The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-08-12

south Carolina and Mssssehasetfs--A
Review Of their Laws ON the Suffrage
QWs stiOn.
The U,nnesoi'an, some few days ago
paraded, with good deal Of satisfaction
an article from the Charleston Mercury, in
support Of ts repeated assertions that the
Constitution Of South Carolina made M
invidi0us distinction between nativeborn
and natnralized citizens, 10 the prejudice OF
the latter. This same assertion has been
made all over the country by the Republic
can press, ever since the adoption Of the
odiously proscriptivc amendment to their
Constitution by the Black Republicans OF
Massacn nsetts, for the purpose OF diyerting
the attention Of the foreign born portion Of
our citizens from the outrage committed IN
the latter State, upon the class 10 which
they belong. We have no objection to dis
cuss the character Of the laws OF South
Carolina, but while VIC do this, we shall not
permit attention TO be diverted from those
of Massachusetts. And, in discussing
either, We shall base our own opnien OF the
character Of the legislation had upon the
laws themselves, and not upon the interpre-
tation given to them by journals, which,
like those Of South Carolina fail 10 COM
prchcnd the difference between an alien and
II naturalized citizen.
The constitutional amendment adopted
in South Carolna. in 1850, and which com
prIscs the whole law of that State on the
subject Of suffrage, we have heretofore pub.
lishel. aud IL IA follows.
AN ACT TO Amend the Four,h Section of
the First Article of the Constitution OF tins
state.
|, lie u enacted by the Senate aud House
oi Representatives, now met and sitting In Gen
eral Assembly, aud by the authority Of the
same. That the amendment al the fourth sec.
ton of the frat article Of the Consultation Of
this State, ratified on the nineiccn,h day oi pe.
comber, IN the year Of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and ten. be- altered aud amend.
ed as follows: Every free white man of the
age Of twenty one years, tpaupers and non.
commissioned officers aud private soldiers of
the army Of the United States, excepted who
hath been n citizen and resident in this State
two years previous To the day Of election, and
who has ifee hold of ATTY acres ut land, or
town lot. of which he hath been legally seized
and possessed a, least sin months before such
election, OF, not having such freehold or town
lot hath been u resident IN the election district
IN which he offers to give his vote six months
before the said election, shall have right 10
vote for member or members. to serve In
either branch Of the Legislature for the Flee.
ton District IN which he holds such property,
Or ~ SO resident.
In first publishing this act, we did not, in
any degree, affirm the Justice Of its provisions
On the contrary, we spoke of i, as involving
hardsbipe but we asserted then. IA We re
peat now, that il WAS not intended, nor did it,
in fact, create inyidious distinctions between
the native and naturaliled citizen. In i,s
general Effects il placed both on precisely the
same ground. It's prescriptions and their
harlships bore equally on both. 1t isa
hardship that the ua,uraIizcd citizen, who
may have been voter for ten years in the
State Of Virginia, should he deprived of his
right to vote for two years al,cr his rcmov-
nj 10 South Carolina, but 1t is an equal
hardship tha, the native born citizen OF
Alabama, who has enjoyed like privilege
Of voting for ten years IN his native State.
should also be- obliged 10 undergo like
probation on his removal To South Carolina
The injustice operates against both, and
There may he ISOLATED cases SUI.
gcsted, in which the law would bear with
special hardship upon the naturallzed ci,i-
zen, One is noticed by the Mtnnsaot,dn. in
which man born abroad notwithstanding
he may have lived twenty, ten, or five years
in South Carolina, yet, when, at the end OF
any Of these periods, he takes gu, bis natur.
alizatiou papers, and becomes Il citizen, he
must still reside two years longer before he
can vote This is gross injustice on IT,
face bat the proscr'ptivc feature OF the
law, Ike two-clgcd sword. cuts both ways.
We can suggest case, which would ope-
rate upon the na,iye-bo South Caro,inan
with equal hardship as, tina, Of man who
had been for twenty wars voter in South
Carolina, who had after tina, los, his resi-
denoe by AN absence Of twenty days coupled
with the intention To remove, and who after
tina, shor, space should return 10 his native
State he equally with the man born abroad.
would he Obliged TO undergo two years
probation before be could AGAIN b. entitled
to vote. Hardy any iaw can h. icund up.
on the statute book Of any STATE. however
Jus, !, NAV bc in IL s,ucrAl oy.ra,,on