana is 'inovea lrre-ine or lainr p nprsnnc
e -i,v- :i . i . . " . .. w
ua1 iue pxiiite ui. euipuuiug ntgryes, sistibly In a course tnat a directin:
1 r1 ( I I I I I L I'll It I I 1 4-" III JI j I wmy I J I I 1 I V I www i II n-j-4 j-vMi- I - . .
personar knowledge, the sum or -nit- The bestowal of wlitical .power upon w .w '
teen hundred dollars for the year. Ne- me numbers-the impersonal mass- residence can vote if he be aMe to
B1WS wwuie justices 01 xue jieaw, cannot 'do jus-rffied. It as not the gov- read and write or nosseses irooertv
vnr9.Wa cWriffo io.o-i do is,fi'ff i. e i -r ,m 1 , . w.ue oi pjssseses property
LT . , . ""vi""' enwutuu xitrv iic. iu vni utr- assessed to bim of the value of S300
TrC ' rr.r "c " J ril 1 ' veiP iiilo auswuubui. unj-eAtiusivu constitutional oibiections can be
a vi t.iiq .rri i i i.t l -.ft .ill t ,i j if i i irri iw i z w I - - - I -s i
va "- -uai-iiut. -iiibui """- wi iuiss iuupei-juaa mass is xiitreiuaui m-geu to these quallficationf . The
i gvveraur ua iuvvaj.-ueu. iu uhuj. no violation or any representative law. wnsitution, J section 5 article i97 ex
They were ignorant, insolent, and op- Its inclusion ! an the electorate is, the Cepts a certain class' from the quali
P've, sioi'u. wnupi, ucuuu imruuw. aegraaauon or tne wnoie. neat ions above stated. It is this article
ne . ignite aeat m eigne years in- line multitude is everywhere dan- against which com plaint is leveled be
vreuiseu m urn iwur iu liny ouuiiuu u.ui- gerous xo une itatev out tne oesrowai cause it is stated it discrimimites
iurs. .Liiey wexe iKwice juiure m lpai- or power upon it is to piace tne arms asrainst the nwn a .nTiain
isihes and councilmen rn the towns and of her arsenals in the hands of the is contained in a proposed amendment
v;iiitr. aii Aiiuvuitii ciiitj. muuiuiijiu 'Uiiuu. l is TUt; uureasoaoi viie ijiaie to tne constitution of SNorth Carolina
indebtedness increased in the same when it calls upon ignorance, ; vice which is the occasion" of the resolu-
proportion that the sstate aeDt naa and erime to determine its career."
(increased. The State expenses alone
tion offered by the Senator from that
rlihe writer from whom the above State. Section 5 is as follows
--ru. -L pm rvrvn rv"irw m.v. .1, I j.x; - I
legitimate. expenses ought to have "The object of every political con- 9rv v iq -t nTlv .
been then as now, one and a quarter stitution is to exclude this element- to .en.titled to vote under the constitu-
miuion 01 aoiiars. rnax is,v xne am-person-ai mass -irom Hon ct..ltlltoo nTr ,fo Ji
It is well .known that laws were en- authority in the State. The' reference TTnifWi ;o.j.t ...p, h.
acted during recess. They rwere pro- o-f power to its subjects the organiza- anj no SQn ,0r grandson of such
muigarea, alter tne aujourimivnt oi uon 01 society to un-uiai lorce, -wmrc nerson nnt. tinn rpar ,0,
the legislature as having been passed the, whole effort of civilization has nf tli fitlfk of fln;kn .f hiil
, J T ' J. - J. i C 11,1- ,1 11 " 1 "
waien uiey never were .. pre seuiwi iu weu w ;wresu n xiotu ujc mmu uuu stitution, anil no male person of for
.1110 wuj. ixi, juiuug .iv.v Ai unuumt, nj. eign oiriu wno.was naturanzeu prior
ulently manipulated m order to snow : Democratic government is a repre- to tiie isj. ,i.lv .f jnrmn,rv icqo kaii
that they went through the regular sentation of a person by a person, and be denied the ri"-ht to ritpr ind
course of Jegislation. liie courts as not an inert mass .oy a person. Kvery Tote in this -tat bv rpqn f .hi!
a rule were corrupt. Negro jurors elector has a personality which finds J failure to possess the educational or
were impaneled, ana no wuut? auau rcprestenia'iion in xiie .govemuienr. property qualifications prescribed by
had an opportunity in criminal cases In the very able and interesting ad- this const i-tu tion: Provided He shah
for a fair trial. , dress recently made before the Senate :aave resided in this Stntft for five.
