New-York daily tribune., 1863-04-15
souDrERs AND SUFFRAGE.

sOLDIERs AND SUFFRAGE.
The Wsrld thus repels tho imputation that IL
had objected to soldiers voting in the late Rhode
Island and Connecticut elections:
9TH, 10 not honestly stated We did not object TO the
voting; but did object TO the soldiers Of only
party having that privilege while was denied 10 h' 0'h''
Very good. We shall now bring you to
book. Judge Lows bill, which has passed the
Senate Of our State, provides that ersry legal
voter in our State who may be serving in the
armies of the Union, at the next and at all
future State elections, shall be entitled to vote
as though he were at home. His right to vote
is to be canvassed and established where his
vote is cast, where there can be no difficulty
in determining the question correctly; but, if
this bill passes, all soldiers of the Union, who
are legal voters in this State, can exercise
their right of suffrage precisely as if they were
at home. There can be no shadow Of pretense
that "the soldiers Of only one party" can vote
under this bill, or that one party will enjoy
any advantages under it that are denied to
another. And, even though battle should be
raging on the day Of our next State Election,
our New.York soldiers votes will be cast un.
der il; for each will have been dispatched to
the chosen friend who is to cast them several
days beforehand.
The Copperhead device to circumvent and
disfranchise the soldiers proposes an amend.
ment of the Constitution. which cannot at best
be effected until after our next election.
Meantime, at least Five thousand Of Judge
Lows constituents-fully three-fourths Of them
Republicans or War Democrats-will have
been deprived of their votes next Fall, insur-
ing the election of Copperhead in the Judges
place. So in other Districts. And the Sem
ate, thus elected by the disfranchisement Of
the soldiers, will have power to defeat their
voting at all by failing to ratify the constitu.
tional amendment aforesaid, or by deferring
decisive action upon it until it is too late to
secure the indorsement Of popular vote be-
fore November, 81.
Of course, Mr.. Horatio Seymour-hmself
elected by the disfranchisement Of our Volun-
teers in the field, whose votes, if cast, would
have given Gen. WADswoRTH at least Twen-
ty-fve thousand majority-lends himself to the
juggle by which they are to be kept from vot-
ing for at least another year, and probably for
ever. He must naturally think well of the
bridge that has carried him safely the
abyss of defeat. But just look at the relevant
provisions Of our State Constitution:
Arr H. SIC l. Every male citizen OF tho ago oflw.ny
one years 10 shall have oeeo citizen Tor ten days and en-
don and or the n.' tsnI month, resident 81 The county
sseaoa In the s.eian district Of which be .h. a tins tune
be reside ut. and no, ioI al objects that now are
shall have been for hirly day, nsI proceeding t election.
sddsnt Of ihs dtct from which iho officer Is chosen for
"sKo For tie purpose Of voting no perIon shall be
deemed to have gained or lost residence By reason OF his
absence while employed In the service Of the
sEc {. Law, ,h. Be made for .scer,anins BY proper
proofs the citizens who shall be eoed the right Of ,uIigs
hereby sstablished
sEc An election. by the citizen, shall be BY ballot
eePt for such town nsy BY law be directed TO be
otherwise chosen"
We have thus quoted every word Of our
present State Constitution that bears on the
question at issue. There is not phrase, an
iDtimation, a syllable, that prohibits or
precludes the taking by proxy Of the
votes of such citizens as by "proper proofs
are shown 10 be legal voters, or requires the
personal presence Of each elector at the poll
The main point is to determine who are legal
voters and confne the voting to them. That
any of these should be dsfranchised because
they are in arms, exposing their lives for the
salvation Of their country, is palpaby, fagrantly
wrong, and ought not to be endured for an
hour. To attempt to continue ii for another
year. and thereby put into the hands Of those
who profit by the disiranchissment of our
Volunteers the right TO perpetuate the injustice
is too monstrous to bear scrutiny. We ask for
Judge Lows bill the vote of every member
who believes that our soldiers on the Kappa
hammock and further South are daring and suf-
feriHg for their country.