The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-03-17

year, if not as disastrously as was its
predecessor, certainly by amajority of
about 10000, which ought to have con-
yinced the Democrats, individually and
collectively, that Maryland did not want
its suffrage rights regulated by an in
exorable law.
The suffrage acknowledgement by
the Democrats through Senator Price
radically differs from that framed by
Mr.. Poe. 1t is reproduction in great
part of the defeated Straus plan with
the educational clause eliminated. I'm
der the Price plan an applicant for reg
istration cannot be given credit for
property owned by his wife. Other
wise the Price and the Straus amend
/ ments are twins. There is the grand
fathers clause. There is also the
| property-owning clause.
These attempts of the Democrats to
impose a restricted elective franchise
upon Maryland are not in keeping with
the early history of the state.
The Constitution of Maryland of l776
( gave the right Of suffrage to all free
men above the age of p years having a
/ freehold of 50 acres of land, and resid-
/ ing in the county in which they offered
/ to vote, and to all freemen having prop
/ erty in the state of the value of 50
pounds and residing in the county in
which they offered to vote one whole
/ year preceding election.
/ Under the constitution all freemen of
all colors, possessing the age, property
and residential qualifications were en-
/ titled to vote in Maryland. even though
j they We're not citizens of the United
/ States. Maryland remained under this
! provision until 1910. when, recognizing
/ that a property qualification was not
/ right, and perhaps being bothered by
/ women attempting to vote, the consti-
tuition was amended subsequently as
/ follows: That every free white male
( citizen of this state above q years of
age and no other, having resided y
I months in the state and months in the
COUNTY or city of Annapolis or Balti-
more, shall have the right of suffrage.
Under this the unnaturalized free
male foreigner, residing in the state as
aforesaid, had a right to vote equally
with the native born citizen of the state
and the citizen of the United States.
This constitutional provision stayed in
/ effect until 1851, when it was re-enacted
substantially except ~that it restricted
/ the right Of suffrage to citizens of the
/ United States
/ In 1864, the Republicans, having
/ charge of the state, adopted the same
provisions confinng the right of suf-
+ frage to the white male citizen of the
United States.
/ But by Section of Article l of this
Constitution, they disqualified every
/ person who had been in armed hostih-
ties to the United States, or in any
manner in the services of the Confeder-
ate States Of America. or who had
voluntarily left the state and. gone
within the military lines of said So
called Confederate states or armies.
with purpose of adhering to same, or
who had given any aid, comfort, counte-
nance or support to those engaged in
armed hostilities to the United States
or adhered in any manner to its enemies
by contributing to them, lawfully or un-
lawfully sending within their lines
money, foods, letters or information, or
who had disloyally held communication
with the enemies of the United States,
or advised or aided any person to enter
the service of said enemies, or who by
any open deed or word declared his ad
hesion to their cause, or his desire for
/ their triumph from voting or holding
office in the state, unless he had since
been in the United States military SER
vice voluntarily, and honorably dis
charged or restored to his full rights of
citizenship by act of General Assembly
by vote of two-thirds of all the men,
bers of each house.
This section prescribed what is known
as the iron clad oath, to be admins
tered by the officers of registration and
judges of elections, as follows: 81 do
swear or affirm that | am a citizen of
the United States, that / have never
given any aid, countenance or support
to those in armed hostilities to the
United States, that | have never ex-
pressed desire for the triumph of said
enemies over the arms OF the United
! States, and that | will bear true al
/ legiance and faith to the United States
and support the Constitution and laws
thereof as the supreme law of the land,
any law or ordinance of any state to
the contrary notwithstanding; that |
will in all respects demean myself as a
! loyal citizen Of the United States, and |
make this oath or affirmation without
any reservation or evasion and believe
it to be binding on me. ="
| This clause in the Constitution was
the logical sequence of the conditions
existing at that time.