A dnmkftn ind on the United by the distinguished j-unior Senator yiea-rs next precedm? the date at
States bench at midnight signed an from Indiana he attempted to show which; he shall apply for registration,
nmiPr vrffAnizinff the lerislature of tnat tne wupmos were incapanie 01 and shall have registered in accord
the tState, and no -member was per- s ellf -government. (Me read many state- ance with the terms of this article
mitted to enter the state house with- meats fixm intelligent men residing prior to September 1, 1898; and no
rvnt ii. wiit siirned bv the United among tnem, snowing tnat it tney naa person shall be entitled to register
States marshal. Polling places were the right to vote they would vote ac- under this section after said date
before dawn taken possession of by coramg to rae -wan 01 aior or t The inclusion of this class does not
negroes, who stood in long lines, ana -uien mpiujs j. uu Mxclude the negro from voting. (He
it was with great difficulty and hu- or meir own, no inaiviuuami, no pei- nas tne ip TOmm)n with the
miliation that a white man could son all ty, and, are an impersonal mass, .j. ,peopie oa th,e conditions alike
vntA White men under arrest for rime views entertajiievv uy a, me u-i ,rmlirji.hl tr .hrtfh 1 -nas fhnt
some fancied wrong were brought to The views entertained by the distin- read and write, or that he owns a
fhe noils under a suard of United tguisnea .senator are xnose 01 a. uiaji- certain amount f renl nr nernnfll
St-ates soldiers to encourage, edify it f Republican ISenators in this
Dronertv. He is dpnrived of nn 7irht
and amuse'the negro voters. The en- Ohamber, and, I presume, of the Sen- ,of suffrage .ijy the conferring of it
tire State was a military camp, and ator irom uaroimd., who louercu ,upou aMthCT class. If the suffrage
United States troops were almost daily the resolution amendment, because it conferied the
P,m.nloved as political asrents. Detach- If a people as ancapapie of seir-gov- riarhf to vote unon certain citizens, is
ments were furnished sheriffs and eminent it is not entitled, to be in- to be interpreted as a discrimination
constables' to make arrests on war- trusted witn electoral power, xnis against the negro, then no privilege
mnt a issued bv courts of record and Us - self-evident. The description or could .be granted to anv white citizen
justices of the peace. The parties 'in thel Filipinos is exactly "that . of the by a, State unless a negro was grant-
many instances were turned over to negro race 111 ajouisnaua.. 111 ;uitu a toie same, xne lourteenui amend-
tlie military authorities and, under the experiment or governmenx ami ment declares that the privileges or
Hvp nretense of a rescue, kept under made a great failurev. While same of immunities of citizens Of the United
a military guard. United States mar- the authorities quoted by the 'Sena- states shall not be abridged y any
shals forged by the hundreds tne tor irom inaiana say tne v .ujpino state. rrnis amendment was intend-
n.TmeS OI Uniteu. .JSiaifS oilllillLSvfeiuii- uiij,uu ijjc juuuoicu mui muiuti.jp'u tu lo iwuttxi. vnx; lUlivi, tsu I'Uitt uim
ers to warrants; and arrested with government under restrictions, the! could not be discriminated against in
United States cavalry the most re- negro experiment in jjouisiana snow- public places of amusement and on
spectable citizens on fictitious charges ed that the negro was unsafe when public conveyances and in the courts,
and placed them in irons.', and con- din charge of the municipalities of Suppose a State should for some rea-
fined them-in loathsome dungeons, i Louisiana. Uhy, then, do some of son or other provide for the free
The Itepublican Representative the Kepublicans insist upon mulcting transportation of some of its citizens
from the 'Fifth Congressional district J upon Louisiana and North Carolina a on a public conveyance, then accord-
of Uouisana had the boldness to pub
lish in" a 'Republican paper called the
Intelligencer, in order to give him
greater power over the negroes, that
these troops had been furnished at his
request, on the requisition 01 tne ..At-
torney General or tne uuueu -Luies,
for the sole purpos-e of keeping the Re
publicans in power. People lived in
terror. Every man went armed, ex
pecting an attack at any moment from
the negroes. It was the pastime of
drunken negroes riding along the
roads to fire into dwelling houses.'
