Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1870-02-24
FAYETTEVILLE, TENNESSEE;
Tbarsday MerBiUg, Feb'y "a, 1910
The Franchise.

1ne following appears IN the
proceedings of the Constitutional
Convention Of Wednesday, the
10th:
Mr.. Jones, Of Lincoln, now an.
nounced that with the payment
of poll tax as as a prerequisite to
voting, he could neither sign the
amended constitution nor sup
port it by his vote. He said he
had received no remuneration for
his service as a delegate, nor should
he accept any; but from this mo-
ment he should vacate his seat in
the Convention.
The following article from the
Greeneville "National Union" on
the privilege of voting in Tennes-
see, as prescribed and limited by
the Constitutional Convention, we
are authorized to say, reflects Mr..
Jones views and sentiments. He
cannot sanction the qualifications,
Limitations and conditions i'm
posed upon the exercise of the
elective franchise by the Conven-
ton. He very correctly believes
that the right to vote, should not
be restricted.
Ia this connection we may add
that the Convention is getting to
be considered a failure. That
opinion is spreading and gaining
strength every day, and if its
members would, with one sweep
ing vote, annul It's whole action,
and then
Fold up their tents like the Arabs
And as silently steal away,
they would make more character
than a longer session would be
likely to give them. The revis-
ion of the Judiciary and franchise
questions was what the people
particularly desired; they do not
wish every petty Office in the
commonwealth to be vacated
they do not desire the constitution
to be tinkered from beginning to
end, but they do, or rather did,
expect the two great absorbing
questions-the franchise and ju-
diciary-to be amended SO as to
meet the requirements of an en-.
lighted age, and, with some minor
transactions, that the Convention
should then adjourn. The dele
gates, We presume, have no cor
rect idea of the opposition that
their action is creating to the pro-
posed constitution. The dissatiS-
faction is already formidable, and
gathering strength every day.
From present indics tions, the
question will soon be, not wheth-
er the amended constitution will be |
adopted, but by how large a ma.
jority it shall be rejected.
Here is the Union'8 article:
The Constitutional Convention,
after deliberate consideration of the
franchise question, have adopted
the following:
Every male person ofthe age Of |
twenty-one years, a citizen of the
United States, a resident Of this
State for twelve months, and of
the county wherein he may offer
his vote Six months next preced-
ing the day Of election, shall be
entitled to vote for members of the
General Assembly and other civil
officers for the county OF district in
which be resides, and there shall
be no qualification attached to the
right of suffrage, except that each
voter shall give to the judges Of |
election when he offers to vote sat.
isfactory evidence that he has paid
the poll tax for such preceding
period as the Legislature shall
prescribe, and atsuch times as may
be prescribed by law, without
which his vote cannot be received.
And all male citizens of the State
shall be subject to the payment of
poll taxes and TO the performance
of military duty, within such
ages as may be prescribed by law:
Provided, That the General As
sembly shalthave power to enact
laws requiring voters to vote in
the election precincts in which
they may reside, and laws to Sc.
cure the freedom of elections and
purity of the ballot.box."
The above, proposed to be inseF. I