Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-05-21
80 stFrom the Congregstionalistl ~
citizenship and Night of Suffrage
. 2 hbY REV. ILEosARp HaccoN,, p.p.-

certain remarks of mine on Senator Wil.
sons proposed bill for guarding and pro-
hteetino the right of slIffraUe In tho JInitad
States., My sunkhown frlend. $ If 7 nav
$50 translate his Latin signature. does not
venture TO- answer any Of my Questions
A(coRgregdtio "A pril 81. Oh he saws
they might be s.easily ans wered. y Instead Of
that easy task, ne s.proposes. . as he saws, ..to
Suggest to yot,n Mr.. Editor, the propriety
of asking me q few Questions founded 81,
my article: and he makes, some attemnt IN
show what those few questions are.
Perhaps might reply. without anv lack nj
.sjustice Of codrtesy, by sayi1S OF his dues
tions, as he says of mine, that they may. be
s"easily answered, = and that stL do not now
.epropsse 10 answer them. y But assuming
that n writes in good faith. i will answer
his questions frankly and explieitly.G 80 20
-ato1. Hewantss to- Know what fs the idea in
nv mind, which the words sselectiye franz
chise,n and the parallel, words, fright of
Suffrage express and are Intended to con-
h-vey.1A .vsssl.oa isssssggfo ;lFNit,,H .sfnales1
''0l I answer that the idea In my mind which
those phrases express and are designed to
convey, Is the very familiar idea of a right
co vote IN an election of political officers.
g.. .sHe asks. ieoncerning .the elective
-1ranchise, 1.-The right of suffrage," or in
other words, the right to VOTE sit is a right
at allY a y .vsI sss ;, 10 s,1 E,i6sreJ
L answer, certainly, it is right in Con-
necticut; and as L understand the case, it IL
. right IN every State and county in which
any ,othcer Of Government is designated
Dy electors. aIl-slQ yislst7ao, no.5s st''sa'o
- Is z. ne ASKS concerning this right. To
whom does it appertain Pr sisa o,7i bad as..j
O, llansWer, 1t appertains, in any particu
: lar ogaGe or country, 70 Just those persons
on wnom the ta,o Of that State or country
has conferred it. = IUJ 10 s5asse1q Eli III
-e,s4 Referring to the State in which 1 live,
ne asks whether M tae right in question1 iap-s
rn tl6aQf flarlt or
20 q portion OF them--those who have
peakea noses ana straight hair 20 "a. ~
~. 1 answer, 70 nelther. The right OF yot-
Z ing IN eiectipns IS conferred, by the organic
y q law o. Sonnectleuteno not on citizens simply
sucn, put on QUEENS OF a certain DESCRIPTION
ADV tne qescIipelqn OF tue citizens who are
~ y yote- = n tnas sney nave peaked noses
= anu sGralgnt nalr3f TO save MIN the trouble
0t S. asking again. Will tell him Just what
[0 E.isL nlpu OF citizen IN Gonnectieut has the
q LlSns q Young: =. ihe cltlzen; desiring to
= oe Teseeo Win Gnis rignG must De invested
q NSlu Wigu ~ oy tne seiecImen o; gne, Town; and
Slty SnSy are 10 lnvest.h MIN win lt II ne mas the
q soil0Wlng quailncations, and not otherwise.
g Inc eleizeh =, muse oe male citizen" ="
b5s,,,;.sd - thst pe tnougn II is not re-
bsIulreu .C9aG ne shaii pe cieal,a nor Is any
satu a9ouS 9ls nose or ms nair. A. he
e lus. = pg pos iesS tnan SWsnSy- years OF
Heer and II t,a tan ~ 5ne osaee one
oeet5lg . tne tIme at Which ne offers himself,
2. l.,l9Ns HS nIust nave goou moral character
e,M9letl tleans, 1 oeileVe, Gnae ne must not
H cvnvteSeu ol crime I'D any court.
: ..ne must oe aoie 70 read; g. He must
taHe ceLsaln oaGn prescribed Dy law. .OI
oIo..;a. isIeuu !gnoCus ASKS wheGner.
eteceise I'VE trancnlse Is a Tlgnt OF cltlzen-
gu
= = answer, no. neitnerln Connectlcut nor
i5ss tsny Tiere uo e.se M'Inlnnly knowiedge.
T. n y asaral, CIVIL pontl
a,s,,,s,,. H. - .'a. ~
'l.t ene" y. "a, 70 70 hoC@ Aatu tai Fig Il IL
q y ~, ~ Wouiu DeIoug " persons VINO can
4 Ivy ~. IeauT-Co persons VINO removed into Jhe
e HoWn, VI iseo the oGate, only =yesteraay-to
:. Persons JusG ous OF me penitent1ary, to
lnSts; Mnrs.;;t " wonnen, anu peIsoHs noG WniGe.
q w. Si, =: y, N lny unuersIahdtng OF words,
es % it denends on ,.1a1 tSa na1;cg rht, .nasacn
mental Scheme. of the eommouwegsItb nv gTnefh3 N
y1bich II ia evarc;seS II =. noat;.,s.., ~
inasmnch as it is conferred and Guarded bu
the Constitution or organic law of the' state
. which designate men TO office bv the votes
of its electors. i,5 +, - n - -,
-S.a z. He asks, q When the Constitution saws
the House of Representatives shall he
composed of members chosen =
y by the people, the citizens (tor people and
- citizens mean the same) does he understand
3 that the people1 have anv 'riohts in the
matter ?'' ,s-t- I'D - e = -
ssd Eanswer. + do understand that tba ,,eonis
have rights in the matter of electinG their
representatives in Congress-: and one OF
/. their rights is that when -Ignotns nnder-
takes to quote the Constitution on that sub
/ iect he snail quote it correctly. NV eonv
of the Constitution saws not only that . The
2 House of Representatives shall be chosen
by the people, but also that the members
c shall be chosen .sbv the neonie of tha ,or'
yal States and ftbo The electors j., o,rb Stota
shall haze e quail fcations reo,lisite To,. eIeco
tors of The n,ost numerous branch oS tbe Stote
1 Leoisiat,re., So carefully does the Constio
4 tuition jmply the reserved rioht of each
State to have its own law con farrinor a,d
{ imiting the electoral franehisa Tb #
right is also one of the riphts which !. the
people of the several States,, have :. :, atba
matter - 01
{ . M, fr;.,,,5 s,,,,c,,ss ~,
. a,Ct;cy,, Eli ,ISs;.s S,J az " asA q ast,HS Vi
g ~. .', eoely upon tne one
i"e' ais"eieu .-,,-.-,-.,,
3" If they have, what are they. and who
Is bound to ascertain and secure those rights
an9 an otner rights under the Constitution !?
Did the people ordain and establish their
government for any such purpose, and give
them power TO make and execute all laws
necessary ana proper for that end? Is
there any duty upon the government to ad-
minister ana execute the Constitution, to
defend the rights OF the people, and secure
the dressings OF liberty to ourselves and our
= posterltyF II the government owes any
hn sueh duIy TO the people. what relation does
IL Dear 70 their l,electlve fran-hise,' their
fright OF suffrage or their right to vote
for such officers as, under the authority of
the Constitution, are referred 10 the choice
OF the people? Can the Government pro-
tect it. or must 1t be lett to be violated by
ybody that is strong enough to violate
1t .,.-..,. ..s,... t.,..-.-t.- .-t...-.
.,t., Ihere Is snort answer TO all these ques-