The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1872-07-13
DLSFRINCHLSED.

su0 08OUSOUO A>S8sosOsOsSe
EXTRACT FROM THE ORGANIC ACT
SECS And b IL Ikvtssr snnsesd, That
MI citisena of the Unite d States and Gsoss
seko hacs Occurred Asir isssRtioHs 70 become
sveh, and who are otherwise described ana
qualified under the fifth section Of the act
OF Congress providing for temporary gov
for the Territory ct Idaho, approx:
March 3, 1853, shall be entitled 10 vote st
said first election. and shall be eligible to
any Office within the said Territory; but
the qualifications of v''ters, and Of holding
Office, at oil subsequent elections shall I've
such, - shall be prescribed by the Leg's'
lstive Assembly. .. r. .#
II will be noticed bv this that the Repub'
lican Congress of 1854, with due regard to
the rights Of declaratory citizens SPECIFICALLY
provided that. 1t the first election over
which il had control, they should vote and
were eligible 10 any Office In the Territory to
which full citizen 10 eligible. Not to in>
,erfere with the local government of the
Territory, the power IVES conferred upon
the Legislature to prescribe the quali6ica-
tons of electors At subaequsnt elections.
At the Bannack Legislature (lst SESSION.
which the Gsssets = couple Of weeks ago
declareda Republican Legislature the, fol-
lowing section was incorporated
BANNAcK ELECTION Law.
Sec. l. That al white male citizens OF
the United States, and Ghoss sAo hoee de-
olossd GAsir intsSlion Of becoming eitisens,
above the age of twenty one years, shall be
entitled to vote It any election tor Delegate,
to Congress, and for Territorial, county and
precinct officers, prooided, they sh"'l I've
citizens of the United States, and shall
have resided In the Territory twenty days,
and in the county ten days, when they oneF
10 vote, next preceding the day OF election.
So fer, 90 good. The law was equitable
and just. Those who were taxed and sub
ject to the duties of citizene, were entitled
to representation--to voice In the selection
Of their representative, executive and legis-
lstive officers. For seven years the De-
mocracy had It all their own way, having
the Delegate IN Congress. and almost .
unanimous Legislature. VIM. H. Clsgett
was elected to Congresa The Legislature
convened soon after, and cot itself u frame
an election low that could beat C!Agen n
kks ness election. Such was the known oh
icct of the Democratic members, and the
Election Law was concocted, canvassed and
passed by strict party vote, with that oh
1ect ir view. And here 10 the section re-
lating to qualifications. .... .-a
ELECTION LAW OF SEVENTH sEssIoN.
Sec. l.. All male citizens uf the United
States, above the age of twenty-one years
shall b. entitled to vote 1t any election fol
county and precinct officers; provided
lhey shall have resided in the Territory
six months, and In the county where they
offer to vote thirty days next preceding
the day of election. ...... o.
II will be noticed that the residence quail
ificaaion Is extended to six months, and
Chose who have declared their intention
of becoming citizens" are wholly excluded
Conoediug that although enacted for strict!
partisan purposes the six months qualifica
ton 10 proper enough legislation (allhoug'
q man who ID in the Territory month will
the intention to remain, is more justly en-
titled TO choice of officers than the oIdes
resident shout to leave it) the disfrarchis
inr clause cannot be considered else thar
. monstrous outrage on two thousand ds
clsratory citizens, many of whom are ye
unable, through insufficient residence,
acquire final papers, and those who hav
residence, are subject to the expense an
time required to obtain them at term
District Court, which We believe ca"no
he done legally now until after the Augo'
election. The Gazette claims that this w
. blunder in drawing Or engrossing the bill
That 10 no exculpation. A Legislature thu
would enact such law In ignorsne
Of Ito contents. can claim no e,
cuse of tho people. With the know
feet that large proportion of foreign boz
declaratory citizens had voted for N
Claeett. and that the law was framed, di'
cusesi. considered, caacussed and pssse
with the intention to force quick electiu
and beat him, the incidents Of the act, .
unfavorsble to the plea that the disfrs'
chisemeut was not intentional, but II It VI
| ! legislative blundcr gross carelcssne
Of that kind ID equally culpable and dsser
ing of condemnation - apremedi'ated &C
Il made no such blunder IN voting emu
nous extra compensation 70 itself out Of u
pockets of the people, the doubling licen
and compelling many small houses TO clos
; or saddlipg indirect DAMAGE upon tho
who do pay license. And what viii be q
result !? IT the hw 10 enforced l, SO Or 40
, men are disfrsnchised. Il Il j. not. u
candidate b liable to contest the election
} the courts and entail enosm0as expense
. ths people, and The courts cannot do q
/ than investigate and ,hr"w out the dsclas
| tory citizen vota The Legislature he'd 4
power 70 ''prsscribs the qualifications
1 electors" and has done %. The manifC
!. disastrous effects OF the act, We leave electc
; u consider, with the conviction that ID
!. will flnd II the fsrthsse rsaching, mast I
! pensive end evil oct that has beeo plsc
among our laws. Il u duty 70 Tebuks
end provids for IL sasliese repeal, b. Gle
= isg . ths ksgialatuse, men nos only paed
! "a 70 that purpose, but men Who asO tasn
2 asd with that Rspublican party which q
!. ~ declasasosy citizea suffrage u ths0srl
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