Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-07-04

contemporary argues that the right of suf-
frage ought to be extended TO negroes because
they are now to be free and to be taxed, and
then the question is put with a loud flourish of
trumpets: Twill anybody say at this suggestive
season Of the year, 1. G., between the seventeenth
of June Bunker Hill day. and the Fourth of
July. that there can be just taxation without re-
presentation"
Certainly we, and every other sensible man,
will say it, whether near the Fourth of July or
at any other date, in hot or cold weather Leave
the negro suffrage business out of the question,
and look at this spread eageism in its simple
character as proposition for the government of
our country, and what does it amount TOT Are
We not Justly taxing thousands on thousands of
men whom we do not allow to vote1 Shall We
exempt all the alien residents of our country from
taxation because they are not permitted to vote,
or shall we admit aliens TO full citizenship the
instant we tax them, because they "pay taxes
and therefore ought to be represented" Shall
q citizen of New Jersey vote in New York be-
cause he pays taxes to our State or cityl Shall
man vote in every State where he pays taxes?
The argument of our contemporary is a spec-
men of q vast deal of the arrant nonsense which
has been taught TO many Of the people for years
past. aud which the unthinking accept as truth.
The principle of taxation without representation,
against which our forfathers commended, was
nothing of the sort imagined by this reasoner,
and the struggle of the outbreaking war was, by
no manner of means. for any such notion as this,
that every man who paid a tax should also vote.
No such folly controlled the minds of the Revo-
lutionary fathers. nor did they, when they came
to achieve their independence, establish any uni
verssl suffrage principle. They understood per
fectly well that something more than paying
taxes was the proper qualification of voter In
Connecticut. to-day. man may pay fifty thou
sand dollars year 10 Government, and yet NAV
be unable to vote, though he were born and
brought up in the State, and il white TO the re-
hottest generation. And why 7 Because there
is an education test, wise and judicous, to which
he may not come up. He may grow as much
as he pleases about living in land where men
are taxed and not represented; but the principle
has always been maintained in eur country that
some classes of men were unfit to VOTE though
they must pay for the protection of the Govern
ment into whose care they have entrusted them
selves. The naturalization system requires a
long residence with intent to become a citizen.
But this long residence is not to be exempt from
taxation Nor can the foreigner come here and
neglect to become a citizen, and thus escape
taxation as long ga be chooses to reside here
liz has never vet been held, so far as we know
in this country, that every man is entitled to
vote, without distinction as TO ability, birth. ace,
or color Nor even At present. do the most
anxious advocates OF negro suffrage seem to
think of giving 10 aliens and all alike the privi-
lege of suffrage New York has acted on the
principle that negro long resident. and having
property to a certain amount, should veie, and
we DO not know that any one would take away
this right But we have no special desire TO
have Massachusetts, settle it tor US, nor does il
specially concern Us what Massachusetts, or any
other State chooses TO do with her negro voters
II is great pity that experience has not taught
people the wisdom OF letting alone what does not
concern them. Ii would not be surprising to see
a party in power some day which would handle
New England with reckless ferocity, aud cut
down its votes and voting powers on some srbi
trsry standard. Query, whether such an idea as
forbidding any man to vote in New England who
chews tobacco or drinks rum, would not be =
foundation for a "morsl psrtyf" 1t concerns
the whole country quite much as negro suf-
frage in the South concerns New Eagland.-N.
Y. Journal of Commerce.