The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-03-10
Qualification of Voters.

BY the Territorial bill it is provided as follows:
"That every free white male inhabitant above
the age of twenty-one Years, who shall be an
actual resident of said Territory. and shall pos
the qualifications hereinafter prescribed. shall
be entitled TO vote at the first election: Pg0bsded
That the right of suffrage and of holding office
shall be exercised only by citizens OF the United
States and those who shall have declared on oath
their intention TO become such, and shall have
taken an oath tn support the Constitution of the
United States and the provisions of this act: ARd
pr0rldod further. hat no officer, soldier. seaman
or marine, or other person in the Army or Navy
of the United States or attached to troops in the
service of the United States, shall be allowed to
vote or hold Office in said Territory, by reason of
being on service therein"
By the term white," /" as used in this and other
laws of similar character, is meant pure unmix-
ed white blood. The man who has any mixture
from the darker races. however small the proper
ton, is not regarded as q white man. This has
been repeatedly decided. and may be regarded as
settled. When voter has only declared his in
tention to become a citizen, he must beswern by
the Judges of election, or by q Judge or Justice
of the Peace, to support the Constitution of the
United States and the provisions of the act of
Congress passed May So 1854, to organize the
Territories of Nebraska and KANSAS. When so
sworn. the word . oath should be marked oppo-
site his name on the list of voters and voter
who has had this oath once administered, will
not, of course, be required to repeat it.
1t will be seen that the act of Congress is drawn
with much care to exclude non-rcsidents from
the polls. 1t provides that voter shall be an
'inhabitant" and " an actual resident.n A voter
must dwell here at the time of offering his vote
he must then have commenced an actual inhabi-
fancy, which he actually intends to continue per-
manently, and must have made the Territory his
| dwelling place to the exclusion of any other
home.
The meaning of the last proviso, relative TO
/ the Army and Navy, is, that the persons desig-
mated in it shall not vote if their inhabitancy in
the Territory is referable only to the performance
of their duties. Like all other persons, it is not
enough that they should be in the Territory, but
! they must dwell in it as tbeir permanent hODle;
and the officer or soldier who would vote must
| have residence here, irrespective and independ-
ent of his presence here under orders.
! Every voter must vote in the election Precinct
where he resides. and not elsewhere. Experience
has demonstrated this TO be a wise regulation
and it has been adopted in nearly all the States
a necessary provision against error, confusion
| and fraud.
Contested Elections.
In case any persons shall desire to contest tilt
election in any District of the Territory. they
| shall make written statement. directed to tht
Governor, setting forth the particular Precinct o.
District they intend to contest, the candidate
whose election they dispute. and the specific cause,
of complaint in the conduct or return OF the said
election; which plant shall be signed by not
less than ten qualified voters of the Territory
and with affidavit of one or more such voters Y
the truth of the facts set forth therein. Sucf
| written statement must be presented to the Gov
ernor at his Office on or before the fourth day o
I April. A. d. 1875; and ifitshall appear that th'
result of election in any Council District nigh
be changed by said contest, day viii be fXet
for hearing the same.