§ 5. Why is the division of a state into towns and countics necessary?

§ 6. What are the smallest political divisions of a state? Of what are counties composed?

§ 7. By what authority do the people of the towns and counties act?

§ 8. What other reason is there for thus dividing a state into towns?

CHAPTER VIII.

By whom Political Power is e xercised.

§ 1. THE first act of political power is, as we have seen, the establishment of a constitution or form of government. The next exercise of power by the people in their political capacity, is the election of officers to administer the government. But before proceeding to show how this power of the people in their elections is exercised, it will first be shown by whom this act of political power is performed.

§ 2. In speaking of the people as exercising the powers of government, we do not mean persons of all classes, and without distinction; but such only as are entitled by the constitution to vote. The duties which both nature and the custom of civilized countries have assigned to females, are such as to render it manifestly improper for them to take an active part in the affairs of government. Nor ought male youth to be permitted to do so, until they shall have had time to become duly informed as to the nature and use of political power, and their judgment shall have become sufficiently mature to exercise such power discreetly. And that they may also act independently, they ought to have attained the age and condition of freemen. None, therefore, but free male citizens of the age of twenty-one years, are allowed to vote at elections.

§3. That a man may vote understandingly, he ought also to have resided long enough in the state to become acquainted with its government and laws, and with the citizens for

whom he is to vote. Hence the constitution of every state requires every elector to have resided in the state for a specified period of time; which period is not the same in all the states, being either six months, a year, or two years. In most of the states, he must also have resided for some months in the county, and be an actual resident of the town in which he offers to vote.

§ 4. Under the early constitutions of the old states, the right of voting, otherwise called the right of suffrage, and the elective franchise, was restricted to those who owned property, or paid rent or taxes to a certain amount. In the election of the higher state officers, freeholders only were entitled to vote. A freeholder is an owner of real estate, that is, property in lands, which he may hold in his own right and transmit to his heirs.

§ 5. In the constitutions of the newer states, tre poession of property has not been made a qualification of an elector and in the amended constitutions of the old state this restriction upon the elective franchise has been removed until it has nearly ceased to exist in the United States. The only exception, it is believed, is in the state of North Carolina, where, to be entitled to vote for senators, a man must own a freehold of fifty acres of land. The right of suffiage has also been extended in other respects un'il it has become nearly universal, being enjoyed by every independent white male citizen in almost every state in the Union.

§ 6. All male citizens, as the term is here used, does not mean every man twenty-one years of age. Foreigners, or aliens, are not in law called citizens, nor entitled to the political privileges enjoyed by persons born in this country. Their knowledge of our government is deemed to be too limited to qualify them immediately for the proper exercise of political power; nor is it presumed that they will feel a sufficient interest in our government until they shall have become permanently settled in this country. A way is provided by which, after a residence here for a term of years, they may be admitted to all the privileges of native citizens. Their becoming thus invested with the rights of natural born citizens, is called being naturalized. (See Naturalization.)

§ 7. Also persons convicted of certain infamous crimes are

denied the privilege of voting thereafter at elections, unless they have been pardoned before the expiration of the term for which they were sentenced to be imprisoned, or unless the disqualification be removed in some other way prescribed by law.

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§ 8. It will be seen by reference to the several state constitutions, that "white male citizens" only are mentioned as entitled to the right of suffrage, in most of the states. the New England states, except Connecticut, there is no exclusion of colored citizens from the right of voting. And in New York, male citizens of color owning a freehold estate of the value of $250, are qualified electors. The justice or propriety of excluding a class of citizens from a participation in the government on account of color, may well be questioned.

EXERCISES.

§ 1. What are the two principal acts of political power? § 2 Give some reasons why females and male youth are not made voters. At what age does a young man become a freeman and a voter ?

§ 3. What provision is made by constitutions as to an elector's residence? Why is this necessary? What term of

residence is required in this state?

§ 4. What restrictions upon the elective franchise as to property formerly existed? Define freeholder.

§ 5. What is the present character of the state constitutions in regard to the right of suffrage? Is the property qualification continued in any state? To what extent? Can you assign any reasons why an elector should or should not be required to own property? What are the qualifications of an elector in this state?

§ 6. What class of men are not included in the term, male citizens? For what reasons are foreigners not allowed to vote? What is the process called by which aliens are made

citizens?

§ 7. By what acts may electors disfranchise themselves? Define disfranchise. How may this disqualification be removed?

§ 8. What restrictions as to color exist? Where? and to what extent? Give your opinion as to the justice of this restriction.

CHAPTER IX.

Of Elections.

§ 1. ELECTIONS are annually held in each state for electing officers to serve in the several administrations of state, counties, and towns. Town meetings for the election of town officers are usually held in or near the months of March and April. Most officers elected by the people, other than town officers, are chosen at the general state election, which, in most of the states, is held in the month of October or November.

§ 2. Elections are conducted by persons designated by law, or chosen by the electors of the towns for that purpose. It is their duty to see that order is preserved, and that the business at elections is properly done. They are usually called judges of elections, or inspectors of elections. sons also, (usually two,) are appointed to serve as clerks. The object of having more than one clerk is to guard more effectually against mistakes in registering the names of voters.

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§ 3. Each clerk keeps a list of the names of the electors voting at the election, which is called a poll-list. Poll is a Saxon word, signifying head, and has come to mean person. Hence, so much "a head" means so much for every person. By a still farther change, it is made to signify an election, because the persons there voting are numbered. Thus, "going to the polls" has obtained the same meaning as going to an election, or to the place of voting.

4. When the officers of the election are ready to receive votes, one of them makes it known by a proclamation or public announcement of the fact. Each elector hands to one of the inspectors a ballot, which is a slip of paper on which are written or printed the names of the persons he votes for, and the name of the office to which each is intended to be elected. The inspector receiving the ballot pronounces the name of the elector; and if no objection is made to his voting, and the inspectors are satisfied that he is a lawful voter,

the ballot is put into the box; and the clerks enter his name on the poll-list.

§ 5. If the inspectors have reason to suspect that a person offering to vote is not a qualified elector, they may, before receiving his ballot, question him upon his oath in respect to his qualifications as to age, the term of his residence in the state and county, and his citizenship. Any bystander also may question his right to vote. This is called challenging. A person whose vote is thus challenged, is not allowed to vote until the challenge is withdrawn, or his qualifications are either proved by the statement of other persons, or sworn to by himself.

§ 6. In the New England states, a list is made out and kept of all persons in each town who shall, upon examination, have been ascertained to be duly qualified voters; and those only whose names re thus registered are allowed to vote. Thus is avoided much of the confusion and delay often caused in other states, by the examination of voters at the time of voting; and reuch illegal voting is also prevented. Voters are also required to take what is called the "elector's oath," in which the promise to be true and faithful to the state and its government, and also to the constitution of the United States; and to give their votes as they shall judge will conduce to the best good of the same.

§ 7. After the polls are closed, the box is opened, and the ballots are counted. If the number of ballots agrees with the number of names on the poll-lists, it is fair to presume that no mistake has been made either in voting or in keeping the lists. The number of votes for each candidate is then counted; a statement is made of the names of all the persons voted for, and of the number of votes given for each, and signed by the officers of election. This statement, or a copy of it, is deposited with the town clerk, either to be kept on file or recorded. If the election is one for the choice of town officers, it is the e determined who are elected, and their election is publicly declared.

§ 8. The election of county and state officers can not, of course, be determined by the canvassers in the towns. The statement of votes given for the several candidates in each town, is sent to the board of county canvassers, who deter