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This superstition is apparently of African origin, modified and changed, with large additions derived from the white man and the Indian. In some of its phases it closely resembles the old New England witchcraft, with other names which signify the same thing. When a person is said to be "tricked," it means the same as good old Dr. Mather would have called bewitched; and if popular opinion is to be believed, it is of common occurrence at the present day. . .

My treatment was

One day her uncle

I was once called upon to prescribe for a woman who seemed to be suffering from some obscure disease. attended with rather indifferent success. met me on the street, and said: "We have found out what was the matter with my niece. We suspected that she had been tricked, and on opening the pillow we found a bag there, which was the cause of her sickness. We removed it; at once she began to recover, and is now nearly well."

The Negro Churches

(1) Wallace, Carpet Bag Rule in Florida, p. 346, and (2) Montgomery Conference, Race Problems, p. 120. The first statement is by a negro; the second by a white missionary to the blacks. Within the past twenty years numerous capable and moral negro mínísters have made their influence felt and though they are probably still in a minority yet it is an increasing one. [1885, 1900]

[1] THE future is full of hope. Prejudice on account of color, is passing away, and the negro has experienced his worst day in this state. But there is one pillar under the right-hand corner of this great edifice of progress that is full of decay and which threatens its destruction. It is the greatest enemy of our people, and must be met and destroyed. Whence comes this threatened danger? Strange, but nevertheless true, it proceeds from the house of God, and its name is Immorality- Licentiousness. Numbers of immoral and ignorant men have invaded the pulpits of our churches and are using the livery of Heaven to serve the Devil in. In some of the church denominations the Board of Examination of candidates to preach are in no better standing as to morality and education than are the candidates, and therefore, often, unfit candidates have no trouble in procuring a

license to preach. In many instances these disciples of Satan are frequenters of bar-rooms, and their conduct is no better than the lowest class that frequent such places. These men have in times past been guilty of every wrong that can be committed against innocence and virtue, and have violated every moral law and obligation. It will require energetic work and patient teaching to put up the bars against them.

[2] The Negro churches have grown too rapidly. The very aggressiveness which separate existence has developed has been a source of trouble to the church. Instead of a considerable number of churches which would be real bearers of light to the race, there are a great multitude of them with the line so poorly marked between the church and the world that it is difficult to tell where one begins and the other ends. It is a fact worth mentioning that of the Presbyteries in which the church I serve as secretary is interested, those which have been in organic connection with our white synods are composed of a class of men superior to those in those Presbyteries which have had for a number of years an independent existence. I think that having been in touch with the white synods has helped them to keep up their standard. The Negro is not a strong race. Neither sentiment nor legislation can exalt him to such a position. His best friends will appreciate this and regarding him as a subject of missionary work, endeavor to help him here in the same way that we would help him in Africa. In my judg ment the spiritual condition of the Negro is in its worst possible stage. It is a condition which calls loudly for some action on the part of white people.

8. LIMITATION OF THE SUFFRAGE

Mississippi Suffrage Plan

Constitution of the State of Mississippi, adopted November 1, 1890. The first of the Southern constitutions to limit the suffrage and thereby disregard the limitation placed upon the state when readmitted after the war. For the limitations see Volume 1, pp. 476, 477, 478.

[1890]

SEC. 241. Every male inhabitant of this State, except idiots, insane persons and Indians not taxed, who is a citizen of the United States, twenty-one years old and upwards, who has resided in this State two years, and one year in the election district, or in the incorporated city or town in which he offers to vote, and who is duly registered as provided in this article, and who has never been convicted of bribery, burglary, theft, arson, obtaining money or goods under false pretenses, perjury, forgery, embezzlement or bigamy, and who has paid, on or before the first day of February of the year in which he shall offer to vote, all taxes which may have been legally required of him, and which he has had an opportunity of paying according to law for the two preceding years . . and who shall produce to the officers holding the election satisfactory evidence that he has paid said taxes, is declared to be a qualified elector. . . Sec. 242. The Legislature shall provide by law for the registration of all persons entitled to vote at any election. . . Sec. 243. A uniform poll tax of two dollars to be used in aid of the common schools. . is hereby imposed on every male inhabitant of this State between the ages of twenty-one and sixty years... No criminal proceedings shall be allowed to enforce the collection of the poll tax.

