The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1895-02-15

QudllllCdtlOIls VI eltCtOIS, WHICn Wdt
adopted last fall. The decision is pub
lished by the Secretary of State for the
benefit of whom it may concern. In
spectors OF election should acquaini
| themselves with its language.
Resp'y, WASHINGTON GARDNER,
Secretary of State.
Marquette, Mich:
My DEAR SIR-Yours of Jan. IL was
duly received. ] have received many
letters of a similar character, indicating
a great interest in the questions you
ask.
Previous to the last general election
by section | article of the constitu.
ton of this State, in all elections
every male inhabitant who had re.
sided in this State two years and six
months, and who had declared his
intention to become citizen of the
United States pursuant to the laws
thereof, SIX months preceding an
election, was an elector and entitled to
vote: Provided, of course, he was
above the age of twenty-one years, and
had resided in the township or ward
Ill NlllCli llC OlClCd W NOlC bCli ud1 >
preceding such election. This section
was amended at the last general cleo
ton, so that il now reads as follows:
every male inhabitant of foreign
birth who having resided in this State
two years and six months prior to the
Sth day of November, 1894, and having
declared his intention to become n
citizen of the United States two years
al, ,Nr,Ar 10 10
named day, shall be an elector and
also amended by requiring that no
one shall be an electOr or entitled TO
vote ut any election, unless he shall
have resided in this State six months,
and in the township or ward in which
he offers to vote twenty days next
preceding such election. In all other
respects, section of article remains
unchanged.
the constitution, az amended, shows
that there is not the slightest possible
ground for doubt as to who are now
electors and entitled to vote in this
State. There is no room for construc-
ton, because the language is so plain
and clear as to admit of no construc-
llOlls his stCtlOll Us hiutHutu Ca
pressly, III terms, provides who shall
be electors. 1t follows that those who
do not come within one of the pro-
visions of this section, are not quail
| flied electors and cannot vote.
There is but one question that ha:
been presented in the many letters
which have received on this subject
and that is as TO how this section of
A.I -
male inhabitants of foreign birth in
this State. The question is asked
"must u foreigner become full
American citizen before he can vote in
this State" and second, if so, does this
affect male inhabitants of foreign
birth, who, before this section was
amended, may have been electors?
| In other words, are any foreigners by
this section as amended, DISTINGUISHED
My answer to this question is this: Nc
male inhabitant of foreign birth now
residing In this State, can vote at any
election held IN this State, until he
shall become citizen of the United
states; and a male inhabitant of for
eign birth, who may haye been q
qualified elector last November, can
not vote next spring, unless he shall
be, by that time, citizen of the United
states: Provided, of course. that hs
does not come within the express con
stitutional exception, viz: A residence
of two years and six months prior tS
| the Sth day of November, 1894, and
his having made declaration of hi
intention to become a citizen of the
| United States, two years and sl>
months prior to said last named date
L a. .f II, N
inhabitant of foreign birth can con
| tinue to vote.
Before this amendment all that wa
required of IL foreigner, who came t.
| this State, was a residence therein o.
two years and Il half, and a declara
Lion of his intention to become a clti
zen of the United States six months
preceding an election: So that, fo
example, any foreigner who had come
10 this State to live, two years anC
six months preceding the last genera
election, IN November, and had de
clared his intention of becoming /;
citizen six months preceding sale
election, became thereby a qualified
elector; but now, by reason of tn,
amendment, all this is changed anC
such person is no longer an elector-
] nc Cdil llO NOlSf llOl Oull
other foreigner vote III this State, whC
had not declared his intention to be
come n citizen of the United States
two years and six months preceding
the Sth day of November, 1894. 1t b,
no means follows that he is perma
nently DISTINGUISHED; he simply mus
wait until he becomes citizen of tn,
United States, and then he can agar
vote.
As Is we'll known, II foreigner cal
become full American citizen, othe
conditions being complied with, b,
actually residing within the United
States at least five years.
This amendment is as simple an,
clear as possible. 1t simply establishe
as the constitutional condition pre-
cedent to the enjoyment of the cleo
tive franchise. that a foreign born in
habitant shall wait until he become
n full American citizen, before h,
shall be allowed the privilege of vot
ing in this State. While many seem {,
understand this and have no difficulty
i'm reaphin,r this conclusion they i'm