IPrior to an election they became more
turbulent. The people could no longer
stand such a condition of affairs. For
some months prior to the Presidential
election of 1S75 they became unusual
ly violent and unruly.
The conseiquence was that the in
dignation of the" people broke into
fierce energy and overthrew the negro
carpetbag domination. At its end the
State was in a pitiable condition. Tax
collectors had stolen the collections
they had made. The State treasury
liad been looted and - the auditor's
books made way with in order to. pre
sent prosecution. Xrevees which had
goveroimemt that they will not toler- ing to the views of those who com-'
ate in- the newly acquired terri'torie? plain of the suffrage amendment in
If it is to secure the negro vote for the constitution of Louisiana, the
the Republican party, they will not State would be bound to grant the
succeed, unless you withdraw a part same privilege to an equal number of
of the army from the Philippines and negroes.
again make a military camp of the Amendment fifteen of the Constitu
entire State.- tion of the United States says:
xvevaew wie history 01 negro suurage rrn,- tiwxns f ne TTnitrJ
in Louisiana. When first exercised igtates to vote shall not be denied or
fey the negro, he fell under the power abridged by the United States or by
of the carpet-bagger. The entire ne- any ,state on a.ceount of race, color,
gro vote was moved by one influence;
it was one aggregation. It was kept
solid by continuous, unremitting at
tention, by promises of land and
mules, by threats of a return to slav
ery, by promises of social equality
with the whites by the encouragement
of race prejudices. When the power
of the carpet-bagger was broken, the
negro fell under the domination of
the whites. (He was as tractable as
when under the power of the carpet
bagger. He voted just as ihis imme
diate employer in the country dic
tated him to vote. He had no will
Wherein is the denial or the abridg
ment of the negro's right to vote by
the inclusion of one class into the
electorate? The right to vote still r
mains to him unimpaired. No one
will say that the educational or prop
erty qualification provided for both
races denies or abridges his right to
vote under the fifteenth amendment.
The gravamen of the complaint is
that the same exemption from the
educational or property qualification
was not accorded fhe negro. If this
had been done, the educational and
-of his own. In some localities it was ( property qualification would have
so well, known that the entire vote been useless and the suffrage would
on the plantation would be cast ac- have been in the same condition as it
the war between the States large num
bers of foreigners have come to New
Orleans and many have gone into the
sugar district who can not read, and
write and who have not the property
qualification. (Prior to the Consti tu
tion of .1898 they were voters, even
after they had filed a declaration of
J .1 i l - T . i -A U 1
intention ito pecome citizens 01 une
United States, and were influenced
and controlled by leaders and voted
en masse as directed. This class has
been disfranchised, and will remain
so until they become, qualified voters.
In the opirdon in the case of Un'ited
States vs. Reese et al. It said by the
organ of the court:
"If citizens of one race, having cer
tain qualifications, are permitted by
law to vote,; those of another having
the same qualifications must be."
