The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-06-28

the whole population OF the right
of suffrage, which with scarcely
an exception has been uniformly
maintained, it will require some
aStuteness to find upon what
ground this exclusion can be vim
dictated which does justify. or at
least excuse. many other eXclu-
sionS. Government 60 use the
pitiIy language OF Burke has
been deemed practical thing,
made for the happiness of man
kind, and not to furnish a spec
tacle of uniformity to crafty the
schemes Of visionary politicians.
However, aside from the afore- go.
ing authorities, the question has
been set at rest beyond a doubt
in Maryland. The Court of APP
pealS in the case of Anderson VS..
Baker, % Nd. 531, has passed
upon the question in "A learned
and exhaustive opinion. And al
though the distinguished Rev
erdy Johnson ably contended
that the right to vote was an un-
alienable right, yet the court said:
Among the absolute unqualified
rights of the State, is that of reg
ulating the election franchise.
! is the foundation of State au-
thority, the most important po-
lltical function exercised by the
people in their sovereign capac-
lty. Whilst the right of the peo-
pie to participate in the LegiSla-
ture is the best security of lib.
erty and the foundation of all
free governments. yet, it is sub
ordinate to the higher power of
regulating the qualifications of
electors and the elected. Citi-
zenship and suffrage are by no
means inSeparabie. The lattes is
not one of the universal, unalien-
able rights with which men are
endowed by their Creator. but al
1 together conventional None of
/ the elementary writer's include
the right of suffrage among the
rights Of property or persons. 1t
Is not an absolute, unqualified,
| personal right" Hence it is that
whatever may be the contentious
to the contrary, the fact remains.
that the right Of suffrage is not
right but privilege granted by
he State in its wisdom. 1t eX-
lists for the benefit Of the State and
not for the benefit Of the individ-
ual. 1t is created by the State
and subject to the will and CON
! troll of the State, therefore, it is
not a natural and inherent right.
THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW.
The opposition have assumed
and contended that the election
law as passed, preScribeS an edu,
cational qualification and thereby
DISTINGUISHES those who do not
possess such qualifications. While
the right of the State to do so
cannot be questioned, and the
discussions thus far has been suf
ticiently comprehensive to meet
that case. Still the question is,
what does this law do! Why it
actually does away with the
1 party emblemS and calls for an
alphabetical arrangement Of the
candidates. 1t does not deny
he right to vote to any one. A
man may be so ignorant that he
knows not his right from his left
hand and yet he may openly de.
clare that fact to the Judges.
Yet they have no power in the
| world to prevent him from voting.
He is qualified voter. 1t strives
not to deprive any man of the
right of suffrage. 1t has not for
its purpose the confscation of
the rights and property of the
common people and those who
are so unfortunate as not to be
able to read and write. If my
education (if may rightly call
II an education) has done any.
thing for me, it has caused me to
love and respect the rig hts and in
terests of the common people. [
crave not favors at the hands of
the opulent, nor bow with Bonded
n ee 5 before the corrupted
mighty. If there is a pleasure
for me in anything, it is in doing
for Others what they are not able
to do themselves. If there was a
scintilla of evidence indicative of
the fact that this law, as an ed
ucational qualification would
prejudice the rights and interests
OF those persons who are honest
ly and industriously striving to
provide for themselves and their
loved ones, place over whose
threshold might be written the
happiest of all words Home"
| should be the last to raise the
weight of my hand or the sound
OF my voice in its favor.
The law strives not to steal the
rights of anyone, but strives to
guarantee those rights more Sc
cnrely. 1t has for its purpose
/