The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-22
THE CITY ELECTION BILL.


the qualifications of voters, and the duties OF
the polls should be opened at 10 o'clock in the
forenoon, and that there should be one precinct
in each ward. In l848, the act, so far as re-
lated to the qualifications of voters, was amend
ed so as to read
"Every free white male citizen of the Uni
ted States who shall have attained the age Of
twenty-one years, and shall have resided in the
city of Washington one year Immediately pre-
ceding the day of election, and shall be q resi-
dent of the ward in which he shall offer to VOTE
and shall have been returned on the books OF
| the Corporation during the year ending the
3lst of December next preceding the day Of
election, as subject to the school tax for that
| year, Except persons non eO,npos nsesatis, va
| grants, paupers, or persons who shall have been
| convicted of any infamous crime,) and who
shall have paid the school taxes, and all taxes
on personal property, due from him, shall be
entitled to vote for Mayor, members of the
Board of Aldermen and Board of Common
Council, and Assessors, and for every officer
allowed to be elected at any election under this
act, or the act or acts to which this is amenda-
tory"
The special evils complained of by those
who demand an amendment of the existing
laws, were two:
l. No penalties are prescribed in case of delin.
quincy or violation of duty on the part of the
Commissioners.
2. 1t was impossible for all the legal voters
to deposit their ballots, because the polls were
opened at so late an hour in the day, and there
was but one voting place in a ward.
The Senate bill, taken up in the House, pro-
posed certain penalties for neglect or violation
of duty by the Commissioners, two precincts in
a ward, and the opening of the polls at seven
o'clock, A. M.
1t was opposed strenuously by the Know
Nothing members, who insisted that no such
penalties ought to be imposed, and that, mas
much as the existing law in regard to the quail
ifications of voters, did not secure suffrage to
adults arriving at maturity at any time between
the 3lst day of December and the following
first Monday in June, when the elections are
held, while naturalized citizens, if matured as
such within that period, are entitled to vote,
a provision ought to be inserted, to obviate this
discrimination.
The friends of the bill were willing to &C.
complish this, by making special provision in
behalf of that class of adults; but the Know
Nothings urged that the better way to reach
the object would be, to place naturalized citi-
zens on the same level-in other words, to dis
franchise certain class of these, instead of en-
franchising those. Accordingly, Mr. Campbell,
of Ohio, moved the following substitute, which
was adopted-yeas IS, nays 54-and the bill
as amended was then read third time and
passed. 1t is as follows:
BILL provide least election precincts in
each ward in the city of Washington for other pur-
poses.
BE 1t enacted, DC, That it shall be the duty
of the city Corporation to provide at least two
election precincts in each ward, to appoint
Commissioners to superintend elections in the
same, and to adopt such other regulations as
may be necessary to give full force and effect
to this section.
"SEc. 2. And whereas native-born citizens,
resident of the city of Washington, who arrive
at the age of twentyone years between the
3lst day of December next preceding the elec-
ton and the day of election, are not allowed to
vote at such election
BE ii further enacted, That no person be.
ing naturalized between the said day of De-
cember and the day of the succeeding election,
shall be entitled to vote OF such next succeed
ing election.
"SEc. g. And be it further enacted, That at
all elections to be held in the city of Washing
ton for municipal officers, the polls shall be
opened at seven o'clock A. M, and closed at
seven o'clock P. NJ; and that all acts and parts
of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby re-
pealed."
1t will be noticed that the Commissioners are
not referred to in this bill, and are left, as here
tofore, to act according to their discretion. 1t
provides, however, additional voting places and
for opening the polls at seven, and closing them
at seven. These are necessary and important
improvements. The second section, however,
while, in appearance it removes one discrim.
ination between naturalized and native born
citizens, arriving at maturity in the period
between the day of election and the preceding
3lst of December, creates another, inconsist.
ent with Democratic doctrine. The native-born
citizen, becoming adult in that period, it must
be recollected, has not been assessed, has paid
no taxes. On the contrary, the naturalized cit.
liens, becoming matured during that period,
are tax payers, if resident in the District twelve
months.
The bill, as amended by the House went
back to the Senate, and Messrs. Brown and
Seward having expressed their willingness to
acquiesce in its passage, as the only bill on the
subject the House would consent to, it was final.
ly passed, and is now the law.
THE DUTCH MINISTER AND THE LATE HOMI.
eide.
The Ne,c York Tribune, commenting upon
the refusal of the Dutch Minister to appear as
witness in the Herbert case, says:
"The motive, probably, was an amiable one
regard for the personal safety of Mr. Dubois.
Had that gentleman witnessed homicide com.
mitted here in New York, no doubt his diplo.
matte brethren would have been of one accord
as to the propriety of his testfying in the case.
even though he might have felt himself com.
PEELED by his recollections of the circumstances
to contradict the exculpatory statements of some
of the culprit's friends and boon COMPANIONS.
But ought Mr.. Dubois to be exposed to the
danger of being himself shot? What security
has any man in such state of society as that
at Washington, except in holding his tongue ?
In city where assaults by drunken ruffans are
| committed in the streets, without any notice ON
the part of the police where a member of Con.
gress may shoot waiter one morning at break.
fast, and the next morning take his seat in the
House as welcome as ever who knows what
might happen to Mr.. Dubois, should be appear
on the stand and testify to the truth? A citi.
zen of the United States must, of course. run
such risks; but the diplomatic gentlemen at
Washington are, We suppose, of opinion that,
being foreigners and strangers, they have a right
to keep themselves out of harms way hu 70 k;ner