Excerpt from The Votes and Speeches of Martin Van Buren: On the Subjects of the Right of Suffrage, the Qualifications of Coloured Persons to Vote, and the Appointment or Election of Justices of the Peace; In the Connection of the State of New York, (Assembled to Amend the Constitution in 1821;)

The convention met pursuant to adjournment. On motion of Mr. N. Sanford, The convention then resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the report of the committee on the right of suffrage and the qualifications of persons to be elected and after some time spent thereon, Mr. President resumed the chair, and Mr. N. Williams from the said committee reported, that in further proceeding on the said report. The first amendment proposed by the select committee, was again read in the words follow ing, to wit: Every white male citizen of the age of twenty-one years, who shall have resided in this state six months next preceding any election, and shall within one year preceding the election, have paid any tax assessed upon him, or shall within one year preceding the election, have been assessed to work on a public road, and shall have performed the work assessed upon him, or shall have paid an equivalent in money therefor, according to law, or shall, within one year preceding the election, have been enrolled in the militia of this state, and shall have served therein according to law, shall be entitled to vote at such elec tion in the town or ward in which he shall reside, for governor, lieutenant governor, senators, members of the assembly, and all other officers who are or may be elected by the people.

That Mr. Jay made a motion to strike out the word white in the first line of the said amendment.

That debates were had thereon, and the question having been put whether the committee would agree to the said mo' tion, it was carried in the affirmative.

That the yeas and nays being called for by Mr. R. Clarke, seconded by Mr. Tallmadge, and having been required by ten members, were as follows, to wit Ayes 63. Nays 59.

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