VOTERS, QUALIFICATIONS OF.

The following table or statement of the requirements in the several States of the Union touching suffrage is given as a matter of interest and convenient reference. It is believed to be substantially accurate, and in connection with the data given under the head of "State Constitutions," which see, furnishes in a compact form the leading requirements of the several State constitutions.

Under the Constitution of the United States "all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the States wherein they reside;" and "no State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law." In all the States, except Wyoming, the right of suffrage is limited to male citizens twenty-one years of age, with the further exception that in Colorado, Massachusetts, and a few other States women are permitted to vote at school district elections. There is a great lack of uniformity in the suffrage laws of the several States, as the following will show:

ALABAMA. The voter must be a citizen, or have declared his intention to become a citizen; must have been in the State one year, in the county three months, and in the voting precinct one month. Indians, idiots, and men convicted of crime can not vote.

ARKANSAS. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention to become such, except Indians, idiots, and criminals, may vote after a residence of one year in the State, six months in the county, and one month in the voting precinct. Registration is prohibited, as being a bar to suffrage.

CALIFORNIA. Only actual citizens can vote, after having been one year in the State, ninety days in the county, and thirty days in the voting precinct. Registration is required by law; and Chinese, Indians, idiots, and convicts are excluded.

COLORADO. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention to become such, may vote after a residence of six months in the State, persons in prison only being excluded. Registration is required by the constitution. CONNECTICUT. Actual citizens, except those unable to read and convicts, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and six months in the county and voting precinct. Registration is required by law.

DELAWARE. Actual county taxpayers, except convicts, the insane, pau

pers, and idiots, may vote after a residence of one year in the State and one month in the county.

FLORIDA. Citizens of the United States, or those who have declared their intention to become such, except betters on elections, duelists, idiots, the insane, and criminals, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and six months in the county. Registration is required by the constitution. GEORGIA. Actual citizens, except nontaxpayers, criminals, idiots, and the insane, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and six months in the county.

IDAHO. Every male citizen of the United States twenty-one years old, who has resided in the State for six months and in the county where he offers to vote thirty days next preceding the day of election, is a qualified elector, except those under guardianship, idiotic or insane persons, or persons convicted of felony, embezzlement of public funds, bartering or offering to barter his vote, or of an infamous crime. Bigamists and polygamists are also excluded.

ILLINOIS. Actual citizens, except convicts, may vote after a residence of one year in the State and ninety days in the county and thirty days in the voting precinct. Registration is required by law.

INDIANA. Citizens or those who have declared their intention so to become, except fraudulent voters and bribers, may vote after a residence of six months in the State, sixty days in the county, and thirty days in the voting precinct.

Iowa. Actual citizens, except criminals, idiots, and the insane may vote after a residence of six months in the State and sixty days in the county Registration is required by law.

KANSAS. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention to become so, except rebels, convicts, idiots, and the insane, can vote after a residence of six months in the State and thirty days in the voting precinct. Registration is required in cities only.

KENTUCKY. Under the State law free white male citizens, except convicts can vote after a residence of two years in the State, one year in the county, and sixty days in the voting precinct; but the exclusion of colored citizens being in conflict with the Federal Constitution, the law limiting the suffrage to white citizens is of no effect.

LOUISIANA. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention to become such, except criminals, idiots, and the insane, can vote after a residence of one year in the State, six months in the county, and thirty days in the voting precinct.

MAINE. Actual citizens, except paupers and Indians not taxed, may vote after a residence of three months in the State. Registration is required. MARYLAND. Actual citizens, except criminals, those guilty of bribery, and the insane, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and six months in the county. Registration is required.

MASSACHUSETTS. Citizens, except paupers, illiterates, nontaxpayers, and 9504-38

persons under guardians, can votea fter a residence of one year in the State and six months in the voting precinct. Registration is required.

MICHIGAN. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention of becoming such, except duelists, can vote after a residence of three months in the State and ten days in the voting precinct. Registration is required.

MINNESOTA. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention to become so, except convicts, lunatics, and idiots, can vote after a residence of four months in the State and ten days in the voting precinct. Registration is required.

MISSOURI. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention to become so, except United States soldiers, paupers, criminals, and lunatics, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and sixty days in the county. Registration is required in cities only.

MISSISSIPPI. Actual citizens, except criminals, idiots, and lunatics, can vote after a residence of six months in the State and one month in the county. Registration is required.

MONTANA. Every male citizen of the United States twenty-one years or over, who shall have resided in the State one year immediately preceeding the election at which he offers to vote, and in the town, county, or precinct such time as may be prescribed by law, shall be a qualified elector, except idiots or insane persons. Women shall have the right to vote at any school district election.

NEBRASKA. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention of becoming so, except United States soldiers, convicts, and idiots, can vote after a residence of six months in the State. Registration is required.

