Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-03-12

II NVmmlIIee Oni 1 IriVlleSeS anu Dleo'
= tons, to which committee was refer
], red the petition of two electors Of
Gallia counyni this 6he sth) Sen
! atorial District, composed of the
q counties Of Vinton, GalIia, Meigs,
and Lawrence, contesting the right
of FL. -C.Johes, of 'Finton, to a seat
!. In the Senate as Senator of this Dis
1tgict, in which it is claimed by said
! electors that Jones was not duly
elected Senator Of the District, but
that II. MsaOnderdonk, of Gallia,
was duly elected Senator, submitted
the Report Of tho Committee, And
after disposing of minor points in
the case, the Committee proceed
with the argument as follows ;llau
l This brings us to the real and
only question presented in the case,
which is: Are persons having a dis
tinct and visible admixture Of Afri-
can blood, entitled to the rights and
privileges of electors, under the
4. Constitution of this State2 if i
| ALL the claims of counsel for Mr.
Jones might'bo conceded, and vet if
such persons are not entitled to the
privileges Of electors, Mr., Onder-
donk isclearly entitled to theseat, as
thefol lowing statement shows Per-
sons conceded to have voted for Mr..
Jones, having q visible admixture of
African blood, 40; from which de-
duct-illegal votes conceded to have
been cast for Mr.. Onderdonk, IL
illegal votes claimed to have been
cast for Mr., Onderdonk in addition
TO the above, 2--Mr. jones major
Iity, as shown by the abstract of
votes, 1913 leaving a clear ma
jolity for Mr., Onderdonk of I'll
The constitutional provision de-
tining the publications of electors,
is SO plain that there should be no
controversy as to its meaning. The
word "white,p which is one of the
words Of qualification used, is
term Of we'll established signifca-
tion, and, as applied to man, is uni
versalIy understood to mean per
son Of the pure, unmixed blood of
the white race. To say of man
that he is white, is to affirm that he
has no negro blood in his veins =
The word "white" means pure
white, unmixed, and in constitutions \
and in popular language excludes
the whole African race, whatever
may be the admixture Of African
blood. Whoever has distinct and
visible tadmixture of African blood
is not white and the wore, 'white I
has never been applied to such per-
sons 10 say that person who
has an adnixturc of African blot d
in his veins, less than one-half is a
white person., is an absurdity in
language, and'toihold that such per-
sons are entitled to the rights and
privileges of electors in this State, as
the Senate must do. in order to
maintain the right Of Mr., Jones to
a seat in this body, would, in the
opinion of a majority Of the COM
mittee, he addirect and open viola
ton both of the iiletter andaspirit Of /
the Constitutions. The Trainers Of
that Instrument must be supposed
to have used the word in its usual !
and popular signifcation, (
which would also be its legal one
and that, as is herein shown, was y,
never extended 50 as, to include any !
person having an admixturc of At !
ricqn blood Of any quantity or de-
gree i 4a gnaimg gA nwoisg'a Il
e The other words Of qualification :
are: "Male citizens Of the United ;
States, :" ,Atthe, time Of aud prior d
TO the adoptioniof the present Con- :
citizenship of the United il
States WAS limited to thewhite race,
BY the decision. of every department. !,
of the Government Of the United ]
States tn which the question ever
had been raised $50 that taking the I
whole provision tevery white male :
citizen OF the United States it be- r
clear and certain that 6
The trainers Of the CONSTITUTION in a
tended to confne the elective fran /
,hise to the white race, and to ex-l
'lutaee ga all persons Of any other color :
'r race eHoq bfd eAoI a!itd gCTsnI {
The question is one Of Importance, r.
ind oneewhich, the Senate, should II
ledide without regard to the decis-
ons OF any other department of the a
Government on thesame subject +
So far as the Senate is concerned the r
question is entirely new, and in de-
siding it, this body is to. be govern g
ID solely by the, Constitution and !
'y its Obligation to support that in
'@ament and its duty toregard the .
avs madein pursuance Of it, as the :
'ul4 oflits action, so far as they may y
% applicable tothe subject matter =
before it!.olBy the Constitution the .
Senate is made the Judge of the !
election, returns. and qualifications =
# its members, s,fand mo power is b
tconferredsin that instru- Z,
nent, upon eny other department of
he Government to supervise or di, .
'ecti its action, and no appeal lies Il
rom its decision. Hence no ,decis, L.
on Or opinion ola court, or of any :, n
'thqr departments of the Govern Cd