Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-03-18

plished in some other way. Is it intended to pro
mote education and intelligence.
These are nobleaobjects, to advance which Mas
sachusetts has been ever forward. In that cause
will not be backward. If we do not appropri-
ate amply let us appropriate still more abnndant-
ly. II necessary, let US establish evening schools
for adults in every town, at which they may Learn
to read and write without cost. But do not hope
to encourage intelligence by excluding the igno-
rnnt from the right of suffrage which is one Of the
most effective instruments OF eleyating and en-
tightening the common mind known to our sys-
TEN. Scarcely any man is soilliteTae that be does
not feel an interest in his vote. The discussion
political questions in the field, the highway, the
workshop, dilfuses Intelligence among the PEG
PIE as well as the newspaper or book. Cut OIL
this inducement and you reduce this class to the
level of the peasant of Europe, who feels
no interest in the questions of government In
the Convention of 1858 prop sition brought
forward that the voter should be able to read the
name written or printed upon the ballot which
he should present, and the object declsred to
be, not to restrict the right of suffrage, but to
promote intelligence. But it found no favor with
the Contention. Has any necessity for it since
arisen9
But 1 base my opposition on still wider and
broader grounds. l would leave this right Of
suffrage where the father left il, alter profound
est consideration, and the benefit of past expert
enee. All the old qualifications and costs have
been done away with We no longer ask if the
voter is church member, or a freehodeI Shall
we impose new and strange restrictions The
Convention of 1920 left this where it should be.
The voter is to have resided period Of time in
the State and in the toan where he proposes
himself hs voter, and to have paid tax. The
compliance with this requisite of residence shows
that ne IS and remains of us that he is part and
parcel of the Commonwe alth and the payment
OF tax proves his ability and inclination to bear
ms part in the support of government. The two
conditions together prevent fraud and illegal yot-
ing is there any necessity for multiplying
tests Can it be really claimed that the small
number Of il!iterate voters have ever done any
marin IN the midst of our numerous and highly
intelligent population? If artful and unscrupu-
lous politicians have ever exercised deeterous
influence through this class, strike at the wrong
doer, and do not disffanchise the victim. II the
nasty and perhaps, in some instances, fraudulent
naturalization of foreigners Immediately precel-
ing elections Is an evil, cut it down in the proper
way, by legislation directly addressed to it. But
let each case and each proposition be decided
upon It's own merits, and do not confound the in
nocent with the guilty. In a word L would urge
that this right of suffrage should be free, and
that fraud being guarded against, it is the true
policy to encourage the illierate to participate in
IT, rather than to degrade them from it. They
can scarcely fail to be gradually elevated by the
general and pervading tone OF society, and NOR.
OILS, and the healthful influences of our tree in
situations. But if one test is to be introduced,
others may follow, until the exercise of suffrage
shall become a privilege Of closes rather than
the common right of all, free as the airs IF heav-
en- l conclude, therefore, by expressing a hope,
that, even yet, the good sense of the House may
reject this amendment, secure that, in the future
as in the past, the ballot box will be pure i'll Mas
sachusetts, and content that none, however I'M
fortunate, shall ever be disfranchised within her
borders