Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-05-27

structions 10 me and to my colleagues
in regard to the subject of negro
suffrage. Now, that Legislature has
passed a law on the subject of negro
voting, which shows the temper, spirit
and meaning of our instructors. To
discuss that law, l hold, is strictly in
order.
Mr.. Morgan. call the gentleman
to order. shall be happy at the proper
time TO discuss the action of the Ohio
Legislature with my friend, but this is
not the proper time.
The Speaker pro tenpore. The Chair
thinks the point of order is not well
taken, inasmuch as the gentleman from
Kentucky Mr.. Beck made illusions
in the course of his peech which justify
the remarks of the gentleman from
Ohio.
Mr.. Garfield. am much obliged to
the Chair. 1t has long been theundis-
puted decision of the Supreme Court
of Ohio that any person who has more
white blood in his veins than black
bloodis entitled to vote under our con-
stitution, in which the word "white"
occurs as limiting the suffrage. That
decision was made in the better days
of the Democracy by a Democratic
bench, and has been, l believe, undls-
turbed and unquestioned for thirty
years.
Now, the present Legislature passed
a law known as "The visible admixture
law" which provides that any man
having a visible admixture of African
blood in his veins shall not be permit
ted to vote; and in order to test who
it is that has a visible admixture Of
African blood in his veins, that not be-
ing a fact which always appears on the
surface and to the naked eye-since
compilations differ so much-that law
provides:
'Thatitshall be the duty of the judges Of
election to challenge any person Offering
to vote at any election held under any law
of this State, having distinct and visible
admixture of African blood, and shall
tender to him the following oath or atir-
lmation: "You do solemnly swear (or
affirm that you will, to the best Of your
knowledge and belief, full and true an
swers make to such questions as may be
put to you touching your qualifications as
an elector,' and thereupon the said judges,
or one of them, shall put to him the fol-
lowing questions: l. What is your age
IL. Where were you born 8. Were your
parents married, and did they live togeth
er as man and wife? f. Had your parents,
or either of them visible and distinct sd
mixture of African blood 3. In the
community in which you live, are you
classified and recognized as a white or
colored person, and do you associate with
white or eolored persons? 6. Are there
schools for colored children in operation
in the township, village, or ward in which
YOU live, and if you have children do they
attend such schools, or do they attend the
common schools organized for white chill
dren under the law of the State!
"SEC. 2. After the examination of the
person challenged, as provided in the pre-.
, ceding section, the judges of election shall,
unless the vote of said person IS rejected,
require him TO produce before them two
| credible witnesses, TO whom shall be tend.
cred by said Judges the following afirma-
ton: 'sYou and each of you do solemnly
swear Tor sffirm) that you will fully and
tsuly answer all such questions as may be
put to you, touching the qualifications Of
(the name Of the person challengedj as an
slector' Thereupon the judges, or one Of
them, shall put TO each person respectively
the following questions: l. Are you
acquainted with (the name of the person
challengsd); if so, for how long a time
have you known him? >. Do You know
when, where, and in what State he was
born? s. Were you acquainted with his
parents, or either of theml If yes, did
such parents, or either Of them, have a
distinct and visible admixture Of African
blood, and were they married, or did they
live together as man and wife :"
"SEc. 4. No evidence shall be received
as to the admixture of white blood which
is based on the opinion of the person chal
lenGed or of the witness testifying in his
behalf, founded merely upon appearance,
unless the facts are fully stated as to the
parentsge of the person challenged; and
no evidence of reputation as to the parent
age shall be received, unless the parties
about whom such reputation exists are
proved to have been married"
Now, after this inquisitorial test,
which may be applied to every citizen
of the State, black or white, if he is
enabled to trace his pedigree, if he is
able to do more than wise children
usually can, and say, not only who
was his father, but who were his pater
nal and maternal ancestors; if he can
pass this ordeal safely he may then be
permitted to deposit his vote.
But the Democracy Of Ohio did not
stop there, Knowing very well that
wherever patriotism and education are
paramount there is but small hope for
them, they passed a law forbidding
any student in the college and acade-
mics of. Ohio, if not permanent resi-
dent of the place where the institution
is located, the right to vote. Now,
there are tWenty-nine or thirty colleges
in the State of Ohio, and it is very well
4 known that nine-tenths of the students
in all the colleges, academies, and high
schools in the State are Republicans,
and vote with the Union party; and
this Democratic Legislature have at.
tempted to put out the light by depriv-
ing the mass of Ohio students of all
share in the legislation of the State.
4 As q fit companion to this law, that
Legislature passed another which every
member of this House ought to know.
The General Government has located
at the city of Dayton, Ohio, Soldiers
Home, in which We have gath cred, not
only from Ohio but from neighboring
States, large number of crippled, dis
abled soldiers. There are now nearly
one thousand such soldiers at that
Home, sustained by the Government
of the United States, because Of wounds
and disabilities incurred in the late
war for the Union.
Now, knowing very well that these
men would vote as they fought, that
thew would stand with the same party
when they came TO the ballot-box that
they stood with when they were in the
, field. this Democratic Legislature has
passed law forbid6ing any inmate of
the Soldiers Home from voting at any
election in the State. The Soldiers
Home is TO be their home for life; it is
not a mere temporary residence. They
are disabled pensioners of the Govern
ment-kept there in the Government
asvIum: and this Democratic Legisla-
ture of Ohio says that not one of them
shall ever vote at any election in the
State. And the managers Of that Sol
diers, Home, one of whom sits near
me are receiving letters from soldiers
in other States of the Union, saying
that thew had intended to apply for
admission to that home in Ohio; but
since this law has passed they would
L., 4Iair braad from dO0r m