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of all the qualifications required by this section of the constitution, with the additional fact that he had taken and subscribed the oath prescribed by the proclamation of the president of the United States bearing date the 29th day of May last; and the defendants below do not traverse or in any manner put in issue the truth of these allegations, but confess the truth of them by way of confession and avoidance the 6th section of the act of the legislature of the state of Arkansas above referred to, and which is in words as follows:

"That each voter shall, before depositing his vote at any election in this state, take an oath that he will support the constitution of the United States and of this state, and that he has not voluntarily borne arms against the United States or this state, nor aided, directly or indirectly, the so-called confederate authorities since the 18th day of April, 1864; said oath to be administered by one of the election officers; and this act to take effect from and after its passage."

Section 2 of article 4 of the constitution, fixes the qualifications, and determines who shall be deemed qualified voters in this state in direct, positive, and affirmative terms, and these qualifications cannot be added to by legislative enactment.

The convention, when it formed the constitution, after having enunciated the time honored principles, found, we believe, in all American constitutions: "That all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments instituted for their peace and happiness," declare by the section of the constitution above quoted, who shall be deemed qualified electors in this state, and have fixed all the pre-requisites necessary to qualify a citizen to exercise the-elective franchise.

The framers of the present constitution of this state had in view, and represented all the people thereof, men, women and children, white, colored and Indians, and recognizing, as they declare in the preamble of the constitution, the "legitimate consequences of the existing rebellion," saw fit to provide that every white male citizen of the United States, over the age of