Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-06-16

NJ hButnlhR uOca tne viii OF uOus
The great Junius, in letter XII,
says: "Ihe right of election is the
very essence OF the Constitution. To
violate that right and, much more, to
transfer it to any other set of men is
step leading Immediately to the dis
solution of the Government" This is
unquestionably true, for notwithstand.
ing genius and ingenuity and care with
which the right has been controlled
and guarded in all countries, its cor
ruptiOn and violation have been the
final causes of the failure OF all free
Governments. This fact, attested by
the experience OF so many centuries,
should come to us with persuasive ad-
monition in our legislation and prac-
tice on the subject. The character of
the right and the manner in which it
has been exercised hitherto having
been briefly adverted to, lot us next
inquire how it has been and how it
should be limited. The substance OF
the various qualifications which have
been required heretofore may be stated
as follows, viz:
l. The voter must be n native or
naturalized citizen.
ii. He must be OF the male sex.
Ill. He must be of age.
lN. He must be sane.
V. lie must have certain amount
of real or personal property.
VI. He must reside for certain
time in the place he proposes to vote,
VII. He must pay certain tax or
revenue for the support of the Gov
ernment.
Does 1t not seem strange when you
consider that vote is the expression
of a preference or opinion, that in
all the mutations of time and men and
Governments on the subject OF suffrage,
that intelligence should never have
been made even one of its qualifca-
tons ? Is it any wonder that free
Governments have always failed when,
in all experiments on tho subject, men
without any more intelligence than
beasts or Blocks have been legally au.
thorized TO choose Legislators, Judges
and Presidents How could institu-
tons OF any kind endure whose most
sacred and fundamental interests were
committed to such custodians2 A
government OF people who think that
any other theory should ever have at
tanned must be due to the power OF
demagogues.
1t is right that voter should be q
citizen, that he should be of age, that
he should be sane, and that he should
be a resident of the country he pro
poses to help 10 govern, 1t may be
right that he should pay taxes. 1t is
not right that he should be required to
be worth dollar, and the absurdity
Of the requirement has caused il to be
dropped almost everywhere. The
anecdoto related by DR., Franklin illus.
trates it better than argument An
old marketman, who resided in a New
England State which had its property
qualification, owned nothing but an ass
which, being Of the lawful value, gave
its owner a vote. The ass died the day
before election, and the old mans vote
was challenged, when he exclaimed,
"Well, ! thought the vote was mine
but II seems ii belongs to the ass, and
] must have been only the trustee"
But, above all, 1t is not right that
any person should vote who has only
those qualifications which can be pos.
sossed by an IDIOT With all the devices
and inventions of legislations to Sc
cure the most rigid observance Of
purely mechanical qualifications, why
should there not be adequate meant
TO aid and enforce an intelligent
qualification of thc right IN voie