Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-08-25

The tenth resolution ado ted by the falsely
called meeting Of War Democrats reads as fol

The Right Of our soldiers to Vote.
The tenth resolution ado ted by the falsely
called meeting Of War Democrats reads as fol
lows:
10 That oar volunteers, impeed by convictions Of pa
trsSc duty, To leave their homes and families for the
pr.vxiios and Of and the pers of
battle and guerrilla warfare have lost Of their rights
the laws and for their modification receive there
Should b made, and situated they In the face Of
tb- rebellion is enormtes. their voice should bs
potential the best mode and for it, suppression
.nd Tho restoration Of peace
IL will be observed that this resolution makes
no reference 20 our State Constitution. but spe-k
OF a modification of our laws. This utter ig
norips of the Constitution is the most dangerous
and fatal tendency Of the times
Section 1 OF article 2 Of the Constitution. after
defining chat psrsens may enjoy the right OF ssf
epsovides they shall be entitled to in the
township or precinct where he may reside" We
presume tina, after the numerous decisions OF the
Republican courts in other States, IL will not be
pretended that our brave and patriotic soldiers
who are absent from their place of residence can
be permitted 10 vote until our Constitution is
amended.
Amy amendment, amendments to THE Con.
sttution may be- proposed by either branch of the
General Assembly. and it the same shall be agreed
to by majority of the members elected to each
OF the two houses. such proposed amendment or
amendments shall. with the yeas and nays there
on. be entered on their journals aud referred to
she General Assembly TO be chosen At the next
general election and IT, in the General Assembly
next chosen. such proposed amendment or
amendments shall be agreed to by majority oil
oil the members elected to each house. then il
shall be the duty Of the General Assembly to
electors OF the State; and if a majority of said
electors shall rstify the same. such amendment
or amendments shall become part OF this Con-
stituton -
II two or more appointments shall be submitted
at the same time. they sball be submitted in such
manner that the electors shall vote for or against
each of such amendments separately; and ,ohiie
amendment amendments. ,ohieh shall hare
been agreed upon by one General Assembly. shall
Be Dsning the action Of suecesding General
Assembly. or Of the electors. mo additional amend
msnf or amendments shall be proposed
The Legislature OF 1861 WAS largely and in
tensely Republican. During that session three
propositions 80 amend the Constitution were
agreed to and were waiting the action of the last
Legislature. The first related to the right Of
suffrage. AMI reads as follows: Laws may be
passed 6xing a. a qualification OF voting. the
length of time during which an elector shall
have resided in the county and township pre-
rinct or ward in which he offers 20 vote under
this Constitution. See Acts of 1861. p les.
This proposed amendment contained restrc-
ton and limitation and not an extension or EN-
lArgcment Of the right of suffrage The other
two propositions related TO the school Law See
Acts OF 1861. p. ls6
These propositions were pending before the
last session of the Legislature till intro
duced to amend the Constitution so a. to permit
the soldiers TO vote. which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary. which reported that
inasnnsh as three propositions 10 amend the
Constitution had been agreed upon by the pre-
ceding General Assembly. and were then wait
ing the action" OF that General Assembly. mo
additional snlsndm ent" could be entertained.
Upon discussion of the report. quite a num-
Der of Republican lawyers sustained the report
Of the committee. The report OF the committee
was concurei in without party vote. IL was.
therefore. impossible for the last Legislature TO
do anything to enable our soldiers 10 vote. II
the Republican Legislature of 1851 had agreed
upon a proposition to so amend the Constitution
o. to permit our soldiers who were absent from
their place OF residence to have voted. the last
Legislature could have agreed to il. and the
people could have ratified il last April. and then
our soldiers could have voted this fall and at the
Presidential election. The Republican members
of the Legislature Of 1861. and not the Demo.
cratic members of the last Legislature. are re
sponsible for our soldiers not having the right TO
vote While we are on this subject msy
we'll refer TO some decisions that have recently
been made a. tn the right of soldiers who are alb
sent from their homes to vote
In the State of MARYLAND the soldiers who were
outside OF the State were permitted TO vote The
person defeated contested the election for that
cause. The case went to the Supreme Court,
which held that 1.-The term residence. in the Con.
sfitutinn. 10 the same as domicl-s word which
means the place where a man establishes his
abode. makes the seat of his property and exer
eses his civil and political rights. and tina, the
right Of the soldier to vote. under the Consttu-
ton. l. ia the district where he resided al the
time of entering the militar. service
The question came before the supreme
Court OF Connecticut. which held a. follows:
These provisions of the Constitution. together
with numerous other Incidental and &C.
ce>sory provisions in the same instru ment
clearly indicating an unqueSionsble pur
pose. n those Who framed ~ we'll As
in those who adopted that instrument.
90 require elsctcrs % vote only sithn the several
towns where thef have their residence. and At
the time and place within such towns OF holding
the regular annual meeting Of electors for that
purpose. lease no room for construction. and If.
ford M room 10 doubt. that sny act Of the Legi--
lture authorizing the votes Of electors 10 be tax
en- az any other place. or in any other manner.
s.-s conflict ~ith the explicit snd uneqrvocSl