Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-03-28
From the New York Tribune.
CONSTITUTIONS AND FACTS VERSUS
JUDICIAL OPINIONS.
To the Editor of The N. I. Tribune:


SIR: Since the Chief Justice of the United
States in his zeal to arrive at Conclusions subver
sive of the liberties both of black men and of
wiits men, has found it convenient to denv that
black men have the right to iu ths - :
Courts; since he has assumed the novel position
that none can sue in those Courts who have not
the right to vote; and since he has assumed as u
historical fact that black men had no right to vote
at the date Of the Declaration Of Independence
and at the time when the Constitution Of 1879
vas framed and adopted, thUs Sasing his entire
logical structure upon that supposed historical
fact. il may be we'll to look into the records and
see how they read.
! have before me hook entitled Constitutional
Law, com prisng the Declaration Q! Independence,
the Articles Of Confederation the Consultations of
the several States composing the Uniun, &c
Washington, Printed and published by Gales &
Seaton. Dec, 1890" From the ttle-page it would
appear that little more than thirIh-Six years aga
the "DeclaratiVD Of Independence with its "sel
evident" truths and without Judge Taneys re-
stricton to white" men, wac regarded at Wash.
ngton City the chief cornerstone in the edhce
Of Constitutional Law"
Taking this volume for my textbook (excep
when otherwise ndcatedi, | proceed to exhibit
snme extracts from the State Constitutions, whici
will show who might vote in the States, and wheth
er, or to what extent, distinctions of color wert
then recognized
The dates Of the several State Constitutions art
given, and should he carefully noticed. The pub
lishers give US to understand. IN note, that thu
Constitutions, rs there published, still il
force (lS20), with the exception of amendment
noticed in an appendix.
We will here divide the States into four distinc
classes:
FIRST Glass; States ascertained by their Consti
tutons to have had no distinction bet yeer
white" and "colored" in the required qualifi
cations of voters, at the time when the Fedora
Constitution was adopted.
These were, Massachusetts, New York, New
Jersey, Virginia, Maryland North Carolina-si,
States-to which noW add las appears by the pub
llshed statement of Judge Curtisl New -liamp
shire. making seven States in ALL
give quotations from the several State Consti
tutions from the compilation If Gales & Seaton.
| Observation-Disclosures formed in 1880
THE body polite is a social com
pact. by which the ,choIe people covenants witt
each citizen, and each citizen with the whole peo
pie, that all shall be governed by certain laws fol-
the public good" 1--WE therefore, tie people o
Massachusetts" &c. Preamble.
"Ali elections ought to be free, and all the inhab
itants OF this Common wealth. having such quail
fcations as they shall establish by their frame OF
government. have an equ1l right to elect officers
and to be elected for public employments. - Dec
lar. Rights, Art O.
! Every male nhabtant, being twenty one year.
! OF age ana upward, having freehold estate with
in the Commonwealth of the annual income OF E3
or any estate of the value of eco, shall have
right to give his vote for the Senators for the Dis
trlet OF which he is an inhabitant" &c. Chap
! !, See, 2. Art. =.
Every male person being twenty.onc years o.
age, and resident in any particular town in thi'
Common wealth for the space of one year preced
ing, having freehold estate &C. (sce above), shall
have right to vpte in the choice Of Represen
tatlve or Representatives, for said ~ Chap
! |, Sect. 3, Art 4.
Those persons who shall be qualified to vote
for Senators and Representatives within the sew
eral towns of this Commonwealth shal
give heir votes for a Governor &c. Chap. 2
Sec., Art. 3.
New lork.--Constitution formed in April, 1777
! Every male inhabitant of full age, who shal
have personally resided within one of the counties
of this State Tor six months Immediately preced
ing the dAyof election, shall. at such election. b
entitled to vote for Representatives of the SAT-
county in Assembly, if during the time aforesaid
he shall have been free-holder. possessed of
% hold of the value Of twenty-pounds within
sand county, or have rented tenement therein o
the yearly value Of forty shlings, and been raet
aud actually paid taxes to this Stste."- Art, 7.
f NeO Jersey. Constitution formed July 2, l776
, The word Colony changed TO State on III