Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-03-20
For the SPECTATOR
Amend the Constitution.


Every government is controlled by some
mind, whether of monarchy, or oligarchy
the representatives of the people or by
democracy. What is the design of govern
ment? Primarily it is to restrain, direct and
protect the body polite. Our government
springs from the people-like people like
government The sourse indicates the quality
of the water-a corrupt fountain sends up i'm
pure water, and rice versa. A frequent recur-
renee to first principles is necessary for the
young and the foreigners; for it will be re-
membered that our complex government is
not known by intuition, but by study and OBJ
servation. Government, then, has its correl-
ative-obedience. 1t has been said that duty
| is the greatest word in our language, and we
would add that obedience is her immediate
sequent Since the first transgression by the
parents OF our race, the great effort has been
to restore obedience to proper authority
J Government seeks to protect the natural
, rights of MANTLE, liberty, and the pursuit OF
happiness. Those who are friends and OBJ
| servers of the necessary uses of government
| are the only safe repository of supreme power.
The turbulent spirits who violate the laws,
bid defiance to constituted authority, shock
and terrify society, are more dangerous than
the public enemy in time of war, and are no.
| a safe repository of the elective franchise II
is evident to every calm and rejecting person
that the power of the government must b'
better secured to the friends of good order.
safety of society and the stability of the gov
eminent. Persons who are not capable OF
sufficiently approaching the obligations ant
duties of citizen to govern themselves, art
incapable Of controlling others and should moi
| desire to do so. The great problem OF oui
times and of our country. is to restore the
supreme power to those only who are capable
of understanding and will adhere to the con
sentative principles on which the governments
was constructed by its wise founders-llberty
without RIGHTEOUSNESS, and power for specific
purposes without oppression.
A recurrence to the history of the right OF
suffrage in Amerca is full of interest and in
struction. Take, for instance, the organlza
ton Of Connecticut which is claimed to have
been the first to project the American saysten
of the division of powers with checks ana
balances Under sort of permit from Mas
and Wethersfield, in Connecticut, on January
18th, 1859, adopted constitution which pro
vided that all future electors or voters sbouio
only be admitted to the right of suffrage by
majority vote of those who were already
voters Under the charter of Charles H., Ill
1862 the Legislature was authorized to choost
such other persons as they might think tit t.
become voters. At the revision of 1786, suf-
frage was restricted to the decision OF the
voters in primary meeting upon such appli-
cants for the privilege as had passed an ex-
animation before board and reported to pos
sess the educational, moral and other qualif-
cations and who would take the prescribed
oaths. On application to the Circuit Courl
every voter might be disfranehised who
walked scandalously or committed any
scandalous offence" If the voter shoult
afterwards appear not qualified, as had been
certified, every member of the board was fineC
Sill. Up to 1914, the rule, with slight moditi-
cations, was to have the privilege of becoming
candidate for election to the privilege of
voter But in 1914, the law was changed so
that none but arhite persons were eligible. In
1914, there was the concession that an appli-
cant should have the right to be registered
voter if he could show good character ano
the former requisites to board or selectmen
These are substantially the restrictions on
suffrage in Connecticut now, except SO far as
/, annulled by the fifteenth amendment to the
Constitution of the United States. Up to this
period negro suffrage was prohibited in many
Northern States, and it is seen how carefully
the right was guarded by some. How shall
the open flood-gates be adjusted to keep Out
the foul waters?
MoDEpATE