The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1871-03-03

tnI> WN\ I'D aluS quaiihNuiOus uol Ittc-
scribrd BIZ tie laws OF the States. Nei-
ther is 10 be tolerated for a moment. IL
Congress may impose one condition,
how ever unimpOrtant and imn,ateriai IL
may be, as u pcrquisitc for the enjoy
ment OF the right 10 vote, whether II be
a qualification of the eiector or a mere
condition precedent to his right 10 de-
posit the ballot. there is notribunal this
side OF a popular revolution that can
limit their power. pHe
1t was never the purpose Of our fathers
to leave tl,is an open question. They in
tended that the power OF the States TO
prescribe all, qualifications for electors,
and all conditions. preliminary require
ments, or registrations upon which the
people might vote, should be clear, COM
pIctc, and exclusive. iitf nv
a lcxander Hamilton, one of tho carli-
|est and greatest cXpounders of our Fcdc-
raj Constitution, who may be ranked as
equal with our great statesman of the
earlier school. in No. 81 OF the Federal
ist, uses this language: iD II 4
TO have reduced the different qualiii-
cations in the different States tOOhe uni
form rule would probably have becmas
ldissatis.actory TO some OF the States as
liz " ould have been difficult to the Con-
vcntion. The provision made by the
Convention appears, therefore, TO be the
best that lay within their option. Il,
must be satisfactory 10 every State, be-
cause it is coniornablc to the standard
lalready, established or which may be cs-
tablishcd by the State itself. 1t will be
safe 10 the United States, because. being
fixed by the State constitutions, il is not
Ialtcrablc by the : tate governments ;apd
it cannot be feared that the people ofthe
states will alter this part of their con-
ls;ituti0ns in such manner as TO abridgc
the rights secured 10 them by the Ecde-
raj Constitution. lar ,4,.lu Hi .'ni-
And in this connection l beg leave to
invite tic attention OF the House 10 o
fact, perhaps Forgotten by some. thai
this number OF. The Fcderalist may bc
quoted " ith equal proprieiy as express
in" the deliberate opinion and judgment
OF flr. Hamilton and Nlr. Madison; be-
cause in every list OF the numbers o.. that
work ever. furnished hy Mr. Madison
himself lie claims that lac, aud not JMr
Hamilton. was tie aIihorpf No.!2 land
MIR. llaIiilion, i'll some. OF his lists
claimed that ic, Ns.s lis. author. Gnd 10
4 Mr.. Madison. Eut the claim thatis m.si'
iby 10th OF tloser distinguished states
men for .ile paternity of this number o
the Fcdcralist is cueugh 70 establish sh'
fact hat each OF ths ia approved, in
Idorscd, end adopted as his own th
Iopiuions expressed. in. it. 1 therefor
4 hsA. Qnliall
ideliteratc judgment Of Mr.. Madison
,IIinsclf upon this subject. si .
/. coulsi multiply tit<c trst,mc~;~r :
jtisss s;rvrv .s--sas.s fsasssc OF gOyc.nmen
10 such extent as 10 weary the attention
OF the Iiossr. l! is enough Tor me nov
10 state that upon, tie theory OF thi
.Im1asarc Congress may prescribe ali
Conditions that lis own arbitrary Wi
and discretion may G;ctaic.. Aud The
',:hc powers and liberties Of the State {
this country will soon fail into lopelcs
decay or bc forever oycribrown.
j. it regulating the manner OF Eol,iin
I 'icscc..oIs 10 provide. as this ininmou
i bin docs, that these cdcral ofIiccrs.vl.
are to swarm all over the land in nu,u
n lbcrs ii.as will Lave no limit except, i
.Iil.c discrt lien of the courts and The elf
GERS by which thcyurc appointed, s,i;,
lcl.ailcngc The right OF every citizen uI
'lGcr S!nic laws TO register preliminar
10 voting? lc; this biiI prcscsibcs tl,a
lit shall bc tie duty OF these Officers I
;lcI.al.,Egc every person WHO thus offer
Ito Lercgistcrcll. Tbs is only a ,ifost IN
\ Just a,it mpt TO prescribe mode OF dc
who may vote: Il f,snctio
which claim il sacred TO tho States.
l. it regulation OF tho manner o
holding elections 20 require these officer
! OF the Federal Government To chal!cnr
every vcter who Offers to drpositc III
I ilDrfiot: Why. sir, surelyEo main wonI'
giycto a. Is language. such iaiitudinar.
!, and reckless eoistrrctlonas that. e'.
lii reference TO this interference Wit
!, l,l.c ,owcr OF thc States TO control tl'ti
.Ie,cclioms, il Is said by Justice Story il
+, his commentaries on the Constitution!
sby way of inicrrogaiorv
H ...WIat would DC sail of clause in
itro,luccd into the national Constitution
!. 10 regulate State elections of member
o.. the State Legislature! IL would b
,iecmcsl Il most unwaliantaclc assumr
lton OF power, Indicating prcmesliia
Z ted Iesi.nio destroy tie State Tovc!u
: mcnt. IL would be deemed so tingran
, violence Of principic rs 10 require n
D comment
| Mr.. Hamilton is an authority That gen
: tlcn.cn Oh the other side Of this iions
: ought 10 respect; for in bis day an
: generation lie wascstcemcd u latitud
.lnarian constr,ictionist OF the CUnstitt
ilion. He pressed every Federal powe
Ito the verge, TO lis uttermcst limit. III
-lnow gentlemen on the other side arc ii
cI;crly unwilling to he controlled byih
'ldc ciini,icn OF Federal powers. lie shy
G lin No. 80 Of the Fcderalist: .ti
c suppose an article lias been inrodr'
! ed into lie Constitution cmrowerin
c the Cnitcl States to regulate the clc
citioMs for Representatives In States.
Q W ould amy man have lcsitatcd 10 20.
Z ,lcmn il both as an lin warrautablc tran
0 position of power aud as u prcmcdii
i ted engine Tor the destruction OF q
I, ,,iatc c{sovcrHIncnl.1 l .ftn@~
4 - Il.