The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-09-05

+! The Elective Franchise and its Regulation IN
the Various Northern, Middle and Vesteyn
| States.
MAINE
BY her Constitution, adopted Oct 26, 1919.
gives the ballot to every male citizen of the
United States of the age oftwenty lone years and
upward, excepting paupers, persong under ge@r-
dianship, and Indians not taxed, having resided
in the State three months. But persons in the
military, naval or marine service, quartered in
the State, and students attending seminary Of
learning, do not acquire q residence thereby,
Gncluding negroes)
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
BY her Constitution, adopted 1892, stih in
force, gives the ballot to ''evcry male nhabtant,"
OF twenty one years, except paupers and persoas
excused from paying taxes at their own request.
Freehold property qualifications were formerly
required for ofhce-hoiders, but these are abol-
ished New Hampshire never excluded colored
men from voting or holding Office.
VERMONT
| Vermont which abolished slavery BY her Con-
stitution, adopted July 4, 1893, declared in her
bill of rights that sail freemen, having sufficient
evidence Of common interest with an attachment
to the community, have right to elect officers
aud be elected to Office" By article twenty
has resided one year in the State, who behaves
himself quietly and peaceably, and who will
take an oath to vote, $50 as 10 your conscience
you shal judge will most conduce to the best
good" OF the State, may vote. In Vermont,
therefore, "a white man is as good a negro if
he behaves himself as WE'LL" not otherwise.
MASSACHUSETTS.
Massachusetts, by her original Constitution,
o1o in bo b.t1o L.
person twenty-one years Of age, resident in the
commonwealth, having an annual income of
three pounds from freehold, or any estate
worth sixty pounds.
By the amendment now In force the ballot
belongs to every male citizen twenty-one years
of age Except paupers and persons under guar
dianship,) who shall have paid any tax assessed
within two years, or who shall be exempted from
| taxation. But by article 20 Of the amendments,
''no person shall have the right to vote, or be
eligible to Office under the Constitution of this
commonwealth who shall not be able to read
the Constitution 10 the English language, ard
write his name; provided, however, that the
provisions Of this amendment shall not apply to
any person prevented by a 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
upwards at the time this amendment shall take
effect" Massachusetts, therefore, never ex
cluded any man from voting account Of color.
RHODE ISLAND.
| Rhode Island by Constitution of 1912, gives
the right of suffrage:
l. To every male citizen Of full age, one year
10 the State, six months in the town, owning
real estate worth sl34, or renting for 81 per
| annum.
2. 10 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 negro votes without a
property qualification, while foreign born
white citizen cannot.
CONNECTICUT.
Connecticut gives the ballot to all persons,
whether white or black, who were free men at
the adoption of her Constitution l8lS), and
subsequently to "cvery white male citizen of the
| United States" of full age resident six months
in the town. and owning freehold of the yearly
value of 81, or who shall have performed mill
tia duty, paid State tax, and sustained good
moral character within the year. This was
amended in 1845 by striking out the property
aud tag 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
|
to 1918.
NEW YORK.
New York admits to the suffrage "every male
citizen" one year in the State, four months in
:hc county, and thirty days. 10 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 freehold worth two hundred
aud fifty dollars over membranes, on which
he shall have paid tax; and he is to be subject
to no direct tax unless he owDs such freehold.
Laws are authorized, and have been passed, e1-
cluding from the suffrage persons convicted of
| bribery larceny, or any infamous crime, also,
persons betting on the election. No persons
gains or loses a residence by reason Of presence
or absence in the service of the United States,
i'nor in navigation, nor as q student IN semin-
airy, nor in any asylum or prison. registry
law also exists.
NEW JERSEY.
New Jersey, tho first Of those enumerated
which absolutely makes color the test Of voting,
and in which slavery existed up to a very recent
period, gives the ballot by its Constitution Of
1874 to ''eyery white male citizen" of the Uni
ted States of full age, residing one year in the
State and FIVE months in the county, except that
no soldier or marine quartered therein shall ac-
quire the right, and no pauper, idiot, insane
person, or person convicted of n crime which
excludes him from being witness, shall vote.
PENNSYLVANIA.
| Pennsylvania gives q vote to "every white
| freeman of full age who has resided one year
in the State and ten days 10 the election district
and has within two years paid tax, except that
a once qualified voter returning into the State
l. - saA @rCw