Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1894-12-07
FRIDAY MORNING. DEC. 7. 1884

Does not the VfSDIc AroR know that or
State Constitution guarantees vote to every
male over twenty one years old, who has not
been convicted OF certain enumerated crimes
Now this being SO, does the VINDICATOR pro-
pose to violate the constitution which it has
sworn to obey?
If it is il favor Of an educational qualifca-
ton why not come cut in manly way and
advocate an amendment to the Constitution
which will require an educational test?
To pass law abidging suffrage. under
constitution which guarantees universal
suffrage it seems to Us, to say the least is
anything but manly and traightforward-
Spirit Of The VdIley (Rep.)
Vi e assure our esteemed contemporary
that the VINDICAToR came ont long since
for an educational qualification. It sup
ported the adoption OF the Australians ballot
law with that view, and WAS disappointed
when the Walton law WAS adopted with a
clause providing foF q constable 10 assist
tue illiterate. We publish below The Arti
Gle Of the Constitution of Virginia relative
, to suffrage. / our COZ temporary can find
anything there Which S'guaraitees Il vote
to every male citizen over twenty -oue years
old. &C., " 1t will find more than We have
been sUle 10 discover. 1t simply decIEfes
tina every uate- We y zone yeats OF age
with certain eXcepllols) is "entltled to
Vote" 1t makes no provision ior his v0t-
ing ii he is not able TO do so himself. 1t
does not make aly allilsiou to, ol provision
for, lhe llltersue. As Il matter OF fact,
when the State Of Virginia through It's
coust itutiOlia convention abolished The
uiU0 uoce mo- of voting, it cut loose tfGtn
d dissolved partnership with the IL
l.te!ates. Instead oil letting an lilterale
man inform tue officer OF election Wno he
wanted to vote for, The State gave him q
D. inted ballot which ne coAId not read and
which it knew he could lot read His de
pendence thereafter was Oh political plr
ties, their calvassers aud heelers. They
alone could guarantee him q vote, watch
neither poitlca party did il he did nos
Vote with it. Ine co stitutioH Of lrgln
la i.siop ed since the Mar, itself ''auridgtd
suffrage by substituting tue printed bad
lot requiring some edUc4ti0nGii the part u
tie voter, for Tile Uitt c0ce sy5te Il WI icil
| required none. There have been for wen
ty five years thousands of negroes voting
The printed ballots III Virginia Who c0ulA
moi read them. and who, from the atana
point of political and public affairs, no
unre knew tie effect Of their Vote tilsn the
idiots that tile constitution excl ides.
| What corruption this has brought
into Virginia politics is a matter of public
scandal Ihe Democrats have bought
tileni, and of late ye4is the Republicans
have had to buy them. 1t seensio us that
all who want an interrupted ballot III Viz
ginla. should pe glad 10 see this vote ex
Guided.
We wish our friend of tile Spirit would
consult some good lawyer # lis ac4nain-
Ia, ce--noJ 4 political lawyer -at.d get his
tp Moi, on lis assert ion thai ''oar state
constitution guarantees q Vote TO every
male oyei twenty-one years Gid. nere Is
Article III Of tlle constitution OF Virginia:
ARTICLE III.
ELECTIVE FRANCHISE AID QUALIFICATIONS
! F0R OFFICE.
See j. Every male citizen OF the United
States, twenty-one years old, vic shall have
been a resident of this state twelve months,
and Of the county, city OF town in which he
shall offer to vote three months DeXt proceed
ing any election, shall be entitled to vete for
members Of the general assembly and all Oil
Gers elected by che people; provided that no
officer, soldier seaman, OF marine OF the
| United State, army OF navy, shall be consd-
cred "a resident Of this state by reason Of being
stationed therein; and provided, also, that the
| following persons shall be excluded from
voting:
First. Idiots and lunatics.
Second, Persons convicted Of bribery in
any election, embezzlement Of public funds,
treason, felony, or petit larceny.
/ Third. NJ person WHO, W hiie citizen Of
! this state, has, since the adoption oi this
constitution, fought duel with deadly
weapon, sent or accepted a challenge to fight
duel with deadly weapon, either within
Or hey nd the boundaries OF this State, CT
knowingly conveyed Il challenge. Or aided OF
assisted in any manner in ii-ltng a duel,
shall be allowed TO vote OF hold any office OF
| honor, profit, OF trust under this constitution.
Sec.2 All elections shall be by ballot,
and 4 Ii persons entitled to vote shall be ell
giole to any Office within the gift OF the PEG
pie, except as restricted in this constitution.
Sec. 5. All persons entitled to vote and
! hoid Office, and none others, shall be eligible
to sit as jurors.
Sec 1. No voter, during the time of hold
| ing any election at which he is entitled to
vote, shall be compelled to perform military
service, except in time Of war CT pu6tie dan
ger, to work upon public roads. OF to attend
any court as sutor, juror or witness; and 10
voter Shall ba subject to arrest, under any
civil process during his attendance at elec-
tions, OF in going to OF returning from them
\ decision made recently in Msissaelln-
Sc is has j;st been sustained 10y fun
| ,eicll Of the SUPP enc Court OF that state.
i. is TO Tie effect that Il promise 10 marry
is 10 he regarded i'll the Same light as q
,usil.ess Contract, and its uon-ful!ilnent
| carlles with it pecuiiiary damages ust as
failure to make good business co4itract
!ols Under this rulIi.g Hiss Amerlca d.
| Van Houten las gotten u verdict fur
| 800 $50 damages against lion. ASA l..
| ;orsa fnr breach of urOi!iSG to marry.