This is the strongest language in the
opinion reiaitiing to tne oeniai or'.
abridgment of the right of the negro
to vote,. This statement means that
where the general law prescribes the
qualifications to vote the negro who
has these qualifications can not be de
nied the privilege. The State of
Louisiana has a provision an dts Con
stitution prescribing qualifications for
voters, white and coloredand the vio-
ilation of the fifteenth amendment
must necessarily be in the denial of
the voting, by a refusal to permit the
negro to register or to deposit 'his vote
on account of his race,' color, 'or prev
ious condition of servitude. The ex
ception of a certain class from the
qualifications provided by the Consti
tution in no way affects the negro's
vote, nor does dt affect the right to
vote of white men who were not voters
in Louisiana or any one of the States
of the Union in 1867 or prior thereto.
It has ben held by the Supreme
Court of the United States that the
Constitution of the United States has
not conferred the right of suffrage up
on anyone, and that the United States
has no voters of their own creation, in
the States. (21 Wall., 178; United States
vs. Cruikshank et ah, 92 U. S., 542.)
In the latter case it was said by the
court, after having quoted from United
States vs. Reese et al., 92 U.-S., 214:
"From this it appears that the right
of suffrage is not a necessary attribute
of national citizenship,; but that ex
eruption from discrimination in the ex
ercise of that right on account of race,
etc., is. but it, must be' expressly
averred. (United States vs. Cruik
shank, 92 U. S., 542.)"
, The f atet is, that all negroes who can
read and write, and who have the
qualificalicns of residence, are in the
electorate, and aoil will be when they
. . -J -i i
acquire these quainucaxions. from
this is will appear that the article was
striking at ignorance among both
white and colored, and not at the ne
gro race. , :
The word "white," which would
show a discrimiantion on account of
color, etc., is not m the- article regu
lating the suffrage. Affirmatively it
confers the right to vote on the negro.
(Ex parte Yarborough, 110 U. S.,651.)
The right to vote in tne tate
comes from the State; but the right
of exemption from the prohibited dis
crimination comes from the United
States. The first has not been granted
or secured by the Constitution of the
United States, but the latter has been
The provisions in the Constiitution o
Louisiana in regulating the suffrage
do not express any discrimination on
account of race, color, or previous con
dition of servitude. It is not enough
to infer or suspect that the suffrage
article in the Constitution discrimi
nates. In McfPherson vs. Blacker (110
U. S., page 1) it was said, reviewing
both the fourteenth and the fifteenth
amendments:
"The right to vote intended to be
protected ref ers ifco the right to vote, as
established by the laws ana Constitu
tion of the State. There is no color
for the contention that under the
amendment every male inhabitant of
the State, being a citizen of the. Uni
fied States, has, from the time of his
majority, a right to vote for Presiden
tial electors."
The State therefore having the ex
clusive power to say who shall be
electors, has the might to discriminate
between its jcitizens as to capacity
for electoral rights, provided t makes
no discrimdnation on account. off race, -color,
or previous condition of servir
rude. (Williams vs. Mississippi. 170
U. S., page 213.)
The State has the exclusive right of
prescribing qualifications for the vo
ter. It has prescribed them, and ev .
ery negro in the State can vote if he
has these qualifications, which in the
general law are common to him and
the white man. .. .
In the State of Louisiana the ne
groes who ?an not read and write are
those who were slaves. They are fast
passing away, leaving a generation
behind them who can read and write, .
and who have learned to do so in the
schools established for colored people
by the State of Louisiana. The elec- .
tion -law of Louisiana is of the Aus
tralian kindk and every 'voter can
now have his vote counted and an ex
pression of his will enforced. There
negroes can register and vote with
out initerf erence.
The State of Louisiana has done a
great deal for the negro. It has ele-
vated him morally and intellectually.
He pays no taxes of any amount, yet
the people of that State cheerfully
and generously contribute ' for his
schools and bis churches. Schools are
in every neighborhood. The State has; "
organized a prosperous umiversitv.
wheTe there is industrial training and
facilities for a higher education. As
the negro will not patronize a school
where white teachers are provided, a
normal school ha? been, provided to
educate their teachers. Besides the
university established and supported 1
by the State, there are several colleges
of a high order; with able faculties.
