The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-08-15
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
FRIDAY, AUGUST Z, 1s5,

~ CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
+ FRIDAY. AUGUST 7,1Ss7.
:; Upon the roll-call of the Secretary. tbe
E. 'ono""g members were reported absent:
N Messrs' Billings, Boles, Coe, Combs, Dick
s,son, M, Escnne Foster, Hall, Kemp, Lowe,
a. S%urPoy, ratnam, Peckbam, Robbins, Russell.
4 D1annard' D' Smith, Thompson, Walker, and
= The journal of yesterday was read by the
Secretary. '-0
ELECTIVE FRANCHISE
0 Mr. .COGISWELL submitted the follow.
ing resolution: r----'" -S''""
ResolDed, That there shall be submitted to
auahned voters of the Territory at the time
ta's Oonsutution is submitted to them for
their ratincauon or rejection. the following
proposit'on and fit shall receive majority
OF an tne votes east for or against it, then it.
shah become part and portion of the Con.
Proposition l. Every male person, of eth
the age Of q years and upwards. and who
shall have resided in this State six months
next preceding any election, and IN fIe f-~n
precinct or ward, in which he cls;ros he r;,t+
to vote, ten days next preceedino tto San
shall be deemed qualified elector ard sbs1
have the right to vote for all oftcers Will
may be elected by the people.
Mr.. CLEGnORN suggested tn The reso.
luton should 60 to the Commit on Tie
Elective Franchise.
Mr.. COGGSWELL. The obiee in Offering
tne resolution was simply to asce, tain vbett.
erit was the expectation of the Convention
t1at tnis proposition should co,ne from the
Committee on the Schedule
| Ihe resolution lies over.
~, Mr DOoLEY, from the Comm ittee on the
LiectiVe Franchise, submitted o report. en-
oraclng the following resolution:
nfSosoed, That at the same election that
| LUIS constitution is submitted t.. the peoDls
ior ns ADOPTION or rejection, proposition to
| amend me same, by striking out the word
wnlte,. from the article -, Sec. /. on the
n1gnt OF Suffrage, shall be separa tely submit
'ed 10 the electors of this State TO- adoption
or re)rc'lon, In manner followiur. VIZ:
separate ballot may be given by every person
having right to vote at said election to he
cepoSited 10 separate box !; and those given
i'r the adoption of such proposiiion. shall
nave the words, "Shall the word White be
stricken out of the article -, Sec. /. on the
h'sht OF Suffrage? YES" And those given
against the proposition shall have the same
words, with No" And if, at said election,
tne number of ballots in favor Of said prcpo,
s,ton shall be majority of all those cas- On
that subject, the said word "White," shall be
stricken from said article, and be no part
The resolution reported was evice read.
la'd on the table, and ordered to b. r,.,lted.
IN the order Of unfinished business. the
PRESIDENT announced the consideration of
'ne artlcie IN report No. ii, from the Com
mittee on the Elective Franchise-tbe 1ues-
n'n being on the adoption of Mr.. Fosters sub
s'l'ute for Section l, submitted yesterday at
tne moment OF adjournment (as printed in
the proceeding of yesterday morning.
Mr.. HAYDON proposed to arne9d the
substitute, by striking out from tile first sec
tion in the first line, the words white male
inhabitant," and inserting these words: "cit-
zen of the United States"
The PRESIDENT considered this amend
ment out of order, as embracng the same
matter which the Convention rejected yester-
day, but withheld the decision.
MIR. II. made a general speech in support
of this amendment
Mr. PERKINS, also, gave bis views ut
length on the questions involved and his rea-
sons fOr supporting the amendment.
Mr. GALBRAITH, remarking, that per-
ssteDt Misrepresentation of mems views comes
with bad grace from the advocates of ab-
soiute right as the highest expedency, said
ne objected to being represented by inuendo
OF Mr.. Perkins, that in the discussion of this
question yesterday he had appeared as the
advocate of WOmans Rights
Mr.. PERKINS disclaimed any such inten-
ton. he bad merely SAID the gentleman
IN his argument had represented. that the
reason for the exclusion Of negroes from 70
ting, was no better than that for excluding
women.
Mr.. GALBRAITH. That was his argu-
ment. The language of the Declaration of
"All men are created equal"
and the principle that represent; ton and tax-
ltion shall be inseperable were the basis Of
aIl the Or uments for universal Suffrage But
i must be clear to all minds, that if equality
'f creation and taxation give the right to
7ote, that women should vote also. IL was
lot the color we talk about. II was the dis
distinction between the races distinction
IS fixed and immoveable as the eternal hills,
8 paIpable as the MONDAY sur. 1t was
distinction that could not Be overcome,
whether it came from nature or from educa-
lon-such was the fact, to whict the moral
entlments of men in general fully respond
a: 1t gentlemen propose to correct The
'ubIic sentiment on this subject and if they
an DO il, well and good. Bus was it
orrected now2 He affirmed again that
hese were the arguments for negro suffrage
only these; and those who st cd by them,
:. be consistent, must also be the advocates
4 woman voting, He had said before, s1d
e said now again, that be should vote against
ne amendment, because he could not believe
q, Co., n ,Jo hora fha
qualifications of voters
He would make no stump speech in this
Convention on the necessity Of difference be-
ween this Constitution and that proposed
o be made in the other end Of the building.
Ie rather expected and desired SIMILARITY,
Ne might differ from those gentlemen on
uestions of national politics and policy but
n the great general principles OF Repnbli-
an Government we might be agreed; and if
be Democratic and Republican parties could
lerge into one On those principles, God speed
he day.
Mr.. McKUNE moved to lay the amend
lent on the table, which motion was lost
cas 9, nays 38. .af -'ia
Mr.. NORTH argued that the substitute
as IN derogation Of the Constitution Of the
United States If the substitute should be
dopted in its present form, it would exclude
large class of citizens of the United States
-om voting in this State. In the State OF
Iew York and Connecticut, colored persons
ave right to vote, under certain restric-
ions, and in all the New England States
hey are allowed to vote, without restriction
nd are citizens of the United States, and
ave been SO regarded since the commence
1ent of the government. But now, here,
nder this substitute, it is only that class Of
itizens who are white-&every white mao
erson belonging to the following classes
nay vote. Citizens Of the United States, II
hey are Of those classes, may vote, eeranlys
'ut it does not 60 to the extent Of saying, all
itizens Of the United States may vote here.
lie objected to having in this Constitution
# Minnesota, any provision that trampled