, 1854-04-29
NO. 3d."
Remarks Of Nr, BigslOw

/ EtmafkS OF nr, Blgel0W
On the provao allowing such half breed In
dams 10 vote whom the judges of election
should decide had adopted the habits Of civ
iized life. Mr. BI0ELow said
Mr.. PreSidcm-This half breed question,
sit is termed, has been the mosl perplex-
ing one to me that has come before this Leg
isIature. The clause in the election bill
regulating the right of slffragr, as originally
drawn by me, allowed only white male in-
habiants The right of voting. Before The
I'LL was reported to This House, II was urged
upon the commille by member of this
House and Of tie committee, that there was
q large number Of persons Of mixed while
and Indian blood in his county, who were
good citizens and men of property; and |
have abundant evidence that there are large
numbers of persons Of mixed white and In
dian blood both in Lewis and Clarke coun-
ties who are intelligent and orderly citizens.
And am informed BY intelligent and relia-
ble Citizens (rcm both those counties, that
many of those persons should be entitled 10
vote, and that such is The desire Of the peo>'
pie Of those counties and upon those rep
resenlatious a clause was inserted in the
election bill, by my consent, allowing half
breeds to vote. The bill was So reported
20 this House. II was afterwards referred
10 the code commissioners, and they sci il
back to this House with clarse allowing
"persons Of mixed white and Indian blood,
having adopted the habits Of civilization, the
right 10 vote,n which clause might allow
person Of more than half Indian blood, or
even nine tenths, the privilege of voting
And ! will here remark, that allowing half
hrerds to vote, as il is called, is not without
precedent, or so new and unheAFd Of thing
as one would suppose from the opposition
it encounters. The clause quoted above as
inserted BY the code commissioners, was
copied vei baium from The laws Of The Ter
ritOry of Minnesota. In The State Of Cali.
lornia, not only halfbreeds but full blood
Indians have the right 10 vote under certain
restrictions Such is also the law in the
State Of New York, and ! believe in some
other statutes
After many weeks Of discussion, this Leg
islaluFe has passed an election law allowing
half-bTeeds the right Of voting if they have
adopted Ihe habits of civilization, and | had
Enped that the question would be allowed
10 remain at rest for this session. This
Council never have differed materially upon
this question all Of US agree thai there arc
some hslf-br .cds who ought to have the
right to vote, and some who ought not. But
the difficulty is to draw the line so as 10 do
equal and exact justice to all parties. This
petition asks for greater restrictions than the
one in the election law as passed. / was,
one Of the committee TO which il was refer
red. was tired Of the subject, and my
time was also employed on another COM
millce, and knowing that the chairman Of
the committee was more particularly inter-
esel than any member upon this floor, |
told him would submit the whole subject
to him and would sign bis report, and |
did sign his report without revising it and
this House, contrary 10 the expectations Of
any Of the committee, voted 10 have tho re-
poit published, and il is published and be-
fore us, and gentlemen are al liberty to make
the most Of it. have been governed in
this matter BY the wishes Of members tho
Legislature from other counties. do not
consider il matter as particularly affecting
our county. If there arc any halfbreed
voters in this county, am moi aware Of it.
But ] do not want TO DO injustice to any
portion Of this Territory or any citizen there
Of. do not want To deprive such men as
Lieuson Bleaumondeaux, Marcel BURNER
and many others equally worthy Of lherighl
Of suffrage, who, am told are half-brrpds.
II should be borne in mind that half.breed
Indians, spoken of with so much contempt,
are also hall breed white men one-halfthe
blood that courses in their veins is as good
as ours, and many Of this class Of persons
have been residents and built houses and
made farms in this Territory years. before
any member upon this foor ever sawjt.- -
And such of this class Of persons as arc dis
posed TO try 10 become men, and mako
themselves good citizens, lwant 10 admitto
the privileges Of freemen, and not treat
them as less than men and drive them back
10 savage life. think the prayer Of tho
petitioners asks too much. Il asks that half
breeds be required to speak. read and write
the English language. That clause might
exclude very worthy men. prefer TO try
the election law as proposed, for one elec-
lion. do not al present see how we can
better it,
pa- Biologists assert that ave entire