, 1880-10-10
WHAT ARE THE SUFFRAGE LAWS IN THE
UNITED STATES2

y, 10 the Editor Of IHt Chicago ITto1Hes
CHICAGO, Oct. 9.-As Democrat, may ask
the favor of publishing in THE TRIBUNE the re-
suits OF an Investigation Of authorities On SUBJ
ject that has recently attracted public attention
III the newspapers OF the Northwest, namely:
the question Of suffrage, and: the qualifications
required therefor The question may be mar
rowed down to one point. namely: Can an uu-
naturalzed person vote for Member OF Con-
gress and for Presidential Electors? From an
investigation and consideration Of the subject,
am clearly OF the opinion that he can do 50 in
many States. It is not infrequent error to
suppose that citizenship and suffrage are insep-
erably Joined together, and that the former is
equivalent to the latter. Naturalization of it.
self confers no right OF suffrage. The States
have the exclusive power Of fixing the qualffica-
ton of voters at all elections. Prof. Parsons
says:
Under tbs Articles OF Confederation the Gen.
e!al Government could nor exercise the power
Of naturalization, the State alone having that
power. But, as naturalization made a man
citizen. and citizen OF one State was g citizen
any way that it thought proper, t mi nieht invest
foreigner with all the privileges Of citizenship III
every other State. The Inconvenience of this
formed. no objection was made to giving to the
United States the exclusive power Of naturaliza
ton.
Citizenship Of itself gives no right Of suffrage
That must depend upen the law Of the StAte
where be resides, the Constitution having left to
the States this power; and each State prescribes
its own rule, or has Its own law, OF suffrage.
Thus, foreigner coming to Massachusetts, and
residing there. may be naturul,zed, and thus be-
come citizen OF the United States and Of that
State, and live there all his life without the
right of suffrage, unless he learns how to rend
the Constitution III English ard write his own
nnme.
Many believe that the qualifications required
in order to vote for REPRESENTATIVES in Congress
are different from those required in voting for
This is simply mistake, as will be seen by ref
erence to Art !, Sec. 2, OF the Constitution,
which is in these words:
posed Of members chosen every second year by
the people OF the several States; and the electors
in cath STATE shall Adue the qualifications Teguisit
State LEG1tsldture.''
= As to he election Of Presidential Electors, the
:. g Ea IL STATE sha! appoint, in such manner as
Tue Legislature thereof mdy direct, u number Of
Electors equal to the whole number Of Senators
and REPRESENTATIVES Re en- to which the State may be
- These Electors choose the President and Vice
President OF the United States. If there be no
Electors. The Electors Of the State Legislatures
are created and qualified BY and Under State
Constitutions and State laws.
The Supreme Court of the United States, in
Minor vs. Happersett II Wallace, TO, says:
The United States has no voters In the States
ct rs OVID creation The elective officers Of the
rect1y by State voters.''
IN the United States Vs. Cruikshank, 2 Otto,
SIS, the Supreme Court reat1irm the doctrine In
these words:
" 1n Minor rs. Happersett. q Wall, 178, we de-
cided that the Constitution of the United States
has not conferred the right Of suffrage upDn
any one; and that the United States have no
voters or their own creation tn the States In
the United States Us. Reese ct al, supr,a pare
III. we hold that the Fifteenth Amendment has
invested the citizens Of tho United States with
rev constitutional right, which is, exemption
from discrimination In the exercise Of the
elective franchise on account Of race, color or
previous condition of servltude." From this It
appears that the right Of suffrage Is not neces-
sary attribute of National citizenship; but that
exemption from discrimination in the exercise
Of that right, on account Ut race, etc, Is, The
right TO vote Ia the States comes from: the
States: but the right Of exemption from the
prohibited discrimination COMES from the
United States. The 1ifst has not been granted
or secured by the Constitution of the United |
States; but the last has been.
The several States have prescribed in their
State Constitutions, the qualifications for the !
exercise OF the right of suITrnge by an unnnt- |
lralized foreigner who has declared his tntcn-
ion to become citizen Under the ConstItu- |
dons Of 1ndinna, Florida. and Oregon, If be has |
resided in the United States one year. and in the
State six mouths, and has legally declared his |
states, he can vote at all elections.
In Alabama, Florida, kuusas, Wisconsin. and |
,ther States, residence of one year in the
State is required, In nfdidon to his declarauon !
It isA*ention to become 4 citizen. in Massa-