The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-08-22
The Disfranchisemen Of tho Citizen.
Soldier.


The Disfranchisement Of tho Citizen.
Soldier.
The hardships of War are not confined
to the field. The volunteer not only sub.
jects himself to the wearying march, the
wasting of disease, and the dangerous
chances of battle, but, as our custom has
been, he temporarily deprives himself of all
rights of citizenship; or, at least, of that
right which is priced most highly, inasmuch
as it is bis peculiar boon, protection, and
pride-the right of choosing his own rulers
and of making his own laws.
When the regiments now in progress
shall have been formed, and the old regi.
ments brought up to their maximum, at
least twelve thousand men will have gone
into the field from Minnesota. OF this
number, ten thousand are legal voters;
entitled to voice in the selection of officers
to administer the laws at home, and to
represent the people in the National Con.
gress, by virtue of their citizenship; and
doubly entitled to that privilege by the fact
that, in making voluntary offering of their
lives for their country, they are showing
themselves worthy of their citizenship.
Twelve thousand comprise at least one-half
of all the strictly able>bodied men of the
State; and ten thousand are full third of
its legal voters. These men are not absent
from the State upon their private business,
or under circumstances which show them
to be careless of their rights, or Indifferent
to the exercise of them. On the contrary,
the fact of their enlistment shows their ap.
probation of their rights and duties to be
superior to that of their fellows, who have
remained behind; while the fact of their
absence, so far from curtailing their privi-
leges, should operate to enlarge them, mas
much as such absence is not voluntary but
compulsory-by command of the Govern
ment and for its protection. If any citizen
is entitled to say what shall be the char
acter of the laws, and the nature of the
policies of his State and Nation, and who
shall be chosen to frame both, it is the vol.
unteer, who bears not only bis full propor-
ton of all common burdens, but who patri"
oticalIy tenders his life to the general sacri-
fee.
There ought to be some means devised
by which the volunteer can have bis rights
saved to him, and the free and full enjoy.
ment of them guaranteed. The act of en-
listment, which marks him hero, ought
not, also, to brand him as inferior to the
meanest coward who ties himself to apron
strings that be may not be spirited away
from the safe seclusion of home. The VOL
unteer should be voter and none the
less that be is brave man and patriot.
We have not examined the laws to see
whether provision is made, in this respect,
for the anomalous condition in which our
people are placed, on account of the civil
war which is upon u.s. More than likely,
no special warrant will be found for taking
the votes of citizens outside the precincts
in which they reside. But it is case in
which the justice is so clear, that we hope
such authority may be found. And, pro-
foundly impressed, as we are, with the rights
and wrongs involved in this question, to
the thousands of brave volunteers who have
gone, and will soon go, beyond our borders,
to preserve our own security, and the unity
and honor of the Nation, we earnestly com.
mend it to the attention of the State au
thorities, for their earnest and prompt con-
sideration.