The Portland daily press., 1866-12-22

The advocates of universal suffrage, start
ing with the axiom that every good govern
mept rests upon the consent of the governed,
assume that the consent must be not implied
hut EXPRESSED, and proceed to argue that the
right to participate in the business of govern
ment belongs, like the rights to life, liberty
and the pursuit Of happiness, to every human
being of mature years and sound mind unless
forfeited by crime. This theory has recently
found expression in the United States Senate,
and is sufficiently plausible to challenge at
tcntion and discussion. -
1t will be observed, in the first place, that
nobody has yet advocated unlimited Suffrage
Certain classes Of the community are eXciuu-
ed by the most radical retormers' phiioreh,
idiots, insane people and paupers VINO are es-
teemed to be and usually are weak minded,
are not TO vote according to any plan yet pro-
ponnded The objection, it is instructive to
notice. is in all these cases Identical Imma-
ture or disordered intelligence is accepted as
a sufficient disqualification The principle Of
limitation is thus accepted ON all hands. The
symmetry of the theory is nowhere preserved.
The fallacious notion OF the Unborn right Of
every member of the community to the bal
lot, is nowhere carried out to its legitimate
results. a
The reason for these limitations is entirely
satisfactory. 1t is not the right OF children
to govern adults; or of the insane to control
the sane. The exercise of such power
would obviously be inconsistent with the safe
ty of society Ii dangerous in other matters,
it would be still more mischievous in affairs of
state. We even require certain amount Of
special training, by association and observa-
ton, before admitting foreigners to partici-
patton in the government. Nobody proposes
to give the ballot to immigrants as soon as
they land upon American soil. To life, lib
erty and the pursuit of happiness, they are
welcome at once, but not to the ballot till
they have had time to learn something about
its use. F.#
II the theory admits of limitation at all,
there is no absolute reason for stopping at
one point rather than another, and it becomes
an open question, where the line Of exclusion
shall be drawn.
A mistaken notion is also prevalent as to
what constitutes equality ofrights Hasty and
inaccurate thinkers confound the right to be-
come with the right to be. Every native
American citizen has right to become Pres
ident, if he can; but only one out Of the mil
lions has right to be President-the man
who is elected. There is perfect equality of
opportunity but we cannot all be Presidents.
So the limitations; to the privilege of voting
must not affect the real equality Of our citi-
zens. The same opportunity must be left
open to all. The child may grow to man.
hood; the mailman may recover his senses !;
the immigrant will in time adapt himself to
cur Institutions; to all the same opportunity
must be left open. The same rule must APP
ply to all And this is really impartial suf
ffage -
Is there any reason then, why the candid
ates for this distinction should not be requr-
ed to possess the keys to knowledge-the ele-
mentary arts of reading and writing 1t is
important to make the voting list as compre
heusive as possible. Granted but would
such requirement narrow it for any length
OF time? Would it not rather stimulate the
work OF elementary education Can we trust
such constituencies as followed the Southern
aristocracy into rebellion, or such as have re-
Gently elected John Morrissey to Congress and
quietly allow themstlv to he ridden by the
most corrupt municipal government in the
world, any more than we can trust children
OF madmen?
The Machas Republican, in a temperate
and judicious article representing the oppo-
site view. says there are many men in the
Free States who cannot read or write, who
are from observation, qualified to understand
their duties much better that many who can
do So" Undeniably. So there are many
boys who are better qualified to vote than
many men. The law deals with classes, and
the Republican will not contend that the nom
reading class is better qualified to vote than
the reading class, nor SO WELL Conceding
that point, we think the Republican will be
compelled to abandon its main position but
perhaps not. At any rate We can agree with
the Republican in its confidence, that "by the
united wisdom of our statesmen, in concur
renee with the people, this question will be
satisfactorily settled" The bill for the reor-
ganization of North Carolina requires voters
to read and write, and we are not without
hope that the suffrage bill for the District of
Columbia, when returned by the President,
will be amended in this particular.