Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-02-10
mr., cI,,o, s,..Lo, NM ,.n

10 SH~-h
Of all taxes should be made the condition
precedent to the rights Of registration, as
much so as the payment of a poll tax.
Mr.. Cutter said the opinion Of the Gov
ernor, who was q candidate for reelection
land he thought he stood no show SO far
as his county was. concerned), and that Of
the Adjutant General, who was supposed
to be q Democrat, would have very little
weight with him. He would not soy any
thing about the character or patriotism Of
the Adjutant General, but his politics
were doubted very much last fall. He
said that unless his amendment prevailed
it would result in a loss Of at least 81, 900
revenue from this source to Storey county.
He was not disposed to legislate for the
exemption of bummers, who never had
any property to levy on for q poll tax, but
for the honest laboring community, who
had wages, etc., to levy on. It would be
injustice to place these bummers, who
paid no poll tax, on the same footing at
the polls with the laboring mechanic or
other person. He would say that If these
bummers had not the money to pay their
poll tax, either of the parties would pay
the same, and after that they could, if they
saw fit and proper, sell their votes for one
dollar and fifty cents worth of whisky. .
Mr.. Banks thought that the proposition
to make the payment of q poll tax a con-
dition precedent to the right of registra-
ton was not an odious one. although a
large mass of the people evidently thought
SO. knowing this, and that it would
take five years to remove that erroneous
impression, and feeling unwilling to un-
dertake such an onerous task, he would,
under an implied pledge he had made last
fall, vote against this amendment.
Mr.. Wood said that he thought that the
effect the amendment would have politi-
cally wal not the one that should be ar
gued. The payment of the poll tax was
q good thing for the State, and unless it
could be shown that requiring the pay
ment of a poll tax worked %injuriously or
unjustly, the amendment should prevail.
If property was protected it required the
levy Of a tax to hid in its protection.
Owners Of real property were forced to
pay taxes, and if this amendment did pre-
vail the result of it would be that a small
portion of the community would escape
payment Of any tax although they would
be equally protected and allowed equal
rights at the ballot box. 1t was placing
men who spurn the law on an equality at
the ballot box with the most law abiding
man. .n.
Mr.. McDougall said that It was the
expressed wish OF the Union party last
fall that this amendment should not again
prevail. He did not think the poll tax
prerequisite or requirement would make a
difference Of Is to 100 poll taxes, amount
ing to from six to eight hundred dollnrs
in Storey county, and in the State Of
$4,000. He was opposed to the poll tax
requirement being inserted. It would
not preserve the purity of the ballot box,
as the reason that the rich, or designing,
politician might pay the poll tax Of those
who felt unable to do SC, to q great extent,
and then these parties would be under a
certain influence to the parties who paid
their poll tax for them. The argument,
on the ground Of priority, did not apply
in behalf of the poll tax requirement.
Mr.. Hayden said that the opinion prev
alent among the people u in Lander
county was against the poll tax. So far
as the Union party was concerned he sup
posed they were about equally divided.
Mr.. Edwards said that until to-day he
had not made up his mind how no should
vote on the amendment. He should now
oppose it. The object of the bill was not
to force money from men, but to protect
the ballot-box. The argument that the
adoption Of the amendment was necessary
to the Union party, was not a logical one.
A moneyed qualification as prerequisite
to the right Of voting, was an aristocratic
one. He thought that the proposed re.
quirement would result in making the
whole matter of elections o moneyed mat
ter, and that certainly was not the inten-
ton of a Registry law.
Mr.. Glover desired not to consult popu-
larity in taking the position he had, but
was simply acting in what he deemed a
conscientious manner for the best interests
of the State. He denied that a poll-tax,
as proposed to be levied was q property
qualifcation-also denied that It was anti
Democratic to enforce the collection Of a
poll-tax.
Mr.. Beck aid as no understood the
question, it was - should any non-law
abiding citizens have the right to vote.
He thought thoy should not. He claimed
that the ballot-box would not be kept pure
and protected, if it were not that the laws
of the State were enforced. He should
not vote on this matter as q question OF
policy 80 far as the Union party was con-
cerned. He said the cause Of the small
vote last year was the inconvenience Of
the provisions Of the Registry law, which
required the voters to go to the county
seat. .Tr sas
MIR. Mason had been taught that the
birthright Of an American citizen was his
suffrage. II the Union party cannot exist
on principle and right, let the Democratic
party slip again into power. He was in
favor Of permitting all Americans TO vote,
a. was their privilege. .
Mr.. Cutter inquired If he was in favor OF
permitting Cinnamon and negroes born in
the United States to vote? =.
Mr.. Mason replied that he was Z radical
in the fullest sense Of the word, and was
in favor Of permitting all American citi-
zens to vote.
Mr.. Munckton was in favor Of q poll
tax, but did not want it embodied in this
Act.
Mr.. Grey said the opposition to this
proposition was certainly a Democratic
move.
Mr.. Ingham said the proposed amend.
ment Mas moi . restriction Of the right OF
voting, as had been stated. He said the
bill in its requiring a registering Of voters
was, In fact, a restriction on the voters.
He heartily favored the amendment. As
q matter Of revenue the payment OF the "a
should be required.
Mr.. Cutters amendment was then voted
down by the following vote
Ayes-Messrs. Beck, Crawford, Gutter,
Grey, Glover, Hall, Ingham, James, Van
dewater, and Wood-l0.
Noes = Messrs. Bearss, Clemens, Ed
wards, Elliott, Fisher, Haskell. Hayden,
Hinckley, Hudson, Julien, Lane, Mason
Mayhueh, Munokton, McDougall, oNehi'
Prince, Walton, Mr.. Speaker-le.
The bill was then ordered engrossed.
Assembly bill, An Act to amend Sec
ton SO of the Revenue Act. Passed.
Assembly bill, An Act in relation 70
.-1sA1aAA .H.