in which he offers to vote, one year next preceding the election, and who in the last six months prior to the said election, shall have paid a State tax, shall enjoy the right of an elector. Provided however, that every free white male citizen of the United States who shall have purchased lands from the United States, shall have a right of voting whenever he shall have the other qualifications of age and residence above prescribed." And by art. 3, sec. 2, the citizens entitled to vote for representatives shall vote for governor.

Mississippi. Constitution dated August 15, 1817, art. 3, sec. 1, "Every free white male person, of the age of twenty-one years or upwards, who shall be a citizen of the United States, and shall have resided in this State one year next preceding an election, and the last six months within the county, city or town in which he offers to vote, and shall be enrolled in the militia thereof, except exempted by law from military service; or, having the aforesaid qualifications of citizenship and residence, shall have paid a State or county tax, shall be deemed a qualified elector. No elector shall be entitled to vote, except in the county, city or town (entitled to separate representation) in which he may reside at the time of the election."

Illinois. Constitution dated August 26, 1818, art. 2, sec. 27, "In all elections, all white male inhabitants above the age of twenty-one years, having resided in the State six months next preceding the election, shall enjoy the right of an elector; but no person shall be entitled to vote except in the county or district in

which he shall actually reside at the time of the election."

Alabama.

Constitution dated August 2, 1819, art. 3, sec. 5, "Every white male person, of the age of twenty-one years or upwards, who shall be a citizen of the United States, and shall have resided in this State one year next preceding an election, and the last three months within the county, city or town, in which he offers to vote, shall be deemed a qualified elector. Provided that no soldier, seaman or marine, in the regular army or navy of the United States, shall be entitled to vote at any election in this State; and provided also, that no elector shall be entitled to vote except in the county, city or town, (entitled to separate representation) in which he may reside at the time of the election."

Missouri. Constitution dated July 19, 1820, art. 3, sec. 10, "Every free white male citizen of the United States, who shall have attained the age of twenty-one years, and who shall have resided in this State one year next before an election, the last three months whereof shall have been in the county or district in which he offers to vote, shall be deemed a qualified elector of all elective offices: provided, that no soldier, seaman or marine, in the regular army or navy of the United States, shall be entitled to vote at any election in this State."

Michigan. Constitution dated May 11, 1835, art. 2, sec. 1, "In all elections, every white male citizen

above the age of twenty-one years, having resided in the State six months next preceding any election, shall be entitled to vote at such election; and every white male inhabitant of the age aforesaid, who may be a resident of this State at the time of signing this constitution, shall have the right of voting as aforesaid; but no such citizen or inhabitant shall be entitled to vote, except in the district, county or township, in which he shall actually reside at the time of such election."

By art. 2, sec. 6, "No soldier, seaman or marine in the army or navy of the United States shall be deemed a resident of this State in consequence of being stationed in any military or naval place within the same."

Arkansas. In this State six months' residence is a qualification for the right of suffrage.

From this historical review of the provisions of the constitutions of the different States, it will be perceived that there has been a continual departure from the principles of the revolution, relating to the right of suffrage; and that there has been a continual relaxation of those principles, both in the old and new States. The very various, and sometimes contradictory provisions made on this subject, show most conclusively that the subject has never been well investigated and reduced to its correct principles, by the statesmen and people of this country. If it had been so, those principles would have been introduced into the constitutions of the different States and would

have produced a degree of uniformity on the subject. As one instance among many, this inconsistency is exemplified in the provisions respecting military duty in the army and navy of the United States, and in the militia. By the constitutions of Connecticut, New York and Mississippi, persons performing duty in the militia or liable to such duty, are admitted to the right of suffrage for that reason. If that is a good reason for their admission, it would seem a fortiori, that persons actually belonging to the army and navy, and actually fighting the battles of the country, ought to be admitted to that privilege. But by an amendment to the constitution of South Carolina, and by the constitutions of Alabama and Missouri, they are wholly excluded from the right of suffrage, notwithstanding they may possess all the other constitutional qualifications. The rules, in both cases, have no foundation in correct principles. They are founded wholly in error. The constitution of Maine has adopted the correct principle respecting persons in the military, naval and marine service of the United States.

The author will only add the expression of his regret, that he has not been able to make this review more perfect.

CHAPTER VII.

Of the Duty of a Nation to preserve and protect itself; and of the general relative rights and duties existing between a Nation and its Members.

Among the first and most important duties of a nation (or government) is that of protecting and preserving itself; of perpetuating its own existence. Its ability to perform all its other duties, as well to itself as to its various members and to other nations, depends wholly upon the performance of this duty. When a nation becomes unable to protect itself and to preserve its own existence, it has no longer any power or capacity to discharge any of its other duties. Self-preservation becomes, of course, an imperative duty.

A nation is also bound to defend and preserve all its members. It cannot rightfully abandon any portion of its inhabited territory, or even an individual, unless compelled to do it by necessity. These duties or obligations of a nation to itself and to its members, draw after them corresponding rights; for it follows, as an evident consequence, that a nation has a right to all the means necessary to the fulfilment of all its duties and obligations.* It has therefore a right to require of its members, upon principles of equality, such a share of their property, by way of

* Vattel, b. 1, ch. 2, secs. 16, 17, 18.