The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1880-06-11
nrLLDozlNG IN Rn0pr IsLANp.

| tt0n frauds, and thts document presents
most conclusive arraignment Of
Rhode Island as the one State of the
Union in which republican form Of gov
ernment is arbitrarily denied to citizens
of the Union. We have had much
Congressional discussions, some violent
legislation and moro despotic enforce
ment Of revolutionary laws in the
reconstructed States but when the or
ganic and statutory laws of tho States
arc carefully inquired into, Rhode Is.
land stands single and alone ns inso-
lently defying tho spirit Of the funda-
mental law of the nation. The report
of Senator Wallace is evidently "a most
careful, impartial and exhaustive re.
view. Of the subject, and there can be
no answer to his arraignment Of that
State, save that it persists in denying
republican form of government to its
citizens.
The Fourteenth amendment TO the
Constitution provides that where there
is any denial or abfidgment of the right
of suffrage 10 male citizens Of the
United States, except for crime. the
representation in Congress Of the State
shall be reduced in the proportion
which the number Of such male citizens
shall have to the whole number Of male
citizens twenty-ono years Of age m such
State" Naturalized citizens are denied
the right Of suffrage in Rhode Island
unless they own real estate. They
may own thousands Of personal prop
erty they may have served with the
greatest distinction in the army or
navy. or they may have besn most use
ful American citizens for lifetime, but
they cannot vote unless they own real
estate. Mr.. Thomas Davis, once a
large pFoperty-owner and member oi
Congress from that State, subsequently
lost his fortune aud is now voiceless in
the selection Of successor to the seat
he filed with credit. The native born
citizen, black or white, can vote with
out property, but the naturalized citizen
mnst possess a freehold TO have any
: part in the direction of his own govern
ment. The little State ia ruled by {
few princely political potentates, and
they have been sufficiently powerful tc
, defeat every effort to liberalize tho gov
ernment, even TO tho defeat Of th.
proposition to honorably discharged sol
diers and sailors to vote without th,
property qualification.
Senator Wallace does not merely the
orizc on the question presented by
Rhode Island. lis offers the stubborn
facts and figures which fully sustain his
accusation against that State. lie
shows that popular suffrage there is a
delusion, and that the government "is
nearer an oligarchy than democracy.
Not only are naturaiizcd citizens ALSO.
lutely disfranchised unless freeholders,
but the registry and tax laws are so
severe that the poor are practically dis
franchised unless they sell their votes
to some wealthy candidate who pays
their taxes. Tho census Of voters in
| 1875 embraced 42,74l, but even the
beat of the Presidential contest Of
1876, called out but 26,627 votes actu-
ally polled.
The vital point of Senator Wallace's
report is in tho fact that the enforce
ment of the Fourteenth amendment
would deprive Rhode Island of one
member of Congress, and necessarily Of
one Of her four electoral votes. That
one vote cast in 1876 gave Hayes his
one majority even after the successful
frauds in Louisiana and Florida, and it
Is possible for one vote TO turn the scale
in future struggles for the Presidency
Viewed from any standpoint, either OF
law or equity, the manifest purpose Of
the national government to deny repre-
sentation where there is denial Of suf-
frage, should be faithfully maintained
by Congress, and bill is proposed
with the Wallace report to carry
the constitution into effect. This re-
port will receive discussion touching
the government of Rhode Island, that
has been memorable in the past history
of the State and that once eliminated
in open rebellion under Dorr but both
Rhode Island and the country need the
agitation it must bring and there is
now reason to hope that, after more
than hundred yearJ of most oppres-
sive laws, the little New England Com
monwealth will begin to breathe the
atmosphere of freedom that prevails
everywhere outside of her petty des-
potism.
-.
VIEWS or REPUBLICAN,.
1