Squatter sovereign., 1855-03-27
KANSAS ELECTION.

KANSAS ELECTION.
QUALIFICATION OF VOTERS q.
Dissection Of the Oath prescribed by the
Governor.
OArH TO BE TAKEN By THE JUDGES.
I, A., b, and c., do swear
that I viii perform my duties as Judge OF
the election to be held this day, at the
house of IN election dis
trict of the Territory of Kansas, to the
best of my judgment and ability; that
will keep a true. correct and faithful rec
ord or lists of all persons who shall now
vote at said election. That will poll no
ticket from any person who is not am actu-
al inhabitant and resident of said Terrific
ry on the day of. the election and whom
shall not honestly believe to be voter, ac-
cording to the provision of an act OF Con.
gress organizing said Territory; that will
reject the votes of all non-residents, who
I shall believe have come into the Terrific
ry for the sole purpose of voting. That
in all cases where am ignorant OF the vo-
ter's right, will require legal evidence
thereof, by his own oath, or otherwise, and
that will truly count and record the votes
received, and make true and faithful re-
turn thereof, to the Governor of said Ter
ritory. A. b.
C. d.
E. F.
Sworn and subscribed, March 30th, IS
55, before opening the polls, before me.
G. H, ]. p.
March 1s, 1866.
The only parts which require notice, are
those which attempt to define the qualif-
cations of voters, and to specify the eDi-
deace to be given:
1. "To poll no ticket from any Ierson,
who is not an s'an actual inhabitant and
resident" on, the day of the election.
Actual means nothing-if an ''inhab-
itant' at all, he is Of course, an "actual IN
habitant.''
..Inhabitant and resident are the same
If the one is both. Governor Reeder at
tempts to create the impression that by
resident" is meant something more; to
induce the idea, that voter must have a
''resideace" in the popular sense of a
s'house" in which he dwells!
This is false and absurd; it is not neces-
sary for voter to have s'house, dwell
ingsor residence in the popular sense
No property qualification is required in the
Territory!
The terms 'sinhabitant," and PRESIDENT
are used in their legal sense, and mean the
same thing. They are to be construed in
Kansas, as they are in the States, with re.
ference to the same matter
In the States, voter is required to be {
PRESIDENT" ''inhabitant," &c., a certain
length of time-in some six months, IL
others twelve months.
In all such cases, every man knows Ma
a person who merely, stays in the State
the time required, is deemed voter. As
in Missouri, man who has been in the
State twelve months, is an undoubted yo-
ter.
He would not be required to swear tha
he intended to stay there alarays-'.per
manently," not moment longer than hi
give his vote. He has lived as long as the
law requires, and has right to vote
no matter if he intend to move the mex
day.
In the celebrated case of Moore agains
Letcher in Congress, it was decided thai
young men at school, who had been a
the school the proper time, six or twelve
months, had a right to uote, although they
intended to go to their fathers the day fol
lowing the election.
In the same case 1t was held that mel
who are hired TO work, are residents
s.inhabitants,' whenever they are at work
TIE only general rule laid down by Con
gress in that case is this.
GA man is a resident, or inhabitant o
the place where he is staying, with an In
tention to remain an uncertain time.
If the very day Of has returning as no
.fued-if he be uncertain, he is in strictes
law resident and inhabitant.
By the Kansas act, every man in tn
Territory on the day of the election is
legal voter, if he have not fixed day 70
his return to some other home, unless ther
be some other objection TO him.
AS in Missouri, if he stay twelve months
the time prescribed by the law; so if il
Kansas he be there on, the day, the tim
prescribed by the Kansas act, he is vo
ter. And in neither case is he required Il
swear that he intends to remain any Ion
ger than the law requires.
This is really the only point of any i'm
portance In the whole oath.
/ 2. 81 will reject the votes of all non
residents, who / shall believe have com
into the territory for the mere purpose c
voting"
A very silly attempt to create anothe