The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-02-01
.I.5I n YGAlTTs.II- .1LTZ,r.l
The suffrage QUESTION:. Amendment
Proposed. =

The suffrage QUESTION:. Amendment
Proposed. =
The most important measure orSthe
Legislature, 'thwS4hr, w introduced yes.
terdGy in the Houge Of Delegates, by Mr.,
FLICK, the delegate from Pndleton.s II
Is a Joint resolution propoling an amend
ment to the slSse constitution ingespect to
suffrage, It's pulpose,hstng to oremoveexl
lyttng determinations on account of-racd
or color, and ON account Of voluntarypar.
'adpati6n inthe rebellion. The provision
offhe Constitution " which Suffrage Il
now regulated b section 1 Of AIticlsi1II
ss followS! =, :
RTh64ShiIs male citizens of the State
shall be entitled to vote 1t all elections
held within the election districts in which
they respectively reside; but no person
who Is q minor, or Of eunsound mind, or
psuper, or who IS under conviction offFea-
SON; felony; bF bribery IN an election, or
who has not bean areSld dent oEythe Statt
for one year, and OF the county In which
he offers to vote for thirty days, next pro
ceding such offer, BhAll be permitted to
vote while such disability continues, No
person VcltO, fince the .JSrst day Of JUNK, 1881,
has giptn, or GaGA g1pe, Voluntary aid o. a.:
sStGae6 to The Ftbtlltop dgqinSt Ese United
States; &EaH be a eitisGt 9 tbs State, or b
a!loleed oV0b at any elssion therein, Si1lteSa
he haS solanteered into he military or ndedl
serriee Of lts United States, and has been, or
&4aA. Be, h0nord6y discharged atergfpn.",
,flS C&eld a tsaG d afihsEtpreso
ing, which we have placed in EtdteS, was
added to the original section by the
amendment which took effect My a.
1896 9 4 - ! ~ w = y
Mr.. FLIoK's proposition Is 70 substitute
for tho section as IL now stands in the Con-
stitution, tho original section, emitting
"white." In other words he;propoies to
so amend that the section shall read just
a it docs above withoutithe italietsSd
words. The effect of the, amendment Is
thus seen at glance, itbeing to strike out
what isIhere Etaliiaed. Under it the elec.
tors of tke State would be, the male citi.
gems Of the State over 81, who have bad q
c6ntiGuOlis residence in the. state ayear,
il. the county thirty days, and reside in
the election district, when they offer 70
vote. The only exceptions are paupen,
lunatlcs and persons under conviction Of
treason, felony Or bribery in an election
The existing exceptions against colored
men and against voluntary participants
iHthe rebellion would thus he.removed.
There Is no ambiguity n the language
''citizsns Of the State" Article i, Sec: 8
Of tho Constitution declares who are the
citizens of the State: They are the cid-
zens Of the United States who reside in
the State. Article XIV Of the Constitu-
tlon Of the United StGfea declares who arc
the citizens Of the United States, and Of
the States as'well. Is language Is: "Al
"nersons born or nAturaliEed in the United
Estates, and subject to the Jurisdiction
thereof, arc citizens Of the United States
"and OF tho State wherein they reside"
The proposition, is therefore, that all the
men over 81. born on our soil or natural
izedst without reference 70 color 9r rpaFst
political offences, who arc not paupers Or
lunatcO, or.not under conviction Of speei-
fed crimes shall have the equal privilege
ofthe ballot In all popular elections.
II this joint resolution 30 .adoptcd by
both Houses Of this Legislature 1t be-
comes a proposition to tho next Legislature
which win be chosen uext October and
assemble in January, 1871. 1tbecomeS .
direct issue las! 1T would anyhow, bs az 1t tnt
direct cneo the next Falgs dsIy yaa end
rthe negiSlatufe then GhdSehWin beNoted
for with special reference to it lfa ma
jority Of tho voters approve 1t, they
will elect q legislature that will CON
eursaS IepoL aet erhe LegislstgroWh
VII assemble d year hence' %iIfhAVe pre-:
cisely the same option as tho present ono
to adopt or reject this proposition. But
they will come together directly instructed,
and willbe able 10 do exactly what the vo-
ters ofthe State want done. Ifthey decline
tocncur in the action Of this Legislature,
there Is the end Of Il. II they do concur,
the question goes TO the people once more
for their direct and final decision. Two
Legislatures having copcurred in proposing
the amendment, it will bO submitted to a
direct popular vote, being frat advertised