Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1905-06-08


The fact that they were qualified yot-
ers anywhere I'm the United States on
January I, 1869, or earlier. entities
them, without more. to registration.
By this Second Clause the suffrage II
preserved % all white men throughout
the Union who possessed it on January
I, 1863, or earlier.
But no negro can come In under this
clause unless he was qualified voter
on January /, 1869. or prior thereto, in
the State where he then resided.
The purpose and effect Of this Second
Clause (and we shall presently see Of
the Third Clause alsol are to relieve
the proposed amendment from conflict
with the Fifteenth Amendment to the
Constitution Of the United States.
Limitation Of Grandfather Clause.
Coming now TO the Third Clause Of
the Amendment. we find that Il pre-
serves suffrage to the lineal descend
ants born not later than 1885 OF all
male citizens Of the United States who
were qualified voters on January 1. 1869,
without distinction of race, color or ma
tionality, and without any test except
the uniform and impartial test OF lineal
descent and birth prior to the year 1885.
Amy adult male descendant OF any
man who on January 1. 1869, was q
qualified voter In any State of the Union
may be registered on that ground alone,
whether white or black, iterate or illit-
crate, native born or naturalized, pro-
vided, first, that he have the necessary
qualification OF residence in Maryland,
and. second, that he be u years Of age
or over I'm the year 1905.
This clause operates with equal force
in law upon all such adult male lineal
descendants.
No man, whether white or black, can
come in under this grandfather clause
unless he was in esse in 1885, and con-
seQuently at least q years old In 1906.
But all may come in under this clause
who were born prior to 1885.
The lineal descendants born after the
year 1885 Of those who voted on Janu-
airy l, 1869, cannot become registered
voters in 1907, or afterward, except un-
der the educational test prescribed by
the First Clause OF the Amendment,
for the obvious reason that in 1906 (the
specific date designated) they will not
be 81 years old.
By this simple provision the grand
father clause" will gradually cease to
be operative, and no male, whether
white or black, who shall arrive at age
after 1906 can become registered voter
unless he possess the qualification pre-
scribed by the Educational Clause But
no man. white or black. who was avoter
on January 1, 1869, or who Is a lineal
descendant Of such voter and twenty
one years of age or over in 1906, can be
denied registration because of his ina
bility to meet such educational test.
From the Virginia Constitution.
This clause is taken from the present
Constitution Of Virginia and represents
the result OF the deliberations OF the re-
cent Virginia State Convention upon
the subject, aided as these deliberations
were by careful study of the provisions
Of the several Southern States upon the
| question OF negro suffrage and by the
successful and satisfactory practical op-
Grafton Of such provisions in those
4
States.
It thus reflects and adopts the latest
and best views Of the strongest men of
| the South.
Recurring to its precise language, we
find that 1t confers the right to regis
| tration (as the indispensable prelimi-
nary to the right to vote) upon every
adult male possessing the prescribed
qualification OF one years legal resi-
dence in Maryland, who is able to read
and give a reasonable explanation of
any section of the Constitution of Mary
land submitted to him by the Registra-
ton Officers: or, IL such adult male Is
| unable to read, then the right to regis
tration Is given II he ''is able to under
stand and give explanation" of any sec
ton OF the Constitution when read to
him by them.
II the applicant is able to read and
give a reasonable explanation OF any
section of the Constitution, when thus
submitted to him, he is entitled to reg
istration.
This standing alone would fairly
mean that the applicant must be able
both to read and give a reasonable ex-
PLANTATION OF the section submitted to
him. But the succeeding words Of the
clause show that such cannot be its
meaning, for these succeeding words
declare that II the applicant cannot
read, but can understand and give ex-
| PLANTATION OF the section when read to
him. he is In that event entitled to reg
istration.
From this examination OF the whole
clause 1t is clear that no more Is re-
quired of any applicant than an ability
to give reasonable explanation of any
section Of the Constitution. whether
read by him when submitted by the
Registration Officers, or when read to
him by them.
The literal language OF the second
part Of the clause does not require that
the explanation shall be reasonable %
but inasmuch as the applicant who is
unable to read is required both ito I'M
derstand and give explanation" the ex-
PLANTATION exacted from him should fair
~ be construed to mean reasonable ex-
PLANTATION. Indeed. the word reason
able" found in the first part of the clause
should doubtless be treated as implied
or understood. although not actually re-
peated in the second part of the clause.
II is found in the present Constitu-
ton OF Virginia, from which the whole
clause is taken. and II cannot be SUD-
posed that the omission OF this word
reasonable" was intended to affect the
Interpretation of the clause.
Inability 20 Read.