, 1866-08-16
IMPORTANT OPNION.
The Dean Case in the Michigan
Supreme Court.

Lne DeaU CsiSe Ill ule M1Gu15d1
Supreme Court.
The Preponderance OF Blood as 1t,
Affects the Elective Franchise. <&
Opinion OF Chief Justice
Mar1in.
Michigan vs. william Dean s1aftin, C. J., dis,
EenunE.
csas t3es San "a Sq +
Ing At election helI nt Iegular township meet
w II one Of The To- 2H9Ass Of hsf soT1 1a LOT
q general election for members Of the Board OF
Argcnts 2f the state University: ,..
chip offered to !ote. II std elections, ana npon
thst ks - sss,ent dent q II esid adj d1was6ip md pos
ssssed t1s 1s,t Gtaer re9ntsis qualifications 0. ~ a.
ceivcd and deposited IL he ballot box and counted
with other ballots deposited ttefelu, according to
That thercupon The counsel for tie People intro
duced a. witness one Andrew 2. You:lg, Who
and further, that nom the color and appearance Of
he defendant. he regarded him as mnlatto, 4nd
taid council also introduced other wit
sep no asensaa tie sa1 vs. :.
1ae FL 1s''nsa ss was mo not % wbite man; 1.at he
was born IN the state Of Delaware;
Delaware hey eons:desed ~ nsE;ons q IT. 9,ss ,s,
white Or Afftean blood il he tieteaaan1; but they
mixed blood viii ! considerable proportion Of
negro blood In him, aEd therefore they understood
T, o sS or boo re
| said counsel for the People then introduced as
witness for the prosecution z3aa Pitcher, who tes
SA,s1 xtrAfh hn ,htE ff1r% A,1n
lad practiced as such foT the LAST 10 year; thas he
was acquainted with the races. Indian, Negro. 4n-
trial, aud from such examination il wa his profess
l eorAl opinion that thetc was SOME African blood
led. not eaeeeais oneaisfesnsb I Pm: T that be
ehon1d think the plisoner hae oncsixteenth African
heed II hiz yeirs ,sf Us oGy ssas .,
nosc. aud this WIS IN iatallib1e indication: that
there was nothing about h.s appearance II T. other
can blood; that hit skin was not dihs.ent from
llat often Witnessed in Europeans Of blliouz tenn
IL II IT, ~ 1ie ss
cue race CT the Other. aud In the mixed blood the
har ae1s would :9aiests al only a tae 9s GI tas
: tnutatto bclne person Of the half blood. md
that ,le defendant was f1r soa, tl1st and that be-
: siaod. Sas T. "A''e A'~D' e9'sfs |.@A ~.'''
i The counsel for The defendant then introduced
}. ihey had known Ike defendant and tls family in
!. Dciawa,e, that ther were OF IEdan de.caA1- from
ao neo bfoo tn S shs@ to lie
the witnesses that tasf The ea'd Witnesses bad
no se1s Fl. .. .,sas & sf the eoan.c,
fsndant 1eqne.,e.l the Csrcui, Judge 10 cha.g:
jury 1st. Tha: II they believed fron. .l,e nce
snsliaestion- q ! Ieeal esstor, yet ths he h;d
ace Of Aflissn blood In . ss!tt :, no, @ TsH;S,ssnE
he legal elt-sor. and lawfully entitled 70
:, L rha. IL they beticses fsnm thu evidence tbas,
j. the descendant had ait the osher qualifications nt
M s md ~ y y
u: III anat if' + Sey esiie.r nu ,he .s,*se TINT
lc The dcitnant was .: Indian descent. hut ha! .ne.
fraee only. cr portion Of nrg1u Or African blood
ndan nnlrr 1s csn.',,a!l1 i, IN hl sT s;t
And tle tniI t:!1cnii :Iud.u then AM: th:rc r..
srsry e IN ts ~ : s IA
in'nla g eharr aud enei' al cs:Fy une "t tim.
s s.s:s .s mi H. r ~. r. ts. ; s"xs 'n Ill IT. 'a "
s. i s .ise'.i :; Fl s. II s ;' a. ''s '
osnrgr.' Aftle.a h"t. rtiun 10 t,,*.ha. sr.ta't
sl,sa,is,l, a,s, s.ss 10! entitled v"; Anl + ht
:%I ,ho'iS b. 1s. s.nsistrd. !" H. Witch mid rhsrte
;S,n n1s lit s ;h,fs ssu"': s.e.T;r s tho a "''1 L.
.aiI cGeutt lu!re Then AMI there ;n.the
@ I'D ,Ss, laS af1 s! l. IT. IT, Il
II, oihcr qualifications of M clec,nf, "1crc' 3SY
he while man, i,rrStshcist.: u .l,ry btli's:i. r.
sss;s:''ssf = :: Ass T.: sss!
hen or. hr wne not willie ninh Within tho meaning
this thc tebttItutio and ~a- MT entitled II s"tr as
,uu rcr,on Of Indian drsrtnt' undct oiif ep''tsla
IRIS Upcn nil lie exception. saken error va. ~
scr. lhr,e ~. t.tn'trt rrrpr ~ .:n5lns ,ns !:
ss sn snsl n The ehs,sn g!vrn 4 t'snn t'.s'.;;,
~; IT, sss Ssses s.s sifs;S %ftssa si
uc srii.s h fxtrfi!ns unc.pt t.tseh whether ths r.
w. ss;r" "a H. ny: s = 2: , .s ss .se Sf nn
e,I. ssssd ~ ri! II. r.'u'i l,at s,EaIl, :" A'sIc
hlvo i net .sisnt 4 .ssasi' ',r en- s!ss';' sn
.s sds til ssy. j. dr":!rs = s'. ta.e a ano',s
H. qnr~,.n" was raised. ~hssh NY ets.h,ss assr y
III vi ri T"s.to. so,ish, 10 h. snt.r;t a,i =. a
ATTY nom tlrm >. TO n proper roa.on. shall g
s M III Il n;g as.'o II i s: i Il @
aa an ssh r = b; +, ,;ln. mSi, MAR wa.