NEVADA. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention so to become, except criminals, idiots, and lunatics, can vote after a residence of six months in the State and thirty days in the county. Registration is required.

NEW HAMPSHIRE. Actual citizens, except paupers, can vote after a residence of six months in the town. Registration is required.

NEW JERSEY. Actual citizens, except criminals, paupers, lunatics, and idiots, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and five months in the county. Registration is required in cities of 10,000 inhabitants and

over.

NEW YORK. Actual citizens, except convicts, and election betters and bribers, may vote after a residence of one year in the State, four months in the county, and thirty days in the voting precinct. Registration is required in cities of 10,000 inhabitants or over.

NORTH CAROLINA. Actual citizens, except convicts, can vote after a residence of twelve months in the State and ninety days in the county. Registration is required.

NORTH DAKOTA.-Every male person of twenty-one years or upward who have resided in the State one year, in the county six months, and in the precinct ninety days next preceding any election, shall be deemed qual

ified electors; citizens of the United States, persons of foreign birth who have declared their intention of becoming citizens, and Indians who have severed their tribal relations. No person who is under guardianship, non compos mentis, or insane, nor any person convicted of treason or felony.

OHIO. Actual citizens, except idiots and lunatics, can vote after a residence of one year in the State, thirty days in the county, and single men twenty days in the voting precinct.

OREGON. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention of becom. ing so, except Chinamen, United States soldiers, convicts, lunatics, and idiots, may vote after a residence of six months in the State.

PENNSYLVANIA. Actual citizens, except nontaxpayers and political bribers, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and two months in the voting precinct. Registration is required.

RHODE ISLAND. Actual taxpaying citizens, who possess property to the value of $134, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and six months in the towns. Registration is required.

SOUTH CAROLINA. Actual citizens, except United States soldiers, duelists, paupers, criminals, lunatics, and idiots, may vote after a residence of one year in the State and sixty days in the county. Registration is required.

SOUTH DAKOTA.-Citizens of the United States of the age of twenty-one years and upward, or those who have declared their intention of becoming citizens, and who have resided in the State six months, in the county thirty days, and in election precinct ten days next preceding any election are qualified voters.

TENNESSEE. Actual citizens, except nonpayers of poll tax, may vote after a residence of twelve months in the State and six months in the county.

TEXAS. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention of becoming so, except United States soldiers, criminals, idiots, Junatics, and paupers, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and six months in the county and voting precinct. Registration is prohibited by the constitution.

VERMONT. Actual citizens, except bribers, can vote after a residence of one year in the State. Registration is required.

VIRGINIA. Actual citizens, except United States soldiers, nonpayers of capitation tax, duelists, convicts, idiots, and lunatics, can vote after a residence of twelve months in the State and three months in towns. Registration is required.

WASHINGTON.-All male persons of the age of twenty-one or over, citizens of the United States, who have lived in the State one year, and the county ninety days, and in the city, town, ward, or precinct thirty days immediately preceding the election at which they offer to vote, shall be entitled to vote, except Indians not taxed, idiots, insane persons, and persons convicted of infamous crimes (unless restored to their civil rights).

WEST VIRGINIA. Actual citizens, except convicts, paupers, and lunatics, can vote after a residence of one year in the State and six months in the county. Registration is prohibited by the constitution.

WISCONSIN. Citizens, or those who have declared their intention of becoming so, except duelists, bribers, betters, convicts, lunatics, and idiots, may vote after a residence of one year in the State.

WYOMING.-Suffrage not to be denied or abridged on account of sex. Every citizen of the United States twenty-one years of age and upward who has resided in the State one year and in the county wherein such residence is located sixty days next preceding any election, shall be entitled to vote at such election, except idiots, insane persons, and persons convicted of infamous crimes, and also such persons as shall not be able to read the constitution of the State.

VOTING.

(See YEAS and NAYS.)

(See RULE I, clause 5; RULE VIII, clause 1; and RULE XV.)

The manner of dividing the House, as originally established by the rule of April 17, 1789, was that the members who voted in the affirmative went to the right of the Chair, those in the negative to the left. This was taken from the old practice of the House of Commons of England. The passing of the members to and fro across the House was found so inconvenient and took up so much time, that the mode of dividing the House was, on the 9th of June, 1789, changed to the present form: the members of each side of the question arising in their seats and being there counted.

"If any question arises in the way of point of order during the division, the Speaker is to decide it peremptorily, subject to the future censure of the House if irregular.-Manual, p. 170. On motions to adjourn, to fix the day to which the House shall adjourn, and for a call of the House, it has been held not to be in order to ask to be excused from voting; and for the obvious reason that nothing but a desire to consume time, and thereby delay legislation, or to prevent a majority adjourning, could possibly influence a member in making the request. (See Cong. Globe, 1, 31, p. 376; Journals, 1, 31, p. 1538; 1, 33, pp.