Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1868-04-16
The Visible Adm1xture Bill.

| This bill, in all the length of its infa
nous provisions, and in the narrowness
of its malignant spirit, we present to-day.
Having passed the Senate, it only awaits
tn. action of the House, while the House
is awaiting the Spring elections to pass
By, in order that no case to test the valid
ity of the act can be presented for Judi
eiaI action prior to the fall elections
First and foremost we object to the in
herent irjustice and barbarism of the
bill. Its at variance with the spirit of
the age, and in conflict with the funda-
mental principles of free institutions. 1t
establishes an odious system of caste,
based solely upon blood or race; it dis
franchises honest men, who, under the
supreme law, have the same qualifications
to vote as the men who disfranehise them;
it visits the sins Of the fathers upon the
children to the third generation; it gives
to judges of elections the absolute power
to determine the question of citizenship
o power which belongs alone to the Su-
preme judicial tribunal; it makes the
right Of suffrage rest not upon the fitness
OF man to exercise that right, but upon
his outward appearance; it makes it the
duty of judges to challenge mans right
to vote, who under the Constitution has
the same right to vote as the judges them
selves; it leaves not only the rights, but
the regulations of all citizens, at the mercy
of an ignorant or partisan judge Of cleo
tions, or rather at the mercy of every vo-
ter's worst enemy. it places in jeopardy
n r,ania 0ood mama and daapasE IN ntava,ta
when he presumes to exercise rights and
privileges that belong to him by reason of
his manhood. !
What are the means employed to ac-
complish the disfranchisement and deg |
radiation of thousands of citizens and |
qualified voters of Ohio.
If person offering to vote is challenged |
by any judge or any elector on account
Of any supposed admixture Of African |
blood he must swear to fully and truly |
answer when and where he was born,
when and where his parents were married,
if they were ever married, whether either !
of them had an admixture of African |
blood, whether his grandparents were
ever married, who they were and where
did they live. and if they or either of
them had an admixture any admixture-
of African blood? The parties challeng-
ing may put to the person challenged,
.'such other questions as nsy seem to them
proper and necessary, and a record in
writing of such questions and answers
shall be kept for public inspection, for all
time But this is not all. If by this |
process the challenged vote cannot be .
rejected, the votei is required to produce
two other credible witnts sses, who must
swear how long they have known
5he person challenged, when, where, and
IN what State he was born, whether either
1f his parents had distinct and visible
ldmixturs of African blood, and whether
hey were married or not. If the wit
ness states the proportion of African
blood in either Of said parents, he must
llso state hov be knows the same, and
Who were the grand parents of the person
challenged, and what admixture Of Afri-
AN blood, each or either Of them had,
md the Judges or party challenging may
tut to the witnesses any other questions
hey may see lit. And these questions
nd answers also are to be kept for public
Inspection. No evidence Of reputation as