Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-02-28
Qualification of Voters.

Qualification of Voters.
A question has been proposed to US touching the
qualification of voters in North Carolina, said question
having reference to this point namely: Does the Con-
stitution require that in order vote the person pro-
posing to vote should be naturalized citizen of the
United States?
On examination we find that there is no such require
ment or qualification in the Constitution of the State
whether originally agreed and resolved upon by the
Representatives of the Freemen of the State of North
Carolina elected and chosen for that particular purpose
in Congress assembled, at Halifax the 18th day of De-
cember, in the year of Lord one thousand seven
hundred and seventysix," amended and ratified in
Convention on the 18th day of July, 1885.
Indeed it would be difficult to see how the Conven-
ton of 1776 could have contemplated any reference to
naturalization, since the Constitution of the United
States in accordance with which present naurali-
zaon laws have been passed. did not exist then for
years afterwards The Constitution, it stands,
provides that all freemen of the age of twenyone years
Except free Negroes mulatoes etc., who have been in
habtants of any county within the State twelve months
Immediately preceding the day of any election and shall
have paid public taxes shall be entitled to vote for men,
Der of the House of Commons for the county IL which
he resides. Since the passage OF the Free Suffrage
amendment to the Constitution these qualifications are
all that required in voting at any election thus all
free ite persons tweny-one years old, and who have
paid public taxes and been inhabitants OF any one county
in the State for twelve months Immediately preceding
the election may vote The Constitution does not say
citizens of the United States or the Constitutional
provision is older than the present Union In fact the
Constitution does not say citizens at all 1t says
inhabitants people residing in.
In all cases where cur advice has been asked, we
have uniformly advised any person of foreign birth who
had not been nauralized forbear attempting 10 exer
else any privilege which might be looked upon as ques
tionabe and further because we have always thought
that admission to citizenship in five years, was as liberal
an arrangement as could in fairness be asked for
pected But when it is question of violating the law,
we really think it would puzzle any one to show whot
law has been violated We take it that the Consttu
ton is the supreme authority with reference to the quail
fcaton of voters, well as of eligibility for office
We presume that the parties propounding the ques
ton which we have tried to answer had reference to
the case of Mr. Speman, to which alluson is made in
the Raleigh papers With the local or personal SQUAD
bes there have nothing to do, but simply give what
appears to be plain to public question.
Boz The Southern seeded States have placed at the
head of their military establishments such men as COL
Braxton Bragg, Col Hardee, Major Deas Major Chase
and others known to have composed the very flower of
the bravest and most scientific officers of the Army Of
the old Conederacy This shows two things-frst that
the seeded States not ruled by impulse and
second that their power of resistance and their military
position must be greater and better than their enemies
would have suppose, since both endorsed by the
voluntary act OF such able and experienced taking
service under the banner of the seeded States Believe
US, neither North Carolina, any other State need
lear the want of skilfu leadership in this contest and
in this contest part must be with the Southern
States and not against them. We must take part with
the Southern States assist Lincoln in making
upon them Let US take cur position decidedly and
there will be no war. Let hesitate and it will be
upon US. Or if there should be an attempt at war it
be easily repealed by united people-it will press
with terrible force upon people not united. We
not much longer watch and wait"