Butler was the
assailant in this case, Mr. Robinson said:

"I propose to show this matter was understood before 1874. Turn to the
debates in the Congressional Globe, volume 75, and in 1869 in this
House, and within these walls. General Benjamin F. Butler made this
speech in reply to an inquiry made by the gentleman from New York, the
Chairman of this Census Committee. He says:

"Everybody in Massachusetts can vote irrespective of color who can read
and write. The qualification is equal in its justice, and an ignorant
white man cannot vote there and a learned negro be excluded; but in the
Georgia Legislature there was a white man who could hardly read and
write, if at all, voted in because he was white, while a negro who spoke
and read two languages was voted out, solely because he was black. It is
well that Massachusetts requires her citizens should read and write
before being permitted to vote. Almost everybody votes there under that
rule, certainly every native-born person of proper age and sex votes
there, and there are hundreds and thousands in this country who would
thank God continually on their bended knees if it could be provided that
voters in the city of New York should be required to read and write.
They would then believe Republican government in form and fact far more
safe than now."

After exposing the assertions of General Butler, Mr. Robinson concluded
as follows:

"For twenty-three years it has been written before the people of that
State that to entitle them to vote and hold office they shall first
learn to read and write. Near to every man's dwelling stands a public
free school. Education is brought to the door of every man. These
school-houses are supported with almost unbounded munificence. Children
have been born in that time and have attended school at the public
expense, and the general education of the people has been advanced.

* * * I will not take any time in talking about the policy of the law.
There are some and many people in the State who do not think it wise to
require the prepayment of a poll tax. People differ about that. Some
time or other that may be changed; but for sixty years it has been the
law, and it so remains. Looking into the Constitution and the laws of
the sister States of Virginia and Georgia and Delaware and Pennsylvania
we find similar provisions of the same antiquity justified by the
communities that have adopted such legislation. And we say to all the
States we