Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-12-11
suFfRAoEl

whenever Tue subject Oh suhrage comes
up for revision, under q proposition TO
amend fhc Constitution, (says the Cinoin.
nati chronicls) n will be seen how en-.
,irely conventional are all the provisions
on that subject. rinl Is the proyiAicn
10 20 many Of tho Slate Constitutions
limiting the right Of suffrage to white
males who have arrived at their majority
This has already. been so far modified,
thai 10 majority Of Abe States the color
ofaihc ci,iron IL no longer taken into ae-
count. This has been effected 10 the
States lately 10 Ihsurrccdou, bya Con
grossional enactment prescribing the con.
di,iens Of reconstruction. In several VI
the other staies, black men have enjoyed
THE privilege without discrimination, from
the dtst, 10 others, this distinction has
been annulIed by voluntary constitutional
amendments. II tho subject Is let alone,
We believe that utiformi,y, In this res
poet, will DO ore long established In all.
We doubt the policy, as we'll as the prac'
licabIliiy, Of forcing this result by amend
meni Of tho national Constitution.
Should the matter DO taken In hand
seriously at tho coming session of Con-
gre's, We may expect tho proposl,ioa Of
admitting women as we'll as men TO the
exercise Of this franchise, win also be So
riously urged. There Is small, bat b,
no means insigpiacant OF diminishing cir.
ole OF advocates OF this measure now nc.
lively engaged In its agitation. When
the question Of modifying the fundamen.
iallaw regulating suffrage is fairly enter
cd upon. consideration must DO given 10
extending the franchise In this direction.
There are also those who would reduce
the age at which one may become voter,
A young man Of eighteen Is required to
be enrolled In the militia, aud to bear arms
IN case Of draft. II is argued that he is
also qualified TO yote--a proposition that
cannot be very positively denied. This
class cannot ycryyustly DO deprived Of the
right, merely on the ground that they are
minors, aud so not Independent, IL il Is
extended to women 10 general. The for.
mer have the additional claim over the lat
ter that, while taxed IL they have indie
pendent property, they arc also liable to
do military duty. t
In the second place, We have the re-
strieiions placed upon voting Ia the case
Of citizens removing from one State to an.
other, and upon foreigners seeking home
in this country. The naturalization laws,
have at times been q subject VI
much discussion. The mode Of admins.
tering them has certainly been open to
much objection. The recent extensive
frauds have called attention to these de-
fects anew, aud some have advocated
amendments to the Constitution to meet
the difficulty, ssihe only effective mode
Of placing the subject beyond the reach
Of local tinkerios in the interests Of the
party that may happen to be in the as
tendency for the time being. But the
constitu,icnafpower already given to Con-
gress has moi been exhausted. There are
still available legislative and judicial rem
Then comes the subject Of minority
which has been agitated
in England, aud more or less here, which
also has strict relation to the general
question. Complicated methods have
been suggested TO insure to the minority
Of voters proportionate voice in all leg
islative representation. II once attempt
ed, this will be found,a very Difficult. mat.
ter TO regulate, and to initiate tho move