The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-03-13
THE IONA LEGISLATURE.

fst
santed and referred.
Tie bill 10 provide for the registry Of vo-
lars .n1 % prevent fraudulent voting, was
discuss ed IN Committee Of the Whole atsome
,a,g,h when the committee rose, reported
s,n,lry amendments ani asked thai the bill
win amendments be referred to the Commit
tee nu Elections for further consideration,
which was accordingly done.
,,Ils were passed To egaize tue incorpora-
.;on of he toan of Montana AMI td recognize
itas c,y Of the second class: To repea Sec.
& Than. 5y. OF the acts of the l2th General
Assembly. in relation TO the StateI Superin :
,.ndeot Of the schools recommending school
books 10 be used in The pnbiie schools o. this
State: and 10 legaliza the acts Of The city
council aad officers Of the city OF Cedar Falls
and al the Incorporation OF said cry.
bill was introduced for an act 70 empow
er municipal corporations to contract ior The
use of railroad bridges as public Highways.
4 joint resolution was passed pfohioting
the exchanging of portions OF The iowa ag-
ricultutal College lands tor other iahos' DY
the managers.
HotsE-Bilis were passed 70 release an
escheat m favor or Nm Geddis, of Scott
county: /, require CoantY Treusufers 10 IN
sert IA ,ach tax receipt the value Of each par
eel Of laud taxed: TO amend the general
school Jaws relating TO paying over school
funds; 10 provide for repairs OF tue State
Treasurer Office; 10 abolish distinctions be
tween !, oa-re ,ident aud resident aliens con.
corning heir rights and transfer OF properly;
Senate Dill providing for the publication ana
Distribution OF The laws was also passed
Resolutions we're adopted changing the
standita tule of he House, making the hour
Of assembling nine Instead OF ten q clock.
There was an interesting debate upon the
Registry bill. We quote thus much:
The Senate wen. into COMMITTEES of the
Whole to take into consideration the bill TO
provide for the registry Of electors and to
prevent fraudulent voting.
Senator Walden offered the following
amendment;
mo person who comes into this State, aEd
who has committed treason. and is thereby
debarred The right OF suffrage in the State
whence he came. shall be permitted 10 regis
er uldtr this act.
Senator Faral thought there was a consii-
tu,ional difficulty in the way OF this amend
ment
Senator Traverse said there was soHeques-
ton in his mind as TO how the courts would
eide the question, provided the wording
the amefiln ent were to be changed u
little.
Senator Oliver claimed that If the Legisla
ture can pass such mn amendment. it eaH
amend the Constitution of The State ~ il
peases
Senator Meyer thought this proposed
amendment about as plausible as the one tirst
under consideration.
Senator Powers said he was viii ing to take
the cha ces of Judicial construction of the
amendment. provided there was ADDED .iihat
s1ch persons shall not be considered resi-
dents within the meaning of this act
Senator Reed. II seems TO me the propo-
sition presents very great difficulties, looking
at il l.: legal point oil view.
The Consultation is very definite on this
question, Every white male citizen Of the
United States, who has been residen, OF the
State six months, &c, shall be entitled 10
vote.
The Constitution defines citizenship. and
believe there is nothing in this instrument
that depriyes parties who have participated
in the rebellion who have been guilty. Of
treason-of the rights of citizenship They
are citizens Of the United States. We cam
not get over this difficulty by declaring that
parties who are charged with this crime shall
not be residents Of the State. | understand
the term resident to be very plain term, aud
that it il usad in the Constitution in the com~
mon acceptation of the term.
A man is a resident wherever he ives. He
must have domicil somewhere, il not 10
Iowa it must be somewhere else.
We cannot by legislative act deprive
party OF u residence somewhere. A man can
not be in the State of Iowa and have a resi-
dence somewhere else Then party who
comes into the State of Iowa, whatever his
pohucai opinion, or political action mar
have been heretofore, and who re.;des IL ,hs
State 9 months and in the County Of, DAYS "a.
resident in the contemplation oil The cnns,;-
fut,on. Without cange in the furdament-
al laws ofihe State, wecannot reach The oh-
lection. 'A' w
] do not here deiermine5 1br myself vhe,he,
i would be desirable to deprive that class &c
men OF the rights Of citizenship.
l am Of the opinion that we cannot do !,
simply BY Legislative act. do not sal that
the amendment Of the gentleman from On
buqne would in any manner help thu oues-
tion in as much IS, if = party has been ran.
victed Of 4 felony, and this would Of course
exclude Linn.
Senator Fairall: I would ike to ssl ones
ton us TO whether We have any more power
10 say = hal the word residence means ii the
Consultation, than Ne have 10 say that the
man means ..whits l. ~ would NJ that
the word 'sresidenes,, ~ exed e,xoii-
canoe, like the word wsstp.
Senstnr Powers: Th;s i a imrort..s r,..-
lion. The more ,hink shnu, !. ~. 80. AZ
am OF the opinion that the amendment a n.
senator 'r.srn Appanooss il correct. and ~
more hrmiy am Icnay;ncsd a 80 .AsrS
mh pfosntou n this NV. Itkink L 4 visS
70 the province Of the State; thst II q v;,h;n