The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1905-04-20
SENATOR l. G.
PALMER'S SPEECH
On the Proposed Constitutional Amendment
Limiting the Right of Suffrage.
DELIVERED IN THE MARYLAND SENATE
On Wednesday, the 9th Day of March, 1904.

MR PRFslDENT- arise for the purpose Of putting myself
ord unquai6ed opposed this proposed piece Legislation
to all legislation which partakes of the
We here today representatives sovereign people of
this Commonwealth, and scuated my by
fnence in defense Of and for the f4 bcranc Of @ % "
believe that every this body pur
and aCuated by the motives implicit
faith failure ultimately legislation 1t NAV rise
flourish tolerated a season its foundation principles
false and fall hope that this body
in this year Of will not be deuded temporarily giving
its support to adocne that false in principle and that
but one ate-ts final destruction.
wipe the laws the and the constitution itself
makes might The conscience of today the destiny
Mr. President am no political philosopher but there few
ordinary citizen can be mistaken.
quesOn-one which the wishes of the people first but
Years rolled bv That question was Whether tb @ or t
1t aided apparently solution
first side and then the other by of legislatures
ions of and of and for
fury student of history nor nation of the earth able tell the
result based the trend of Servitudc
doctrine OF the commonweaths believing states rgh-a doctrine
acknowledged by all today to be absolutely Incompatible with free
fathers founders Republic died in despair of solving
the problems In IT'S John Adams declared
repealed by laws rights derived from the great
awver of the universe The immortal Jefferson great
apostle of democracy wrote: We hold these
truths be efevdcn that all men created equal
endowed by their Creator with certain nacnabc
among life liberty and pursuit happiness But in
his old he cried despair embc for my country
question finally and forever solved every person within this
recognizes the nat and that decision
the greatest ncrnenc war of all time seal that decision and with
expenditure money appalling to our sister ma
uons. 'Retribuive justice must fulfill her destiny"
The federal
hind the essentials of the foundations every govern
and Might in the final destiny things
itself with right and must prevail is thus aconqucrn all pow
crul All government in its final ultimate analysis depend
gets from taxation He who either of these
and can bear if the shall pure
perfect and democratic have making govern
Let us examine briefly the import of this bill If NV father or
on m be
of the Hopkins University and the Harvard Law School
prtzan election official before to register chose to de-
eide my Interpretation constitution which he
used satisfactory him, disfranched and
from his decision there is no earthly appeal The nterpea
ton of the constitution of the United States question which
the greatest constitutional OF our land ever since its ounda
ton have been hopes divided But remains for the Maryland
Legislature of 1904 determine that the suffrage every
citizens those whose grandahers Jan
be dependent the Interpretation that great document
which the wses fail and that the of last
this legislative body.
depoc proposition that has ever seriously con-
fronted the American people 1t makes of this partisan
election official with more autocrac powers than the ruler of the
Russias.
We events in the far East at this
moment that all mankind that all civilization is swinging
ward poles Dcsposm and Democracy students of
history far foee Of
wa-and make this the goth century the of the
outcome matters not how much is bedmed by distance OF at
tendant circumstances inevitable No depotism abide the
cannonadm& or the centuries Right combined with might must
ana snail prevail hey VINO by their might or their money uphold
the government must make it These are FUNDAMENTAL CON
We all deporc the punishment of say
criminals might better go free than that just be punished
cge the prcogavc with which
public. The denying of the right who possesses
damcnal qualification parallel the the
Maryland has been very considerable and has
aged citizenship by removing one of the Fundamental quafc
ions viz the of taXesWhch commendabeand shall
bedm her glory and pcrvert the very
restricting and abdging the other fundamental qualification?
While love quote Acpus of old constitutes state
men, high minded why training the youth,
the flower our land the highest skill and learning mill
a and naval affairs in national schools and spending
this city the present
other nation in defense against a foreign foe?
all the states should enact laws similar to those proposed here
will dsanChSc onc-hfh of population will
probably be eh whose smpathes will be with the dis
anchsed through relationship otherwise For
of population within midst aienaed from