The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-09-02
TO the Registers OF the Tharl Dis
trict, Cecil County, Maryland.


GENTLEMEN II hoped to DO able to comply with
your reque st to be present ut your meeting on Thurs
day 3ls of August and give You orally my views in
reference to the law for Registration of Voters.
regret that my public duties will require to be in
Baltimore on that day. I embrace this opportunity
therefore to state briefly my opinion upon this ques-
ton.
The Registry Law passed to carry out the provis
ions of the first second, and forth sections Of the
first article of the Constitution, and is clearly inten
ded to exclude from the exercise of the right of suf
irage:-
she United States.
2ni.-Persons who are net twenty-one years of age
3rd-Persons who have not resided one year in the
State and SIX months in the County.
4th.-Persons who have been in armed hostility to
the United States or in any manner in the service of
the so-called Confederate States
5th.-Persons who have left the State of Maryland
and gone within the military lines OF the socalled
Confederate States, with the intention To adhere
thereto.
eth.-Those persons who have given aid, comfort
countenance, or support to those engaged in armed
ed TO the enemies of United States
The persons included in the sixth class defined
by the 4th section of the Constitution to be-
1st.-Those contributing to the enemies Of the
United States, unlawfully sending within the lines
of such enemies, money or goods, or letters in
formation.
2nd.-Those who have disloyally held communica
| ton with the enemies of the United States.
the service of the said enemies, aided any person
so to enter.
4th.-Those who have by any open deed or word
Of the United States
5th-Those persons who have declared desire
for the triumph OF said enemies o. er the arms of the
United States.
Argument as to the legality, or constitutonay of
these provisions, if they could be entertained by you
are turned down by the fact that they coNsTITU-
PROVISIONS, and il is absurd to talk of the US-
coNsrITurIoSALITY ofthe Constitution Equally absurd
and out Of place in my Judgment, are all arguments
in regard to POLICY of the law or the hardshps with
which 1t bears upon particular persons. These are
| questions with which you have no more to do than
of the General Laws of the Land. Your duties are
EXECUTIVE not LEGISLATIVE. You are to ENFORCE and
EXECUTE the law not to MAKE UNMAKE it, Your bust
ness is with the law AS IT is, not as 1T OUGHT To DE-
When the Legislature shall meet again, these
arguments may properly be made to it, and it may
and doubt not will, in view of the fact that the
| rebel on is over and in full accordance with the
ship" all persons DISTINGUISHED for disoya practices
by these provisions except perhaps those who have
is done, respectfully submit that it is your sworn
duty to exclude from the Register and hence from
the exercise of the right of suffrage all persons who
come under any Of the classes l have hereinto-
| fore enumerated as well as the man who declared
his desire for the triumph of the rebels sent or
gave money or clothing either to those already in the
rebel army about to 60 into it, as the man Who has
| actually borne arms in that army
turn now TO consider the mode of ascertaining
To register. Aud here let me say dissent entirely
| from those persons who are continually throwing in
your faces the well known maxim of law that !" no
| tends to crimnate himself" While this is undoub
eddy good law it is entirely nappcable the present
state of the case You are not sitting as eourt of
law to try the applicants for Regist, n the f.
fences set forth in the Constitution You have not
issued your wr is or other processes 10 bring them
before you to answer for having expressed desire
| for the success of the rebellion On the contrary
THEY are the Active parties They ask at your hands
the right to register and the burden of proof is upon
| THEM to show that they have the requisite qualhca
| tons, VIZ:
lst1That they white male citizens of the
2nd-That they are q years of age or upwards
3rd.-That they have resided year in the State
| and six months in the county.
4th.That they guilty of violating any of the
| provisions hereintofore enumerated, in relation
| disloyal practices.
To Illustrate Suppose person manfestly of
foreign birth should ask to he registered, of whose
naturalization the Registers had no knowledge. Will
| any sane man say that the registers are bound to
prove that he has not obtained naturalization papers,
the contrary have they not the rightly it not their
way which to them shall seem most etiectivei
have known many such persons, of rare intelligence
who after residence of one year. were as well quail.
flied to exercise the right of suffrage they would
be after residence of ten years. to exclude such
one might seem very bad policy and might be a great
| hardship, but would you admit him to registers?
Take the case OF young man whose appearance
leads to the opinion that he is not twentyOne years
| old. How do the registers actt They ask questions
| and in every other practical manner inform them.
| selves as TO the age ofthe applicant fthe applicant
answers that he is not twentyone years Of age it
| cludes HIM from the right Of suffrage, matter
though he has served his three years IN the army of
the Union, and carries with him empty sleeve
trousers leg as the evidences ui his VUlor and patriot
| ism How great the hardships IN tins case, and yet
you cannot register him because the law prohibits
| you.
And gentlemen II an applicant for registration
comes forward whom yul have reason to believe fails
to come up to the required standard loyalty, the
previous persons have failed to reach the proper
standard of citizenship age you are to apply the
same rule and ascertain his qualifications in the same
| manner You are no more required to furnish posi-
tive proof of his disloyalty than you of the
| age or non citizenship Of The former applicants
1t is your right and your duty to ascertain the truth
in the manner which to you seems best and to ask
| such questions of him on oath will best test his
qualification under the Constitution and Laws Of the
| State This theory that you not allowed to ask
| questions is so new and in my Judgment rdicu-
| lous that | scarcely know how to reply to it. The
right of judges of election to make inquiry -
" oath of persons offering to vote is old the
| State and has never been denied until these late
| days full of political hereses That right
pertains to you, indeed your Office would be the
veriest mockery if it We're not So Upon the refusal
of an applicant TO answer any questions calculated
to obtain information necessary for you to arrive at
correct judgment to his right to register it is
your right and duty to refuse to register such APP
| pcant'
| W. j. JONES.