The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-05-13
exacted from applicants for registration

e16cIeO ITOu AppllCdHlS lOi lS6iSti alioh
belonging to this class OF men.
The fact that they were qualified vot-
ers anywhere in the United States on
January l, 1869. or earlier, entities
them, without more. to registration.
By this Second Clause the suffrage is
preserved to all white men throughout
the Union who possessed it on January
!, 1869, 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 land We shall presently see of
the Third Clause aiso) 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 ii pre-
serves suffrage TO the lineal descend
ants born not later than 1855 OF all
male citizens OF the United States who
were qualified voters on January l. 1869,
without distinction OF race, color or na-
tlouality. and without any test except
the uniform and impartial test of lineal
descent and birth prior to the year 1885.
ANY adult male descendant of any
man who on January l. 1869. was a
qualified voter in any State of the Union
may be registered on that ground alone,
whether white or black, literate CT illit-
crate. native born or naturalized pro-
A..
qualification OF residence in Maryland.
and. second. that he be 81 years OF aga
or over In the year 1906.
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 1855. and con-
sequentiy at least q years old in 1906.
But all NAV come in under this clause
who were born prior to 1855.
The tineal descendants born after the
year 1855 OF those who voted on Janu-
ary /. 1869. cannot become registered
voters In 1897. OF afterward. except un-
der the educational test prescribed by
the First Clause Of the Amendment.
for the obvious reason that In 1906 tths
specific date dssignatedl 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 1905 can beoome a registered voter
unless he possess the qualification pre-
scrihed by the Educational Clause. But
no man. white or black, who was n voter
on January !. 1883 or who Is lineAl
descendant of sach voter and twenty
one years OF age or over In 1895. can bo
denied registration because OF hts ina
ellity to meet such educational test
From the Virginia Constitution.
This clause Is taken from the present
Constitution OF Virginia and represents
the result os the deliberations Of the re-
cent Virginia State Convention upon
the suhjee,. aided as these deliberations
were by careful study u the provisions
os the several Southern States upon the
question . negro suffrage and by the
successful and satisfactory practical op-
Grafton of such provisions In thoss
States
II thus rejects and adopts the latest
and best Views ut the strongest men ef
the South.
Recurring 10 its precise language We
End thai IL roafers the right to regis
tration tRs the Indispensable prelimI-
nary To the right 10 votel npon every
adult male possessing the prescribed
Qualification of one years legal resi-
aence In Maryland who Is able TO read
and give 4 reasonable explanation of
any section cf the Constitution Of Mary
land submitted 20 him by the Regis,ra-
tIoa oficers. or. Il such adult male q
unable to Rad. then the right to regis
trntion is given Il he rs able 10 under
stand and give explanation OF any sec
ton os the Constitution when read to
him by them.
II the applicant Is able 90 read and
give n reasonable explanation Of any
section Of the Constitution when thus
submitted to hiE. be Is entitled to reg
Istrafson
Tkis 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. Hut the succeeding words Of the
clause show that such cannot be its
meaning for these succeeding words
declare that If the applicant cannot
read but can understand and give ex-
PLANTATION of the section when read To
him. he "a in that event entitled to reg
istration.
From this examination OF the whole
clause Il Is clear that no more Is re-
quired OF any applicant than an ability
20 give reasonable explanation OF any
section of the Constitution. whether
read by him when submitted by the
Registration Ofsieefs. or when read 10
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 10 read IS required both Ito un-
derstand and give explanation" the ex-
PLANTATION enacted from him should fair
iy 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 whola
clause Is taken. and II cannot be sup
posed that the omission OF this word
reasonable" was intended to affect the
Interpretation OF the clause
ieability 10 Read.
The right to registration conferred
upon men able to understand and give
explanation" while not able to read. is
not made TO depend upon an inability
to read from physical defect, such as
blindness. but is conferred absolutely
upon them without regard to the cause