Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-03-05


the follo-ing question IL propounded the ed
i'or: "wiIl the soliiers sho may be 10 the army
he allaxel he right Of suffrage At the coming
ele.sou OF not"
In aaswss 10 that interrogstory the Journal
says:
%. Will soldiers IN the fed be allowed The
right Of saFragef IL IL depended on the Union
men Of the State. or on the Governor, uhey
would, besond all question. But the late Legs
iature, through which alone the steps 10 secure
this right could be taken. vas controlled IN no'h
branches by Copperheads Who refused TO allow
ANYTHING 10 be done. just as the same part. mas
done In Maine Connecticut, Wisconsin, pe"
Jersey and everywhere where the attempu mas
been made 20 recognize the civil rights ~ the
citizen in arms We believe the soldier has Just
the same right to vote that he had sfore
be enlisted, and that in taking up arms Ne has
added 70. instead of diminished, his elaans to
the fullest exercise Of the right; but the copper
heads don't think 30. aud they. accidentally. had
the power to do a. they pleased at the only time
when anything could be done. In New Jersey
that party has introduced bill into the Beessla-
ture not only refusing soldiers the right TO vote.
but fofbidding them go within mile Of any
poll IL In the city, uifhin fioo miles IL IN the
country. In this State the party, which happens
for the time TO own the Supreme Bench, 10 dead
set" against soldiers suffrage. and against sol /
diers IN all relations, and of course possess IN
the Court the means To make their hostility ef-
fective. So we fear Indiana soldiers will be dis
franchised by the Copperheads.
We do not believe that even the editor OF the
Journal ever wrote a more false, wicked and
malignant article than the foregoing. We do
no. doubt that Dir. DAYTON wrote his letter in
good faith, desiring and expecting All homes. and
truthful answer Our soldiers in the field are
greatly dependent upon their friends ut home for
correct information and the utmost fairness and
truthfuiness should characterize all of inter
course with them. Who can conceive OF the
dspravty and mslignity OF the heart tina. prompts
man to deceive where confidence has been re-
posed, aud to utter deliberate. willfu and mali
cious falsehood agains, his neighbors and fellow
citizensi The object of the Journal was to de-
ceive and mslead the soldiers. and thereby to
excite and exasperate them against the Demo-
cratic party.
The Journal. in answer to the question whether
soldiers will be entitled vote says. "if it de-
pended on the Union men of the State. or on the
Governor they would. beyond all question" If
this be true, then the Union men of the State
and Governor MoaroS are in favor of Migrant
violation Of plain aud express provision OF the
State Constitution. The trainers of our Consti-
tuition for the purpose of gupyding and protecting
the purity ofthe ballot box declares that all voters
sshal be entitled to vote in the township or pre-
cine, where be may reside" We presume that ii
the trainers of the Constitution could have fore
seen the present war. they would have made pro-
vision for the emergency. The same provision
IA eontaped in the constitutions of several other
States. The Legislatures of Wisconsin, Penn
svIvania. Connecticut and New Hampshire. in
violation of this express requirement OF their
constitutions, passed laws permitting soldiers
who were absent from their States to vote. The
result has been that the Supreme Courts of each
OF those States composed of Republican Judges.
have decided such laws to be unconstitutional
and void To remove all doubt upon this ques
ton, We will quote from these decisions The
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania says
:. The term residence in the Constitution. !:
the same domicil-a word which means the
place where a man establishes his abode, make:
the seat of his property and exercises his civil
and political rights, aud that the right of thu
ssidier to vote under the Constitution. is in tn,
district where he resided at the time of entering
the military service.
The Supreme Court Of Connecticut SAYS:
These provisions of the Constitution. together
with numerous other incidental and accessory
provisions in the same instrument, clearly ndicat
ing an UNREASONABLE purpose. in those who
framed ~ well in those who adopted that Ia
srument, TO require electors to vote only within
the several towns where they have their residence
and at the time and place within such towns OF
holding the regular annual meeting of electors
for that purpose, leave TO room for construction
ani afford no room to doubt. that any act of the
Legislature authorizing The votes OF electors tC
be taken at any other place. any other man
ner, does conflict with the explicit and unequ
vocal provisions Of the Constitution and Il there
fore void
The Supreme Court of New Hampshire says
As these views lead to the conclusion IN II
this bill, IN its most prominent features. Is II
conflict with the provisions aud the spirit OF oul
Constitution. We have not deemed il necessary &c
consider whether il might also be Objectionable
unequal 10 its practical effect, dispensing
with those opportunities tor conference aud con-
suitation that have heretofore been deemed i'm
portant, ii not essential. to the successful opera
ton Of our institutions: or whether il contain:
provisions otherwise in conflict with the funda
men al law OF the State
The Supreme Courts of several other States
have decided the same way. but We have not be-
fore us their opinions The Constitution of New
York contained a similar provision to TIL,
Legislature of that State. believing that the sol
diers could not vote without amendment &c
the Constitution. have proposed one. which vii
soon be voted by the people of that State
The emily way in which our soldiers who are ab
sent from their place of residence vote, is b,
amendment to Constitution. How car
the Constitution be amended. and how dong vii
il takel
Sections and of article 10 read as follows
ANY amendment amendments to this Con
stitution may be proposed by either branch of IN,
General Assembly. and IL the same shall b,
agreed TO by a majority OF the members eiecte,
To each OF the two houses. such proposed amend
meat or amendments shall with the yeas anC
nays thereon. De entered upon their journals ant
referred "a the General Assembly 10 be chosen a
the next general election; aud il. in the Genera
Assembly so next chosen. such proposed amend
ment or amendments shall be agreed to by
majority OF all the members elected to eac
house. then IL shall be the duty OF the Genera
Assembly TO submit such amendment or amend
ments to the electors Of the State: aud if a ma
iority of said electors shall ratify the same suc
Amendment or amendments shall become par
of this Constitution.