Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-07-25
For the Standard.
FREE SuEFRAGE.


MEssRs EDITORS VIII you be SO kind as to
permit me, through the columns of your valuable
paper to submit few facts to the consideration OF
the voters of North Carolina with regard to acts OF
the General Assembly of State, passed at the
sessions of 1S54-55 and 1956-'57, to amend the
second clause of the third section of the first article
of the amended Constitution of the State. In pur-
suance of said acts there will be an election held on
the first Thursday in August next, throughout the
State for the purpose of obtaining the OF the
voters of the State upon the proposed amendment.
In order that the voters may understand correctly
what the proposed amendment is, refer them to
the said clause &C., referred to above, which reads
as follows:
"All freemen of the age Of twenty-one years,
except as is hereinafter declared. (Which proviso
excludes mxed-booded males from the right of
sufrage) who have been inhabitants of any one
district within the State twelve months Immediately
preceding the day of any election, and possessed of
freehold within the district of fifty acres of
land for six months next before the day of election,
shall be entitled vote for member of the Senate
Now it is plain from the foregoing clause, which
is in full force and effect in State that the only
qualification required of voter, to enable him to
vote in the Senatorial branch, is First, to be
white man who has resided in the State twelve
months at and before the day of election. Second,
that he be of the age of twenty one years. Third,
the of fifty of land for six months, &c.
This is all TIE qualification necessary The term
fore, any male foreigner may emi CRATE from any
foreign country to State. yes Irishman, fresh
from Ireland, who may have no intention of becom-
ing citizen of the United States our own State,
may be here on business, who knows nothing and
cares less of our form of government, can exercise
the right of suffrage at the end of twelve months
residence, &c, even before he becomes citizen of
the United States, according to act of Congress
which requires five years residence. Neither is
he required to take an oath to support the Consti-
tuition Of the United States, nor that he intends to
become citizen of our country, which is required
of aliens by all the territorial bills which established
governments over Oregon, Washington, Minnesota,
Utah. and Kansas and Nebraska territories Neither
is the payment of public taxes required, while our
own nativeborn sons prohibited from exercising
the right Of suffrage, although they may be of the
requisite age and have paid public taxes, provided
he does not possess the land qualification. But
adopt the proposed amendment, which is as follows:
every free white man of the age of twenty one
years, being native naturaZed citizen of the
United States and who has been an inhabtant of
the State for twelve months Immediately preceding
the day of any election, and shall have paid public
taxes, shall be entitled to vote for member of the
Senate for the district in which he resides
Adopt this and then but citizen could
exercise the right Of suffrage, which would exclude
all foreigners until they become naturalzed citizens
Therefore, all those who are in fact opposed to
aliens exercising the right of suffrage until they
become citizens according to law all those who
in favor of abolishing the land qualification which is
required by the said second clause to constitute
voter eligible to the right of suffrage in the Sena
toria branch; and all those who in favor of
striking out the ory antrepublican and ariSocratic
feature that now defaces the Constitution of the
good Old North State should turn out the day of
election and vote with ticket" Approved" By
so doing the proposed amendment would be adopt
ed and become part of our Constitution; it will
then be in fact what it should be--repubican in all
its operations; it will then confer equal rights and
privileges on all czens it will then constitute the
citizen eligible to the right Of suffrage and hot the
freehold, as is now the
Permit me to say that all the additional expense
that will be required to carry into execution the
proposed amendment, is the shers fees for conduct
ing the election and making their returns, and the
cost required to enable the Governor to issue a
proclamation making the result known to the public.
AN APPROVALIST