The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-02-27
THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE,
MIR. j. AItheus Johnson Submits An
Article for the Constitution Regu-
Iating the Franchise.
WASHINGTON, DC.

Washington, ID. c., Feb. 90, 1875.
The suffrage question seems TO be the one
! most discussed IN connection with the sub.
! ject-matIer OF The proposed new constitution
but, so fur Us have seen, no one has yet pull
into definite phraseOlogy what he thought
the new constitution should contain OH that
subject.
! the enclosed paper is intended 10 suggest
what conceive would be a proper consttu-
tional provision on the qualification OF Vot-
ers. In the drawing Of this paper have en-
amined. among Others. the constitution OF
Rhode Island, which provides property
qualification OF Massachusetts, which con.
tanned property qualification, but which, by
amendment, has prescribed an educational
one; OF Connecticut, which formerly had re.
gard 10 property, but which, by amendment
| has prescribed an educational qualification
Of Colorado, which gives authority 10 It's Gen.
| eral Assembly "to prescr be by law an educa-
| tional qualification for elcctors;' and OF Mis-
sissippi, which provides an educational quail
| ifcation.
New York and OF Kansas, having set forth
the qualifications Of electors, provide that
| the legislatures shall pass such laws as may
| De necessary tor ascerta ming, by proper
proofs the citizens who shall be entitled TO
The right Of suffrage hereby established"
$40 ascertain, by proper proofs, the cltlzens
who are qualified To vote Is one OF the chief
functions OF registration laws. Indeed IL Is
expressly provided In some constitutions, as
! in that OF Alabama, that mo person shall
vote at any election unless he shall have reg
iSlered as required by law"
The enclosed draft is not Identical with
| what is TO be found in any single cOnstitu-
tiOn, but Is the result rather Of an eNamina-
| iion OF them all. OF course in the appropria-
| ton of material ! sought TO have regard 10
| the situation in South Carolina. l shall not
discuss the paper in detail. No freeholder, as
| | think, ought to be denied the privilege Of
the elective franchise; bnt test oi an educa-
tional kind, as affecting one not freeholder,
may very properly. think, be prescribed.
thihk. too, that levying poll,taX and per-
mitting no one 10 vote who snail not nave
paid IT might be found to be a desirable quail
ification for suffrage with us in South Caro-
| linz. In Tennessee, in Arkansas (by amend
ment of 1889, and in Mississippi, the consti-
tutions levy poIl-tax and make the pay
mcnt OF IL necessary qualification for yot-
ing. Indeed, In some OF the sta Les The con-
sttutions require the person Offering 10 vote
| TO show that he has paid sail taxes legally
| assessed against him; In Others similar pro-
vision exists In regard to "poll-taXes" only.
| In Maryland, however, by the constitution,
I"poll-taXes" are declared To be "grievous and
oppressive;" but in that State, while suffrage
| is well-nigh universal to male citizens, the
| right to hold office IL confined to property
owners. mention this to show the wide dif.
| ferences that prevail among the states on
questions OF public policy.
| Ipstead of iin0edding II poll-taX QualIfica.
| tion on suffrage IN the constitution, the mild
er course would be 10 empower the legisla-
| ture 10 prescribe IL, in the manner / suggest
in the enclosed paper. Then, If the educa.
| tail In their operation TO meet the situation,
or prove insufficient, the poll.tax expedent
could be resorted TO. when thrinless and in.
| different citizens would doubtless fast lapse
into non-vOting members of the community
| | think, however, the legislature would have
no occasion, at least for several years, TO eX-
ercise the power that would be conferred by
the provisO TO section one Of the. enclosed pa
| per.
OF course we all understand that there are
other subjects TO be dealt with in constilu-
InT1n nf r0 SnnIi ianf ~. tZAfl
| as the right OF suffrage-l were about to say oil
5raver consequence; for the right OF suffrage
| Is important chiefly as the means OF securing
| to the citizen proper administration of the
government within the lines marked out by
the constitution; ; but it Is the constitution IT,
self that must be the great bulwark and sa le-
guard Of the rights and liberties Of the indi-
vidual. Suffrage may be important to a free.
man under our American cons stitutions, but
| u is not Indispensable. The citizens who live
here In the District OF Columbia are as we'll
protected and as secure In their rights of per-
son and or property as the citiZehs OF any
State in the Union and yet not one OF them
Is possessed OF the right OF suffrage, or has u
voice In the selection of those who make and
admin lister the laws. The only constitution
under which they live is that OF the United
states, and that constitution does not con fer
upon any citizen the right 10 vote. That
right is possessed, If possessed ut all, by virtue
OF the constitutions and laws OF the several
States each State being free TO regulate the
matter In its own way, subject to the inhibi-
ton that the right shall not be denied or
abridged on account of race, color, or pre-
vous condition OF servitude.
| Under a constitutional provision for suf-
irage OF the kind here suggested, with the leg.
| islalion that may be had under it,, no lit or
deserving person need be barred from the
privileges OF the ballot.
| | am very truly yours,
J. AlIheus Johnson.
Section !. In all elections by the people
the electors shall vote by ballot; and every
male citizen Of the United States. lwenty-one
years of aye and UPWARDS, except idiots, in
sane persons and Indians not taxed, who
| shall have been a resident OF this State for
| twelve months, and of the county In which
| he offers TO vote for six months, and OF the
voting precinct or ward for one month, and
who has never been convicted of treason,
| murder, robbery, duelling, bribery, burglary,
arson, obtaining money or goods under false
forgery. or big amy, and who shall be able to
! read any article Of this constitution, or any
section of the statutes OF this state, or TO un-
derstand and reasonably explal IN the same
when read 10 him, or who, in his own right,
snail be possessed of an estate or freehold in
such county of the value OF one hundred dol
lars over and above all membranes, The
conveyance OF which, If by deed, shall have
been recorded at least ninety days, shall be
deemed qualified as an elector, and, on regis
tering as provided by law, shall be entitled 10
vote at all elections by the people. Provided,
however. that the General Assembly shall
have power TO impose a poll-taX. not exceed
ing two dollars for one year, upon every male
citizen wthin the ages OF twenty-one TO sixty
years. and TO require each voter, at the time
he offers TO vote, 10 produce to the officers
holding the election satisfactory evidence
that he has paid the poll-taxes assessed
against him for such preceding period as may
be provided by law and at such time as the
law may have prescribed. without which his
vote cannot be received. Such taxes, how
ever, shal be lien only upon taxable prop.
erty; and no criminal proceedings shall be
allowed to enforce their collection.
Sec. =. The General Assembly shall pro-
vide by law for the registration of all electors,
or persons, qualified TO vote; and suitable
remedies, by appeal or otherwise, shall be
provided for the correction Of improper regis
tration and for securing registration TO any
to whom 1t may be Improperly denied; and
no person shall be allowed to vote who shall
not have registered as required by law, regis.
tration by the proper officers being hereby de-
clared TO be u condition prerequisite 10 the
exercise OF suffrage by any citizen.
Sec. 3. The General Assembly shall have
full power to pass laws necessary for guarding
against abuses of the elective franchise and
for securing the pnrity Oi elections.