The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-21

Gus chapters the history and management OF
both general and local elections are consid-
cred. but for the purpose OF this notice we
conHne ourselves to that part OF the work
which deals with the qualifications required
OF electors and shows Just how far the several
colonies carried out tho idea that representa-
tlon and taxation should be inseparablo.
The conditions OF tho franchise In colonial
times werc political. moral. religious. sexual
and they were also concerned with age res.
dence and property. Let US look frat at the
property qualifications for voting Tor q mem
Der Of the popular branch OF IA colonial lie .is-
lature. for these were all pervasive. whereas
the religious and moral qualifications were
practically limited to the colonies most direct
" under Puritan influence. When Massachu-
sets and plymouth lost their INDEPENDENT
status by their union under tho charter OF
1901, property replaced religion as the prin-
cipnl test OF q mans right 10 vote. But. as DR..
Bishop shows In detail In every province.
whether royal or proprietary, there was intro
ducoi from the latter part ~ the seventeenth
century some sort OF property qualification.
and the tendency during the middle o! the
eighteenth century wac toward certain
amount Of uniformity in this respect through
out ;he colonies Our author thinks that. with
the exception OF Connecticut. tho Introduction
Of property qualifications in New England aud
Virginia was due solely 20 the interference OF
the Crown. This certainly was not the case in
Connecticut, and the Willingness with which.
in tho other New England colonies and Viz
ginia. property restrictions were accepted
seems 70 prove that public opinion was NOV
ing In that direction. Had this not been the
case. every one Of the colonies would have
abolished property restrictions after tho
Declaration nj InlanaDdenra IL Ia frta
enough that. in the seven eenth century. the
people OF Virginia did not look with unmixed
satisfaction upon n limitation OF tho suffrage.
"a Is demonstrated by tho action OF the Assem-
bly, called during Bacon's revolt In 1876 when
all freemen were admitted TO share in the
choice OF Durgesses. Whom tho rebellion.
however. was put down this act wns repealed,
and as far Virginia was concerned. non.
freeholders were permanently deprived OF the
privilege OF voting. In 1886 IL became neces-
sAry for the Virginia House OF Burgesses 10 de-
fine a freehold on account OF the practice OF
conveying "incou siderable Parcels o: land
upon fegned considerations" Accordingly
the amount OF land to be possessed by an
elector-was fixed at one hundted acres. u un-
Inhabited. or TWENTY-FIVE acres with house
and n. plantation. Some years atterward it
was enacted that nifty unsettled acres would
qualify a freeholder. 1t was provided that on
the settled plantation OF twenty-five acres
there must be a house twelve feet square. and.
II the estate was in several counties. the cleo
tor could vote only in that county In which tho
house was situated. At first the estate must
be a freehold. but subsequently. in Vir-
Ginia. it was enacted that an estate for
mans own life or for tho lie OF
his wife was qualified. Eventually an estate
for the life Of another (prr azure rieJ was held
sufficient With reference to Joint estates.
there was q peculiar provision in Virginia.
At first Joint tenants. or tenants in common.
had but ore vote between them unless the
quantity o! land was sufficient to give each OF
them the number OF acres required to qualify
single voter. Subsequently II was enacted
that where there was only property enough to
qualify for single vote the vote was not to DO
given unless the owners should agree. As TO
length OF possession. the Virginia law de-
clared that no person could vote ia respect o!
any lands or tenements whereof he had not
been In possession for u whole year next be-
fore the issue Of the writ Of election unless
such lands or tenements had como 10 such
person within that time by descent. marriage.
marriage settlement, or devise. Just before
the Revolution the ,eugth of possession was
reduced TO six calendar months. In Virginia
estates created or conveyances made to qualify
voters were null and void. Persons voting by
color OF such conyeyAnces or those who being
privy to the purpose OF their creation, should
aid In drawing them IN. We're liable to q fine
OF forty pounds. 30 far wo have only noted
the restrictions on what may be termed
the county franchise at Virginia general
elections How was II with the residents OF
towns? The act OF 1896 which defined the
number OF acres 10 be possessed by freehold
ers in counties expressly exempted from Its
operations all freehol6ers resident in cities or
towns incorporated By act Of Assembly. and
confirmed them in the privilege of voting In
right OF a house and lot. or OF q house and part
OF lot In case the interest in such house
and lot was divided. only one vote for II could
be admitted. later statute required such
town houses to be at least twelve feet square.
The burgess from the College OF William and
Mary Was returned by the President and the
masters or professors. The charter OF Will
Harrisburg gave the right 10 return one burgess
frat to all the freeholdsrs OF the city who
owned lot OF laud in the city with house
built thereon according to law; in the second
place. to all actual residents who had visible
estate OF fifty pounds current money. and
lastly. to all persons who should serve five
years at any trade within the city. and should
at the end Of that time. be actually housekeep-
srs and residents Servants. whether white or
black. and whether they were bound by in
denture. covenant or other form Of obligation.
could not vote.
We have taken Virginia as an Example OF the
state OF things which obtained in the Southern
colonies before the Revolution. Let US turn
next to New England. In lGjs. Just before the
interference OF the Crown. Connecticut had
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