The Placer herald., 1865-10-07

by her Constitution, adopted October 20,
1919, gives the ballot to ever male citizen
OF the United States Of the age of twenty
one years and upward, excepting paupers,
persons under guardianship, and Indians not
taxed, bavng resided in the State three
months. But persons in the military, naval
and students attending seminary of learn
ing, do not acquire residence thereby. Gin.
cludes negroes.)
NEW HAMPSHIRE,
BY her Constitution. adopted 1891, still
in force, gives the ballot to "every male in
habtan" of tweuty-one years, except pau.
pers and persons excused from paying taxes
at their own request. Freehold property
qualifications were formerly required for Of
tice'hoders, but these are abolished. New
Hampshire never excluded negroes from vo.
ting or holding office.
VERMONT.
Vermont, which abolished slavery by her
Constitution. adopted July 4, 1898, declared
IN her bill of rights that "all freemen, having
sufficient evidence of common interest with
an attachment to the community, have a
night to elect officers and be- elected to Of.
hce." By article twenly'one, every man.
twenty-one years of age, who has resided
one ear in the State, who behaves himself
quietly and peaceably, and who will lake an
oath to vote $50 as in your conscience you
shall judge will most conduce to the best
good" of the State, may vote. In Vermont,
therefore. "a white man is as good AS a ne
gro if he behaves himself as WELL" no,
otherwise.
MASSACHUSETTS.
Massachusetts, by her original Constitu
tion, adopted in 1880, gave the ballot to
every male person twenty-one years of age,
resident in the commonwealth, having an
annual income Of three pounds from free
hold, or any estate worth sixty pounds.
BY the amendment now in the force the
ballot belongs to every male citizen twenty,
one years of age Except paupers and persons
under guardianship, who shall have paid any
tax assessed within two years, or who shall
be exempted from taxation. But by article
20 of the amendments, mo person shall have
the right to vote, or be eligible to office un,
der the Constitution Of this commonwealth,
who shall not be able TO read the Consttu-
ton in the English language, and write his
name; provided, however, that the provisions
of this amendment shall not apply to any
person prevented by physical disability
from complying with its regulations, nor to
any person who now has the right to vote,
nor to any person who shall be sixty years
of age or upward at the time this amend
ment shall take effect" Massachusetts,
therefore, never excluded any man from vo
ting on account Of color.
RHODE ISLAND.
Rhode Island by her Constitution Of 1912,
gives the ri eht of suffrage:
/. To every male citizen of full age one
year in the State, six months in the town,
owning real estate worth 1854, or renting
for 81 per annum.
2. To every native male citizen of full age,
two years in the State, six months in the
town, who is duly registered, who has paid
81 tax, or done militia service within the
year. Hence in Rhode Island native ne
gro votes without a property qualification,
while a foreign born citizen cannot.
CONNECTICUT.
Connecticut gives the ballot to all persons,
whether white or black, who were tree men
at the time of the adoption of her Constilu-
ton Qsls), and subsequently, to "every
white male citizen of the United States of
full age, resident six months in the town,
and owning a freehold of the yearly value of
81, or who shall have performed militia duty,
paid State tax, and sustained a good moral
character within the year." This was amend'
ed in l845 by striking out the property and
tax paying qualification, and fixing the resi-
dence at one year in the State and six months
in the town. Only those negroes have voted
in Connecticut who were admitted freemen
prior to 1918.
NEW YORK.
New York admits to the suffrage 'every
male citizen" of full age who shall have been
ten days citizen, one year in the State,
four months in the county, and thirty days
in the district. But no man of color shall
vote unless he has been three years citizen
of the State and for one year the owner of
free bold worth two hundred and fifty dollars
over membranes, on which he shall have
paid tax; and he is to be subject to no direct
tax unless hs owns such freehold. Laws are
authorized, and have been passed, excluding
from the suffrage persons convicted of brib
cry, larceny, or any Infamous crime; also
persons betting on the election. No person
gains or loses residence by reason of pres
ence or absence in the service of the United
States, nor in navigation, nor as a student
in seminary, nor in any asylum or prison.
A registry law also exists.
NEW JERSEY.
New Jersey, the first of those enumerated
which absolutely makes race the test of vo-
ting, and in which slavery existed up to a
very recent period, gives the ballot by its
Constitution of 1874 to "every white male
citizen" of the United States of full age, re-
siding one year in the State and five months
in the county except that no soldier or ma
rine quartered therein shall acquire the
right, and no pauper, idiot, insane person or
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