The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-12-09
The Census Middle.

4 Washington correspondent Of the
Chicago Tribune says:
In tinkering over the Fourteenth
Amendment, the Senate and House,
anxious to xetup circumlocutory phras-
eology, and amid the use Of the terms
race, color and serrstude, have made a
part of the constitution bungle, and
the Census Committee has just colated
curious pamphlet showing the insnffi-
cheney of the amendment to accomplish
what it intended without infringing upon
State Laws. The Fourteenth Amend
ment, in the second section provides that
if the right to vote be denied to any male
inhabitant of State, 81 years of age, and
citizen Of the republic, except for re-
bellion or other crime" the basis OF rep
resentation of the State so uncharltable
shall be diminished in proportion.
Now, Gep. Garfield shows these cur
ious conflicting cases in the laws of the
States, all of which will have to be set
aside if the offending State wants her
full census counted tor representation.
Connecticut forbids suffrage to all
those who cannot read !; Massachusetts,
to those under sixty years of age, who
cannot read and write.
defining voters in Illinois, Indiana, Kan
sa s, California, Connecticut, Delaware,
Kentucky, Michigan, Maryland, Missou-
ri, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon
Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Cinnamon are expressly excluded by Ore
gon; negros and mulattos by Indiana
and Oregon. Now. down comes your
house under the Fourteenth Amend
| ment.
Nearly every State has laws about resi-
dence contrary to the letter of this amend,
ment. You in illinois keep people a
year on probation before they can be
come citizens and voters. The Census
Committee must proceed to reduce your
basis of representation.
Eight of the states deny the suffrage to
people derelict in taxes. Rhode Island
rejects those who do not own 1884 worth
of real estate clear New York those col
ored folks who do not own $3.50 worth
, of real estate clear.
Staid Connecticut rejects those who
'do not sustain a good moral character -
Vermont those who ARE not of a quiet
and peacable behavior This proscrp-
ton must cease, ordown comes Connect
cut to one representative.
Missouri permits no officer soldier, or
marine in the regular army or navy to
vote.
Fifteen states reject insane people ten
idiotic people; seven those mon com
pos n,ent,s,' or ''of unsound mind, y
seven those under guardianship and
seven "paupers, while South Carolina
refuses to let her alms-house vote.
Arkansas forbids those voting if dis
qualified as electors from the states
whence they came, and four states dis
qualify by failure to take certain specific
oaths.
Here is,indeed,a pickle under the Four
teenth Amendment.
Perhaps you had better read this
amendment as it bears on this question
When the right to vote at any election
for the choice of Electors for President
and Vice President Of the United States,
Representatives in Congress, the execu-
tive and judicial officers of State or the
members of the Legislature thereof is
denied to any of the male inhabitants OF
such State, being 81 years of age, and
citizens of the United States, or in any
way abridged. except for PARTICIPATION IN
rebellion, or other CRIME, the basis of rel.
resentation therein shall be reduced in
| the proportion which the number OF such
male citizens shall bear to the whole mum
Der of male citizens p years of age in
such State
You can see by reading this clause that
it is clumsy: and now by the systematic
work Of the Census Committee you can
see that it is more than awkward in appii-
cation. What is to be done, the Four
| teenth Amendment enacted over again,
or States to vote paupers, strangers, and
! lunatics ?