The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-01-07
WHO SHOULD BE VOTERS
an Examination Of the Open ami U4sd
Question Of Suffrage and Representa-
ton.

tom
EDITOR CLARION; Since the tumuit
and clatter of machine partvism have
subsidized, and knowing that the moss
discordant noise came from the question
Of suffrage, would it not be appropriate
Tor those who have the general welfare
at heart, to examine the question solely
upon its merits2 As a union. brother
hood, sisterhood, or confederation II
nearly half a hundred different rcpub-
lies, each possessing the uudisputcd dig
uitv of control over the life and prop
ertv Of its inhabitants, il is curious 10
know what greater prerogatye q boly
polite could assume, unless a citizen
be pursued into eternity. \ power that
can take mans life at option can Ger
tainly do all that can be done with him.
can order his conduct, limit or extend
his holdings, restrain or advance him.
promote or humilate at absolute will.
In such respect any governing power is
absolute, be ii elective or usurped The
fact that we have any governing It ali
presupposes that part OF the human
race need holding in check; that evil
persons must be prevented from tr5,-
passing OH the good; that wall of i'm
penetrable law must stand between the
peaceable and the quarrelsome. There
| lore, a government. in all It's intent and
nature, represents only the good, and has
no intent of rejecting the evil in maB-
1t is upon this hinge that the right of
! suffrage turns, whether We will it so or
not 1t Is an indubitable law in Nature,
! that only those who have the public
! safety at heart, who haze the tender
/ care of infancy, manhood and old age
/ at heart, a.e selected to give form and
potency to law Evil may hinder the
! operations OF such law 10y times, bat only
/ to be driven back with redoubled energy
1 voter is an iuteger in the law making
power, and, as in the District OF Colum-
| bia, when 1t became the rendezvous,
after the war, of the trash of the CONT
nent, even Congress assumed virtue
/ enough to disfranchise that entire PROV
/ ince of six-by-ten square miles, and II
any decent people were there tempoTa-
rilv, they had to return to their respsc-
! tive provinces TO deposit their ballots
Every negro and every Caucasian there
corruption predominatirg, became =
! hallotless citizen. Thus the smartcsj Of
| the bronze race, in their liberty-reye3
proved unworthy of the sacred ballot
/ Perhaps the most noteworthy instance
| of States rights, carried TO the apex 0i
! independent sovereignty, in any spol 81
| America, regardless of federal hm1Ja-
/ tons, is the acknowledgements Of about
/ half of the citizens OF the United States
| who reside in Rhode Island not because
| they were black or white, but because
! they could not show an assessed yalua-
ton of Sl34 of that States property.
/ Wages are very low in that state, land
| is scarce; it costs poor man ali his bard
earnings to live; and, no matter hOw
| educated, or what misfortune made him
poor, he has no choice in the laws that
I govern him. The great commonwealth
OF Massachusetts,, applies the moral tess
TO all its voters; and after driving It's
idiots, lunatics, eonvicts, feeble-minded
and paupers away from the ballot-bex
it warns its citizens that nobody can vo;s
till their taxes are paid.
In most of States the soldier, uhc
guards US from danger while we sleep,
or comes to our rescue in time of peril,
is hushed from saying word about las
which govern him and Us. Dueiists are
DISTINGUISHED in some States, and j1
DtneTs tnbse WHO bCLs DtlbF OF com tli /
perjury cannot vote; and convicted
criminals are almost universally denied
the ballot. The truth is, disguise il as
we may, each of the province Of the
Federal Union has regulated the sufrs 90
question to suit itself, apparently vita
ont any particular regards TO Federal
edicts, and the lack Of morals, intellect,
property and position are all freely used
as grounds for disfranchisement. What
ever is right on the whole subject mus;
be left for each State to determine al.
least, no Northern State would sl.Ok
| Congress to erect for it a standard Of
popular suffrage; and, in view Of exist.
ing facts, no honest Northern man would
be bastard enough to complain about
how Southern republic regulate It's
elections.
Yours for local self government
J. w. EvARTs..