'Had the negro continued in power,
the State would have been one vast
sea of desolation; values of all kinds
would have been destroyed, fields un-
cultivated, improvement of all kinds
delayed; schools would have been
closed, and he, the tool of unscrupu
lous adventurer's, .would be now sunk'
in moral degradation and mental dark
ness. '
The People of the South availed them
selves of the first opportunity, after the
white people gained the ascendency.
to rebuild their shattered fortunes. In
1870 there were 4,352,317 bales of cot-,
ton, with am aggregate value of $326,-
032.066; in 1880, 6,605,750 bales, of an
aggregate value of $344,555,920; in
1890, 8,652,597, worth' $369,118,787.02;
In 1898, 11,119,994 bales, worth $243,-
399,668, but because of the low price
of cotton -4 cents per pound this
enormous increase was worth $100,
002,200 less than the crop of 1890.
From 1870 to 1890 the population of
the South increased 100 per cent.
From 1880 to 1890 the South made an
advance of 37 per cent 8n farm pro
ducts as against a gain of 50 per cent
for ail the rest of the country. The
total value of farms for the South in
18S0 was $660,000,000; for the rest of
the country it was $1,555,000,000. In
1890 the .South had gained $107,000,-"
000, or 16 per cent, while the rest ot
the country had gained only $141,000,
000, or 9 per cent.
During the year just closed there
were established in the South Indus
trial enterprises to the number of
1,938, comprising agricultural, forestal
and mineral dnduistries. In nine South
ern States there are 4,773 knitting ma
chines; in five there there are 57
woolen mills, devoted to making all
wool and mixed wool. Several of the'
Southern States are manufacturing fur
niture from native woods, said to be
as good as that made elsewhere. Cot
ton factories are being establisheni
everywhere near the fields of produc
tion, and during the past year there
was consumed 1,400,026 bales. Coal
and Iron mines have been opened and
furnaces and rolling miWs established.
Railroads now cross every section o
the country.
"The opportunities of the South are
those of the nation." Let her alona
and her possibilities for the future can
only toe conjectured. They are limit-
less:
The rapid industrial progress of the
South was impossible under negro
domination. Restore to the negro in
discriminately .the ballot and invest
him with power, and there will not
only be a check to the progress of the
South, but the advantage gained will
be lost. .
There can be no admixture of tha
races. This is a law of nature. They,
must wrork out their destinies on paral
lel lines, which can not come together.
The Anglo-Sixon blood and bra ki will
always be the superior and can not
be subordinated to the negro.
The negro, unifortuntely for thd
country, is here to stay. His depor-.
tation is impossible. He has strong
local attachments which will keep him
in the South. He must move along in
his own line of development,, directed,
encouraged, and assisted by the An
ciloJSaxon. He will become more in
telligenJt,' more self-sustaining, and ;
better adapted for work along all linos
of industrial development. Since tho
supremacy of the white people has
asserted itself the negro ds becoming
more tractable, a better laborer, a bet
ter, mechanic, and in some instance
has attained a respectable standing in
the. professions. These intelligeist ne
groes are in the electorate and ara
helping to ehape the destiny of thd
State. It would be a cruel wrong ta
again throw tnem oacK into race nos
tility and prejudice and to consign
those who have the opportunities fot
advancement; xo again (jxssess me aueu
that they are Svards of the nation,"
better than a white man, and are en
titled to1 government support and ta
live in idleness and dissipation.
We of the South are making the ne
gro's condition better every day. 1U
has been treated so as to destroy, to
a great ejieiii, luc .xjixiA -l,ix-
dered by carpetbag government. HQ
is regarded as a factor in the 'Sooth's
future development. He is not de
barred from work because he is a ne
. . , . . . i i . i
factories, and the professions are
open to him for his development. We
do not deny his- political rights be
cause he is a negro. We regulate the
suffrage because he is ignorant, and
at present the majority of the negra
race has no electoral capacity.
The course of civilization ias been
in the supremacy or tne wmte race.
The physical properties of soil and cli
mate have had less. influence than in
(Continued on. Eighth Page.)