Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-09-09
TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 9. 1890
Observation-Disclosures.


Wa have received the following commu-
nication. accompanied by private note
stating that the writer of 1t and friend
who did rot concur in his opinion as there
: In expressed had agreed to accept our
decision as final
AMELIA COUNTY. Va, Sept. 2, 1890.
To ne Editor ofnis Dispatch
would be glad 10 have your opinion on
the following question through the coli
umns of the Daily dispatch
In discussing the proposition recently
offered TO the Mississippi Constitutional
Convention of comforting q qualified SUIT
frage on female residents my ,neighbor
claims that the women might in that event
vote for State officers but could not vote
for congressman (under our national
Constitution or existing laws) with
out the consent of Congress, while
/ contend that our Government could
not prevent the. counting OF such
vote for congressman except by an
amendment to the Constitution. when
would only become operative after rain,
cation by the legislatures OF two thirds OF
the States. and that the authority gwen
the House Of Representatives TO be the
sole Judge of the qualifications OF its men,
bers would not cover such case;
Please answer this week. and obllge
A MIssIssIPPIAS.
The Federal Constitution itself answers
this question. II provides that the quail
6cations requisite for electors OF the
most numerous branch of the State Legisia-
fure" shall be the qualifications required
of member of the national House OF hep
resentatives. In other words, each State
prescribes the qualifications of its own
voters or ELECTORS" even of that House.
II a woman is made by the State Constitn-
ton a voter, and authorized TO vote for the
most numerous branch of the State Legis-
ature. she will be fully qualified to vote
for members Of the national House OF
Representatives.
The same Constitution provides that the
electors of President and Vice-President
Of the United States shall be appointed 4"
as each State Legislature may direct.
So there are in reality no national
elections properly so called. The thir-
teenth, fourteenth. and fifteenth articles
OF amendment to the Federal Constitution
do not touch the case under consideration.
The thirteenth abolishes slavery; the
fourtee nth recognizes the right of the
States TO deny the right of suffrage TO the
negroes but provides a penalty tor SUCH
denial; and the fifteenth simply provides
lin effect that negro shall not be denied
the right TO vote because he is negro.
The provision of the Federal Constitu-
ton comforting upon each house of Con-
gress the night TO Judge of the elections,
returns, and qualifications OF its own MEN,
bers was intendedto mean that each house
should decide whether the person claiming
a seat had the qualifications prescribed by
the Constitution; but practically it means
that each house has the absolute right to
pass upon an applicants qualifications,
the decision Of each house being final.
As there is no appeal each house practi-
cally passes upon qualifications.
IL is promising indication for the coun-
try that even northern Republicans seem
generally to recognize the right of Missis-
sippi land so of every State) to protect
herself from negro rule, and to solve the
negro problem for herself-subject, OF
course. to the requirements OF the Federal
Constitution Some of the propositions
made In Mississippi are Of doubtful consti-
nationality. Nobody would propose TO give
poor man only half vote; and yet this
is Just what would be the effect of giving
q rich man two votes Women may be
made voters without violating the Consti-
tuition of the United States; and many
others of the propositions made in Missis-
sippi are constitutional. We confidently
look to the great lawyers of that State for q
solution Of the negro problem.