Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-12-26

VIZ uG6ul IL u llLblb lhpVl-
lance that every citizen and every soldier
entitled to vote at the ensuing Charter
election In January, should understand
fully the merits of the project by which the
vote of our soldiers were excluded from
the ballot boxes ut the last city election
So far as we are concerned We are determ-
ined that the matter shall be made so plain
that every child of ordinary intelligence
shall understand it. MIR. Sweeny and those
who co. operated with him in that dark Ian
ten repeal on that Saturday night, at the
last hour aud the last chance before the
election, must now stand up in the light Of
day on its merits and face the men, and
the friends of those men, whose votes, as
good as their own, they excluded from the
polls. It will not do TO seek 70 mystify the
question or cover the tracks with sand, or
to hope or expect that the lapse Of n yeE
has faded out the record. Ever since that
repeal we have looked forward to a day
when the question might be fully tested
before the people of this city. We regard
the vote now, as we did then, as being nm
der the circumstance not only disloyal but
an absolutely cruel act. More than that,
1t Was act of radical NATURALIZATION to the
laws of the State, a declaration tantamount
TO a defiance of the Legislature of West
Virginia. Mark how plain a tale shall set
forth the truth OF what We assert.
Ga the evening of the 18th of last Janu-
airy, only ID few days prior to the repeal
alluded to, the city council passed the fol-
lowing ordinance:
AN ORDINANCE
To Regulate de Node Of Yotiny al Csty
EIsetions.
Be Il ordained By the Council of the City
of Rhssiing,
SEQ. /. At all elections Of the people for
city officers and members Of either house
of the Council the mode of voting shall be
by ballot, and the ballots shall be written
or printed on white paper.
Sec. 2. The sixth section of the ordi.
nance entitled "An ordinance concerning
the election of the Mayor and members Of
abe Council Of the City Of Wheeliug," 10
hereby repealed.
Sec. ). That the City Sergeant provide
ballot box for each place OF holding cleo.
tions for city officers, and deliver the same
TO the superintendent, together with the
key belonging TO the same. and 1t shall be
the duty of the superinteudents, before
receiving any ballots, to exhibit the inside
of the BOX to the voters assembled at the
time the polls are opened, and immedi-
stely lock the same aud cause the hole
through which he deposits the ballots TO
be kept closed byA wood button, except
when in tho presence Of The voter he de-
posts his ballot.
San a. That whRn the haIlnta ara conntad
out they shall be read by one of the su-
perintendents, and In his presence strung
ON string by the other Superintendent,
aud after all have been counted they shall
be deposited in tbeiballot box and locked
up and returned to the Clerks Office of the
city, and remain in said ballot boxes for
the term Of sixty days for inspection of any
one aggrisved.
Sec. 5. That all the provisions of the
laws of this State shall be held TO be ap-
plIcable TO all elections within the limits
OF the city.
Sec. 6. This ordinance shall be in force
from Its passage. q. F. FHEEY, Clerk.
The reader will have no difficulty in IN.
Outstanding the foil purport of this ordi
nance. 1t was, in the language of the
identical section afterwards repeal
ed, enacted in order that all
abe provisions of the lawsof this State,r
might thereafter "be applicable to all cleo.
tions within the limits of the city" Those
who repealed :he section found that one of
the "proViSions of the laws of this State"
thus adopted, was (aS contained in Sec.
40. page lie of the acts Of 1859 the fol.
lowing: --s .A-
"Any person entitled to vote in.the town.
ship, who is necessarily absent therefrom
on the day Of an election, in the service OF
the United States or of this State, may, at
any time within the twenty, ave days next
preceding the election, enclose his ballot
in an envelope or cover, and seal up the
same aud write bis signature In his own
proper hand on the outside Of the said en-.
Velope or cover, adding to bis signature
some description or designation of the ser