New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-09
SECOND LETTER TO d POLITICIAN

To SAMUEL j. IILDES,
Chairman. ofme Democratic state Committee.
SIR: Tn the Constitution of 1916, which you
helped TO frame, voted with you TO adopt
and you and yours have just decided that we
all shall continue to live under indefinitely, /
read as follows
ART. H.. 81. Claws shall be made for ascer-
tanning by proper proofs the citizens who shall
be entitled to the Right Of Suffrage hereby
established
This important provision afirms at once
danger and duty-a danger that the legal
voters may be deffauded of their rights and
their verdict falSfed by the polling of illegal
votes-a duty imposed on the Legislature to
protect those rights and prevent those frauds
by laws-laws which shall clearly discriminate
between those who are and those who are not
constitutionally entitled to vote.
If any Democratic GOvernOr-(and your friend
Seymour has twice been chosen Governor under
this CODstitutiOn)- urged compliance in any
form, with this provision, have utterly forgot
ten the circumstance. If any Democratic Senate
or Assembly land we have had several of
each), ever attempted to obey this provision,
/ have also forgotten that. And if any Demo-
GRAFT, whether in Senate or Assembly, ever pro-
posed a bill which had compliance with this
provision for its object do not know it.
On the other hand, l. with my political
friends, have done my best at all times to give
full and fair effect to this provision. We have
done what we could, in the face of persistent
efforts, 10y your friends. to subject us therefor
to odium, as enemies and Oppressors of the
poor, seeking to deprive them of their Right
of Suffrage. At your very last City Meeting,
II cboI nd bn
Hon. Richard 0'GOrman, who, by your party 5
favor adOrns the Office of Corporation
Counsel, told your followers that the only OBJ
iect of our Registry Laws was to deprive poor
men of their votes!
In the Convention Of 1867, whereof you and
were members, drafted and reported the
Article concerning the Right Of Suffrage,
whereof the following is part:
"S3. Laws shall be made for ascertaning by proper
Outrage hereby established And the Legislature shall
provide that register OF all citizens entitled to the Right
completed at least six days before any election and no
person shall vote at such election who shall not have
been registered according TO law but such laws shall be
uniform in their requirements throughout the state"
This section, and the entire Article of
which it formed part, were subjected to q
running fire of criticism and amendment-thus [:
w men IlllB ScCJlOn WIS ItdCHtu Ill commit
tee of the Whole, Mr.. Champlain (now your
Attorney-GencraD moved that all of it be
stricken out, and the following inserted in
stead I.Et
"64. Laws shall be made for ascertainng. ,chsn me
citizen offers his role at me election, by proper proof
whether he entitled to the Right OF Suffrage hereby
tablished."
In supporting this amendment, Mr.. Champlain
said
Bee,s, psybops aos ragdLOnd is enabled ia The 0iiy
Of NeD.iOrk 10 run, ue Outposs OF the commissioned
Police, the Loyal Leagues the Clubs ana the vigilance
Committees, and put in n vote this Visitation registry
put upon the taxpayers and upon the innocent GU
zens. warn gentlemen that II such provision as ths
incorporated into the organic law II VIII raise STORM
of gnatiOn throughout the state and county, anu tne
rural districts where the people are honorable anu are
guilty OF crime that will sweep this CONSTITUTION ont
Of existence" 30. &c.p ir.r .'t
You see, Mr.. Tilden, that your Attorney
General knew perfectly we'll which way his
"vagabond' would wish 10 vote. aud which