Vicksburg weekly herald., 1877-10-26
Ignorant Suffrage.
Holly Springs Reporter.
The VicksbuFV HERALD eaVs

lbe v lCkbOuGB hEhALD HAys'
We are in favor Of changing the COnstl-
tuition OF the State, to take eject in 1882,
as fOllOwa: "No person shall be allowed
to vote unless he can read and write, aud
no person shall be allowed 10 vote until
he has paid a poll tax OF at least one
dollar"
We believe a law prohibiting q Ciu-
zen from voting because he does not
pay his taxes would be right, for the
reason that not having paid his taxes is
the very best evidence that be is not a
law-abidlDg citizen, nor one profitable
10 the State, and a law that would
make him 60 would not be incompati-
Bile with the general good. We be-
lleve further, II would be right for him
10 be required not only to pay his poll
tax, but his entire taxes due, thus ap-
plying equally the principle alike to
all. But q law prohibiting q citizen
from voting because he cannot read
and write, would be a law based upon
wrong, provided its provisions did not
exempt HIM from the perform
ance of all public duties in
cumbent upon citizenship, viz:
Exemption from jury and public road
duty, exemption from militia and mill.
tary duty, and exemption from taxa
tion ITSELF If not knowing how to
read and write does not exempt citi-
zen from these onerous and responsi.
BILE duties OF citizenship, why should II
deprive him Of exercising the most
sacred right of citizen and freeman,
the exercise Of which alone protects him
In his citizenship and liberty7 Who
ever heard of citizen being asked II
he could read and write when his
country needed q soldier TO fight her
battles? And why should 8 citizen be
taxed, when he 10 not allowed voice
as to how the taxes he pays shall be
dispensed9 Is there any justice
In taxation without represen-
tAtionS Has that great wrong mol
been ours 10 bear under the oppression
of the Republican partyS Whose mis-.
fortune is II that q citizen cannot read
and writer II IL his couniry's and bis
own, but is II not greater his own than
his country's? Then II he is the greatest
sufferer, and is willing, under II, Ia
come forward and fulfill oil the duties
required of him, under the law, along
with his more fortunate fellow citizen
who does enjoy the boon of knowing
how to read and write, is 1t not just
equitable and right that he should en-
JOY all the rights aud privileges of cili
zenship which the laws OF his country
guarantee to any other citizen? If not
why notp
The above is the best argument vi
have seen in favor of ignorant suffrage
but II ls not a sound one. Experience
has proved that grossly ignorant per
sons injure a Commonwealth whicl
they are allowed to govern. The vo
ters OF country are its rulers. Their
Is no hardship In requiring of all th
same qualification for suffrage. Tn
State that offers to its citizens universa
education, and enfOrccs a reasonabl
aud wise limit on suffrage, can
not be charged with injustice
The arguments used by on
cotemporary would have some weigh
If the State itself did not offer to fit a
lie citizens 10 exercise the right of Gil
izcnship. In Mississippi there is fin
system Of public education, and 1t cost
no one anything to learn how to rea
and write, but it does cost the INTEL
gent iearfuIly If ignoramuses are a
/ lowed to take part in the government
We will, therefore, answer all
, the Reporters questions by asking al
. other. Is it just for State TO allo
. persons manifestly incapable ofrulinI
8 to injure the interests of Others
While the Reporter is defending Il
rights of those who are illiterate,
0 should remember that those who CT
: read and write have some interes
D worthy Of protection. II asks is the
1 any justice in taxation without repr
t senlation? There is justice in 1t, II
: citizen refuses to qualify himself f
: the privileges of citizenship, and it
: his own neglect II he has no represG
II Iation