,i,cd rot legal cirr,os: Il .'ow the question q
dian oleod entirely a=las. ~ al 70 i1iass'; ~ ~ !,
as,sasi1e r. III e e! M ~
man. enshls ldm to den'nld and eo1oS fhs slfe'"
uitet aries wi,h E,a- :ren ,sa. up to tte time
the adoption u IN; ptesent const;tniten Gust, @ taat
think tssnc up to .he present. fme, ;h..s ,s,s
cago generally rrc.alcEt lesal meaning matsn San m
stsnf+ | Regarded ~ hssinR become 60 aaashem ~ - @@
been weight ~ iss adoltcn into ons tohena!un
urin. lawt- Tie ot's1n ~ !ne ~ h
s,s ' Ss' @af es as Is ess
and n our Conttn.ion Ile 11eslstan y, rs ,,, %
euen Wtst docs n,e7n - T. - p.ot ran.;,1r,
ssnm Ssna c;,ss coss1e~a q fEe51aass lss sdholzi
s% soS, T. a 'es, eeass:sins iSs t 'oe ap3a r
: van MaFi eItasrns Who h7d ,.rsh rs.ea =, in ;,
p19 s0. mess' I'd Ga 't.cs es''1a 'saEsa y
she1 e7tey followed stn5 "a lie san,e s,na.
:fn In .he constinion. but with The loose in!!ca
m. idea ef IL vs1ue aud @sa;inF which n hro
S's' origin ne nus, III, sorEes tsat it sp.an: up
serent eiaSe.y was rccoEuizxl and powerful izssu
ane cree s1 eontloas ihs aad .ht
n and cal sentiments Of n.!is:lnl. Of al parties
ot Jet prtdomnsni idea g. 1nas dsE was na1 me
% the at1na II blood which sioa'd disiae he
sna African races YES S;1 ri 1e:nES, T
rs. IN the Tree sater md IN The ssave ssatss no
medal Question could asfte, their ;, pecT';ar
is aon' aheh e H. :is
,ument etiruion was coctnued partly from thss t3s
be il already existed unczpanndea, and naus
,sass ia aast esa 4 4 o. ef
iuds 0f blood less than the 1ulaffo, Edd noL LhrH
admit the subject cf consideration. Or po.,eA @ ~ u
Open And a. tae 1ttee o. saE a4opiasa w. ~ -
;heF at Constit1.ion. do not think this question
and Is gree Of blood entered into t.e eousdeIsli
axen1e vctese 1te! oniy aee. ,t1t thas I;,.
val not vote, and This lneiHden: N1eanEe Goaot. =
upon toes n.hcE vent further fhan lns, tnss tn..
stec OF 70 e1el9at esel9 Psl2" ta ~ Is +-sa.5
lairoad not until sectional contests oE EoWeI, ins
of the gcss Tor the abolition Of slavery u Inc nis
TO con- toln111fa. anu tAe as.uaaoa - thS ~,
ire trip. tie SoftheIA s.a.Ss' st+ tIG -
IN Mon Of the 11suee nnn Lisn. a t:,9!t
i l. ehs ass e1s,;sd i hs SS;h 1ass a
leave VIII AceE1ath EaSF ~ aus 's.s ~ fa.st =,
~ Yoie ri ses sloo iss;lsss !e III
e:o e1 " haa no1hne m snvin:
~ in he Opposed It'll not wholly pt-yenseI-hE
tea Ed some qualtdeatons o1 ms feusaIon7 Il Il
Auburn been 1pp!eaenoe1. auH ~ tnss naN W. y
.ua TO have no Doubt sreh QEal1heanons "onld {
It Ks- main in our constitution snd laws. fos tLe
On Mon reason that the word white remains a.
seed 10 en blood aGeets the political stains q s
f. the9. of 9asrn =! ,a or o,,
Z; s sx + S9F 5E tasen II IL h a
ber 5ht states nut w. 1iuue Z. ,-fi1 T. ~;
tiazsha1l COUNTY, taaa oaas Las -, Vo." fc- no.
at Chi e Sioo a. noua tSs ss M
CHICAGO from ths polls IN France ior aaS I eanse
toWash esGsse this hatred q 1ecss and deny to
anapolss nnteG Mto Al.Sn ~ 'ns ~ ~ Gnr a.
il raid. this prejudice Is Of Northern Ur
had EsoTnS 15 o1oa tb is u ,pe So1h
ma until about the year 1s3a, went fuIth
York the people Of Michigan hare ever been dlsE
I'd 5 pEo1Sssd IN seas baaes @e:e
~ .olut,ns. n Ibis caiegorr-might claim md cxest
n York elective fsanehise And. %, g1ail to az