The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-06-06
A Suffrage Argument.
Richmond. Ky. June 3. 1919

Il
| Editor--The states of Wyoming
! Colorado, Utah, Idaho Washington
California, oregon, Kansas ana Arz-
ona have enabled some black men and
white ana black women To obtain 4
legal right To vote for members of
Congress, electors Vi the president and
vice president Of the United States
and United States senators along with
some whitc men in them. by removing
white and male" from the list of
qualifications that their constitutions
prescribe for electors of the most nu-
merous branch al the lcgisla lures of
these states.
| BY doing this these states have made
il appear that the right Ia vote for
all of the elective officers of the Unit
ed States is secured 10 citizens by the
constitutions of our states
And they have been allowed 10 do
this after the judges of the supreme
court al the United states decided in
their -. :. V. Reese decision of 1876,
that Congress has no constitutional
power Il make federal laws that pro-
vide punishments for persons who
! hinder al prevent citizens from eXer-
csing right To vote" Tor any ON
GERS that has been granted or secured
10 them py the constitution Of u state.
! And after these Judges affirmed in this
decision that the power of Congress
| To legislate AT all upon the subject of
voting at state elections rests" upon
the 18TH. amendment Of our federal
constitution: which did not confer a
right L. vote upon any one; but a
new constitutional right" which was
right of exemption from discrim
ination in the exercise of the elective
franchise on account of race, color or
previous condition of s1rvtude. (which
Congress could protect citizens in eX-
ercisng, if il would make federal laws
which contained the words race col
or OF previous condition of servitude"
so as To confine their protection with
in the limits prescribed by the 18th
amendment: because rights and inn |
munites created by or dependent upon !
the constitution of the United States
can be protected by Congress"
In view OF the above mentioned |
facts. | have written II letter to on;
Congressman and asked them tn claim!
that the legal right 10 vote for the
elective officers of the United States
that some white and black men and
women now possess in the states of
wyoming, Colorado. Utah Idaho,
Washington, California, oregon. Kan
sas ana Arizona was secured 10 them
by the Constitution at the United
states.
And to claim this by holding that
when the i4th and 18th amendments Of
our federal constitution were adopted
in 1868 and 1870, they annulied the
words white and male that We're in
the constitution and laws Of all of
our northern and southern states al
that time combining the right OF SUI
frage to white men, ana have thereby
caused the constitution of the United
states to confer upon some white
women and black meh and women IN
these states the same legal right To
vote for the elective officers Of the
United States that il confers upon
some white men. by making a federal
law, i'm which they authorize white
women and black men and women 10
exercise right to vote for MEM
bers Of Congress, presidential electors
and United states senators in each
state upon the same terms that white
men are allowed to exercise this right
IN IL.
Most respectfully yours.