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Date: | Wed, 24 Jan 2007 09:57:47 -0500 |
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Dear All:
I have been looking into dissenter rights in 18th century VA and am
still trying to find a definitive answer on a question concerning voting
rights. The statutes in force prohibited voting by "recusants," which
could be any dissenter albeit it was often used to refer to Catholics.
Various histories that touch on the topic are confused. (Several say
that the restriction was that "recusant convicts" could not vote, but
this error is apparently the result of a typographical error in one
edition of Henings. The lineage of the statute makes it clear that
"recusants" could not vote.) I know that there are incidents of
dissenters voting (especially in the Valley) but, complicating that,
there are also instances of Catholics voting. I suppose the question is
whether dissenters were ever expressly blocked from voting because of
their religion. (Once secondary source attributes the
disproportionately low representation of western counties in the House
of Burgesses and General Assembly to the fact that dissenters could not
vote, but I think this is more likely explained by inertia and a basic
Tidewater chauvinism (which continued well into the 19th century).)
So, any clear answers? Is anyone aware of specific instances where
dissenters were prevented from voting based upon their religion? Sources?
Thanks,
John Ragosta
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