Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-09-23

Old-Time Love for the Constit,

SOiiStttNtiOh NuhkihkCu os I
State to Keep Foreigners From
Voting.
To the Editor OF the Enquirer.
The time was, and noe so long ago
but it is within the memory of man
who before the late civil war had srrive'
al mature aye, when there was no ma
tion-limited Monarchy, Empire or Re
public-On the face OF Gods green eartl
where the people were more law-abidin!
than in the United States. They obeye,
the laws, they reverenced the Constitu
ton with that feeling so beautifully ex
pressed by General Cass, that "the,
cling 20 the Constitution as the ship
wrecked mariner clings to his last planl
when darkness and the tempest gathe
around him." That instrument, will
its amendments, the powers granted t
the general government and those re
served TO the States, were equally to b,
protected. He who would attempt Il
take a single power rightiully belonging
to the one, or to hlch a single reserved
power from the other, was alike the OBJ
feet Of suspicion as not being, at heart
a true friend OF his country. But tn,
"times have changed, and men chang,
with them" is the English of a Latir
saving that is unfortunately true in oul
present dav.
The leading men Of a large party, al
this time making almost superhumar
efforts to retain the control OF the gen
eral government, are endeavoring TO de
priye the States of their Just powers in
order 10 build up a strong government
"A natiou with a big "N"-more near,
" akin to the Monarchies of the Old
World, and in doing this these men
who deride and laugh in very scorn al
the reserved rights OF the States are
now, 10 perpetuate their power, claim
ing for one of the States OF the Union
the power to nullify a part OF the Con
Stitution in a manner that the most
ultra States right Democrat in the land
10 this time must look upon as the worst
kind OF notification.
Away back in the earlier DAYS Of TIE
Republic, when the State of Rhode Is
land was governed not by a COnstitu'
ton, but by a charter granted to the
Colony by an English King Charles
L. the qualifications imposed on voters
were not unequal. All exercising the
rights OF suffrage had to be landowners
When the present Constitution was
adopted, shortly after the Presidential
election OF 1910, a change was made
An American citizen, born in the nlted
States, was allowed to vote whether he
owned property or not, If he was other,
wise qualified by law, but naturalizec
citizens had to possess a property quail
hcation in land of the value OF Sl34 c
enable him to exercise the right TO vote
Why this distinction?
All amendments to the Constitution
Of the United States, when proposed by
| Congress. must be ratified by three
fourths of the States, by their Legisla
lures asserting thereto, and this was
done. On the 18th of June, 1866, th'
following, a part OF the Fourteenth
Amendment, was proposed by Con
gress, and on the 2Sth OF July, 1865, tn,
reuuis te number of States, agreeing tC
the ratification, it was declared a par
and parcel of the Constitution of the
United States, viz:
"AETICLE IA, SECTION ALI person:
born or naturalized in the United States
and subject 20 the jurisdiction thereof
are citizens Of the United States and o
the State wherein they reside. NoStatt
shall make or enforce any law which
shall abridge the privileges or immuni
ties OF citizens of the United States; MOI
shall any State deprive any person o.
life, liberty or property without due
process oilaw; nor deny to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protec
ton OF the laws
This clause clearly makes the natur
allied citizen a citizen OF the United
states" TO all intents and purposes, anC
as such TO be treated in the States in
which they reside.
The Fifteenth Amendment, proposed
I bv Congress on the Goth OF February
I 1869, was ratified by the Legislatures o
twentv-n;ne States, and proclaimed by
the Secretary of State on the 30th o
March, 1870, as a part ofthe Constitu
ton:
ARTICLE -, SECTION THE right o
citizens Of the United States to vot,
shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States, or by any State, on &C
count OF race, color or previous condl
ton OF s~eryitude."
The State OF Rhode Island ratified thu
amendment on the 18th OF January
1870.
This gives the right of all citizens o
the United States" TO vote, andt the RICH
cannot be abridged "by the UniteC
States or any State"
Asa part OF the Constitution it give
/ the same right OF sutF, age, untrammeled
to the naturalized foreigner that 1t give
To the black or any other citizen OF tn
United States. Ii is true, the Constitu
ton OF Rhode Island, adopted beior'
either OF the above amendments wa
ingraited in the Constitution, imposed
freehold qualification on the naturallze'
foreigner before he could vote; yet tn,
amendment making him a citizen OF tn,
United States did away with the re
striction By rendering void and OF N,
effect the property qualification claus
of the Rhode Island Constitution. un
less il was enforced on all other citi
zens.
At the time the Fourteenth was adopt
Ell, Ohio, Ivy her Constitution, contne,
the right Of suffrage 10 all "free whit,
male citizens OF the United States OF IN,
age of tweuty-one years" &c, and, a
though the voters OF Ohio, on a ques
ton presented to them to strike tn,
word white from the Constitution, de
fratrd it by more than fifty THOUSAND
votes. vet, when the Fourteenth ani
! Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitu
I ton OF the United States were adopted
. the people of Ohio, without division o.
p,rtv, held that The clause which con
| fined the right OF suffrage to the whites
was abrosated, and the negroes OF ever!
I shade are now legal voters.
But Rhode Island, except in the cas-
of negroes, sets these W Amendment
n dstiaurr-denjrst "a the man OF foreign
birth. when naturalizsd, the right t
vote unless he owns property, while t.
all other classes OF men, If born II
America, no matter how great vaga
bonds. white or black. 1t gives the IN.
right % vote whether they own proPerly
MI. I.1,,i fms nulEtpS th,