Mr. President. as a prelude to the introduction of the administrations amendment to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 I shall present the letter from the Attorney General to the Vice President of the United States. and then follow it with the bill because the letter pretty well spells out the additional authority that is developed under the bill. the question of presidential vote when a person has lived in an area from September 1 on. and a few other matters. But the literacy test is the important matter and to that provision I wish to address my remarks. Mr. President. 114 years ago. when the stream of immigration from Europe began to swell. Irish immigrants showed a preference for Connecticut and Massachusetts. Public officials of that day were unhappy about it and hit upon the idea of imposing a literacy test as a qualification. for voting. This meant that they had to prove that they. could read. write. and understand. The purpose. of course. was .to disqualify the Irish voters.
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literacy test immigrants immigration