At that time the framers of the Constitution did
not deem it wise to limit in any respect the control of the States
over the subject of suffrage. There was then no uniformity regarding
the suffrage in the several states. A property qualification was
usually prescribed, but the amount of property it was necessary
to hold varied considerably in different states. For instance, in
Maryland all freemen, above 21 years of age, having a freehold of
fifty acres of land in the county in which they resided, and all
freemen having property in the state above the value of thirty pounds
current money and who had resided in the county one year, could vote.
In New Jersey "all inhabitants" of full age worth "fifty pounds,
proclamation money clear estate within that government," could vote.
In New York "every male inhabitant of full age" who had resided within
the county for six months immediately preceding the day of election
could vote if he had been a freeholder possessing a freehold of the
value of twenty pounds within the county or had rented a tenement
therein of the yearly value of forty shillings, and had been rated and
actually paid taxes to the state.
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