Sec. 244.

On and after the first day of January, A. D. 1892

every elector. . shall be able to read any section of the constitution of this State; or he shall be able to understand the same when read to him, or give a reasonable interpretation thereof..

Sec. 264. No person shall be a grand or petit juror unless a qualified elector and able to read and write.

South Carolina Suffrage Plan

Constitution of the State of South Carolina, article ii. Adopted December 4, 1895. South Carolina was the next state after Mississippi to limit the exercise of the suffrage.

[1895]

SECTION 4. The qualifications for suffrage shall be as follows: (a) Residence in the State for two years, in the County one year, in the polling precinct in which the elector offers to vote four months, and the payment six months before any election of any poll tax then due and payable. . .

(b) Registration, which shall provide for the enrollment of every elector once in ten years, and also an enrollment during each and every year of every elector not previously registered under the provisions of this Article.

(c) Up to January 1st, 1898, all male persons of voting age applying for registration who can read any Section in this Constitution submitted to them by the registration officer, or understand and explain it when read to them by the registration officer, shall be entitled to register and become electors. A separate record of all persons registered before January 1st, 1898,.. shall be filed, . . and such persons shall remain during life qualified electors unless disqualified by the other provisions of this Article. . .

(d) Any person who shall apply for registration after January 1st, 1898, if otherwise qualified, shall be registered: Provided, That he can both read and write any Section of this Constitution submitted to him by the registration officer or can show that he owns, and has paid all taxes collectible during the previous year on property in this State assessed at three hundred dollars ($300) or more.

(e) Managers of election shall require of every elector offering to vote at any election, before allowing him to vote, proof of the payment of all taxes, including poll tax, assessed against him and collectible during the previous year.

The "Grandfather" Plan

In

Constitution of the State of Louisiana, adopted May 12, 1898. force after December 31, 1898. "Grandfather" clause in operation after September 1, 1898.

[1898]

[ARTICLE 197] Sec. 3. He [the elector] shall be able to

read and write, and shall demonstrate his ability to do so when he applies for registration, by making, under oath administered by the registration officer or his deputy, written application therefor, in the English language, or his mother tongue, which application shall contain the essential facts necessary to show that he is entitled to register and vote, and shall be entirely written, dated and signed by him, in the presence of the regis tration officer or his deputy, without assistance or suggestion from any person or any memorandum whatever, except the form of application. . .

Sec. 4. If he be not able to read and write, as provided by Section three . . then he shall be entitled to register and vote if he shall, at the time he offers to register, be the bona fide owner of property assessed to him in this State at a valuation of not less than three hundred dollars. . and on which, if such property be personal only, all taxes due shall have been paid.

.

Sec. 5. No male person who was on January 1st, 1867, or at any date prior thereto, entitled to vote under the Constitution or statutes of any State of the United States, wherein he then resided, and no son or grandson of any such person not less than twenty-one years of age at the date of the adoption of this Constitution, and no male person of foreign birth, who was naturalized prior to the first day of January, 1898, shall be denied the right to register and vote in this State by reason of his failure to possess the educational or property qualifications prescribed by this Constitution; provided, he shall have resided in this State for five years next preceding the date at which he shall apply for registration, and shall have registered in accordance with the terms of this article prior to September 1, 1898, and no person shall be entitled to register under this section after said date.

A separate registration of voters applying under this section, shall be made by the registration officer of every parish...

The registration of voters under this section [5] shall close on the 31st day of August, 1898, and immediately thereafter the registration officer of every parish shall make a sworn copy,

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