The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-08

Iore prevented the establishment or JUS
tice, disturbed the domestic tranquility,
and impeded the general welfare of the
United States by being used by some
of the States in Withholding the right
of suffrage from many citizens of the
United States, infringing the liberties
of others, and conseq uently preventing
them from enjoying the blessings of lib
erty the Constitution was ordained to
secure.
Equality of rights and privileges be-
fore the law only would accord with the
Declaration of Independence, the un-
doubted basis of our Constitution. At
the time of its formation the question
of suffrage and the perpetuation of
slavery (also recognized in the section
under consideration were those which
caused the most disagreement in the
convention. The practices of voting in
the States were so diverse that it was
deemed best to leave the matter to the
people in their capacity of citizens of
States, some of them having very lib
eral constitutions, and the popular mind
tending strongly toward more liberty.
In New Jersey, for instance, by her con-
stitution adopted July 2, 1872, all inhab-
itauts of full age worth fifty pounds
proclamation money, clear of debt, and
who had residence of twelve months,
were entitled to vote for Representatives
for Assembly and Council and all Off
GERS elected by the people. This was
the law of New Jersey till 1914, when
her present constitution was adopted,
dropping the property qualifications
and comforting the right of suffrage on
white male citizens of the United
States, excluding persons in the naval or
military service of the United States,
paupers, idiots insane, convicted GRIM
inals, and women. In some of the
! States before the late civil war the elect
i've right was controlled by an inteLLi-
gence test; in others, by property test.
In some a much longer residence was
required than in others. In some all
races of men except free white men
were debarred from voting. In others
men of any race or color were permitted
to vote. The 18th Amendment has
| brought all the States into uniformity
in rights of suffrage so far as race, color,
or previous condition of servitude go,
but there is room for the State to exer-
else tyrannical injustice for other causes
or assumed causes. There is nothing to
qualification against fOreign-born citi-
Zens, as Rhode Island now does. With
much show of reason an intelligence or
property test might be made that would
exclude from suffrage in the late rebel
States many of the poor white or col
Ored classes. Or these latter, with tie
power of numbers, led by unprincipled
men, might make discrimination
against their late masters, in spite oi
the national desire to grant an amnesty
in spirit and truth. Such measure:
from such causes would not be incon.
sistent with the past history of State:
that by constitutional provision made
the ownership of fifty acres Of land the
qualification of "free white man" Of
an elector. That required the owner
ship of 500 acres of land and ten negroe!
as qualification for seat in the State
Legislature; or (reckoned in money
thirty times so much property and tel
years. residence in the State to make s
man eligible for the Office of Governor
that debarred a man from sitting as
member of the Legislature for being
minister, preacher of the gospel, or re
ligious teacher" In this way the lib
erty of citizens of the United States t
choose whom they would to represen
) them and the privileges of others t
: represent were abridged, and in some o
the same States having such tests mel
who did not profess certain religious be
liefs were held ineligible "for any offic
t of trust or profit whatever" In som
2 of them colored persons, citizens of tn
E United States, might be lawfully hunte
e with dogs, their being colored MAXIM
! it legally presumable they were slaves
The States that by constitutional pro
vision thus outraged the sight of tn
S people to choose whom they would q
a representatives, declared some from hold
f ing Office and accepted others in tn
name of religion, were, up 10 1S6;
e Florida, Arkansas, Missouri, Missi:
D sippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, North CaI
Y olina, New Hampshire, Maryland, an
e Pennsylvania. Many of them ye
j maintain such provisions. 1t will
e noticed that eight of the ten States thu
e having religious tests inconsistent wit
y the Constitution of the United State
s are States in which the doctrine {
e Estate Rights had a strong hold o
:. the public mind, where indeed it wa
y dangerous for an individual, if north
= ern man, an adopted citizen, to call th
r State constitution in question by ope
: discussion. Public opinion in thos
o States dominated by an aristocrac
!. based upon slavery maintained "Stat
J, Rights" as a support of their property il
e terests in men; using it as threat
e disuniOn during the period of the "irr,
b pressible conflict" until it became a d,
e lusion under which leaders and le