Washington telegraph., 1865-09-20
r G. BRADY,l
PUBLISHER.

STATE SUFFRAGE LAWS The Elec-
.;rr Franchise and ats Regulations in the
Tariou, Northern, Middle and Western
stnts-Maiae. by her constitution,
aJooted October 90, 1919, gives the bal
Inr TO every male citizen of the United
States Of the age of twenty.one years
and upward, excepting paupers, persons
under guardianship. 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 a seminary
of learning, do not acquire residence
thereby.
Ne,o Hampshire.
by her constitution, adopted 1892, still
in force, gives the ballot to '.every male
inhabitant" of twenty-ene years, except
paupers and persons excused from pay
ing taxes at their own request, Free.
hold property qualifications were for.
merly required for office holders, but
these are abolished New Hampshire
never excluded colorsd niea from Voting
OF holding office. .. .---.-,-r !
Vermont. a- ..
which abolished slavery BY her consti.
tuition adopted July 4, 1898, declared in
her bill Of rights that "aI! freemen, hav.
ing sufficient evidence of common inter.
est with an attachment to the community
have right to elect offiaers and be cleo
ted into Office" By article twenty one,
"every man" twenty-ene years of age,
who has resided one year in the State,
who behaves himself quietly and peacea-
bly,, and who will take an oath to vote
so as in your conscience You shall Judge
will most conduce to the best good" of
the State, may vote. In Vermont. there
fore, "a white man is as good rs u negro
if he behaves himself as well," not 9th.
erwise.
MdSSachusetts
by her original constitution, adopted in
1856, gave the ballot to every male per-
son twenty-one years of age, resident in
the commonwealth, having an annual in
come of three pounds from freehold. or
any estate worth sixty pounds.
By an amendment now in force. the
ballot belongs to every male citizen
twenty-one years of age (except paupers
and peIsons under GUARDIANSHIP who
shall have paid any tax assessed within
TWO years, or who shall be exempted from
taxation. But by articIe twenty Of the
amendments, mo person shall have the
light to vote, or be eligible to Office un-
der the constitution of this common.
wealth, who shall not be able to read the
constitution in the English language and
write his name; provided, however that
the provisions Of this amendment shall
not apply to any person prevented by a
physical disability f. ON complying with
Its regulat ons, 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 amendment
shall take effect" Massachusetts, there.
fore, never excluded any man from voting
on account of color.
Rhode Island.
by constitution of 1912, gives the Iigh,
of suffrage
/. To every male citizen of full age,
ohe year in the State, six months in the
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 one dollar tax, or done m :litia
service within the year Hence. in
Rhode Island native negro votes with
out property qualification, while for
uio h., ~
Connecticut
gives the ballot to all persons whether
white or black, who We're free men at
the adoption of her constitution (1S18),
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
ST. or who shall have performed militia
duty, paid State tax, and sustained a
good moral character within the year.
This was amended in 1645 by striking
out the property and tax paying qualifi-
cation, and fixing the residence 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.
Nel0 York t s
admits to the suffrage every male citi-
ZEN ef full age, who shall have been
Ten days citizen, one year in the State
-FOUR years in the country and thilty days
In the district. But TO man af color shall
vote unless he has been three years
a'lzen of the State, and for one year the
owner Of freehold worth two hundred
and nifty dollars, over membranes, on
Which ne shall have paid tax, and he
IS 10 be subject to no direct tax unless
Ne owns such freehold. Laws ars au-
9orlzed and have been passed, exclud-
Igfrom suffrage persons convicted of
gHoeTy, larceny, or any infamous crime,
~so persons betting on the election. No
person gains or losses a residence oy
,s&soh Of presence or absence in the ser
.:e see OF the United States, nor in naviga7
;"u' nor as a student in seminary, nor
Siy asylum or prison. A registry
'SV also exists. --....-.......
b.e Neao Jersey
solut a'St of those enumerated which alb
ana makes color the test of voting,
verr ar IN which slavery existed up TO a
its .o recent period, gives the ballot by
MI Institution of 1914, TO ''every white
NlE cltTzopJ, p IL TTaito1 +ac ~