Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-09-27

rendered him incapable of control, was per-
m1tted to remain on duty, whilst he who
was willing to be subservient, or was already
| possessed of the essential requisite, was sent
| home to aid ID the election. OF the result
we have no right to complain. The means
made use of, and the unblushing avowal of
them are to my mind alike fearful and por-
| tentious.
| We have seen the dearest rights of free
and patriotic people in the States of Mary
land, Delaware and Kentucky ruthlessly in
| vaded by the Executive, the bayonet of the
soldier used to control the ballot of the free
man, and the will of the people made to
| yield to the power of force In each of
| those States the ballot box has been tram
pied in the dust, and the minions of power
have been elevated to place to do the bid
dings of their masters.
So, too, In the rebellious States, we have
seen the rebel and the patriot united in the
same degree; and they who have never
raised the hand of rebellion, or sympathised
with its acts, must lowly abase themselves,
or be deprived of the right Of suffrage.
Those who have committed no crime, who
have been guilty of no act of rebellion, must
subscribe slavish oath, must degrade their
manhood, and basely cringe at the feet of
power, or be disfrancbised. As condition
precedent to the pardon Of a rebel, this
might well be done butas prerequisite to
the right Of suffrage by loyal man, it is
the sheerest tyranny. 1t may be done In
| Louisiana or in Tennessee If the aegis of
the Constitution be insufficient to protect
the lover of the Union there, may we not
| justly fear its power here.
| The abstract proposition embodied in this
amendment appears to many minds at first
blush 4 reasonable and just one 1t requires
an inquiry into and some examination OF our
| elective and criminal system to demonstrate
| TO such minds the utter impossibility OF
| guarding the ballot box in the army, outside
| Of the Commonwealth, from foul and loath-
some fraud. If, therefore it be impossible
to protect this right OF suffrage from fraud
| at distance from the Commonwealth, surely
| It's exercise cannot be advocated with pro-
| priety.
| tanned in the remaining amendments. They
are IN substance restraint upon the law
making power, upon subjects that are not
State The Legislature, by their rules and
by statue can and should control these sub
jects; and if these amendments bel ncorpo-
rated into the Constitution, they will, in my
Judgment, prove serious impedimcnts to just
and proper legislation.
Mr.. WALLACE continued his remarks on
the same subject during the entire session OF
that day, and they are recorded in full on
pages 1856, 337, 33S and $50.
Alter the conclusion of Mr.. WALLACE S
remarks, the following document was handed
in to be entered on the Journals and is re-
corded on page $40 of the Record:
Wevote against the amendment upon prin-
ciple, and concur ILL the reasons filed by Mr.
WALLACE.
D. B. MONTGOMERY, J. c. SMITH,
c. NJ. DONOVAN, j. b. STARK.
Here the soldiers will find all the Senators
belonging to the copperhead party voting in
solid column against the Amendment allow
ing soldiers the right of suffrage.
These Senators are now the pretended
friends of the soldiers, while, when they
were in authority, they voted against paying
them and urged every measure to sustain
the Southern rebels. Let the document be
circulated, so that every returned veteran
may know his friends.
On the 23d day of August, 1864, the Sen
ate proceeded to the consideration of the
bill No. 1345, entitled an act to regulate e.
lections by soldiers in actual military service.
The whole session was consumed In the
consideration of the bill and on the final
passage of the same, the whole party voted
AGAINST IT!
The following is the official result OF the
same as recorded on page /, 1,2SS OF the Leg
isyattue Record, session 1864. 1t reads as
follows:
The yeas and nays were required by MT
CLYAIER and Mr. WALLACE, and were asfol-
lows, VIZ:
YEAS :-Messrs. Champneys, Connell
Dunlap, fleming, Hoge, Householder, John
son. Kinsey, Lowry, NJ Candless, Nichols
, Ridpway. ST. Clair, Turrell, WorthingtoI
and Penney, ,Speaker-l6.
NEAs-Messrs, Beardslee, Bucher, ely
mer. Glatz, Hopkins, Lamberton, rLatta
j M'Sherry, Montgomery, Reilly, smith, Stark
! Stein and Wallace-l4.
So the bill passed finally.
E IT will thus be observed that every Cop
t perhead Senator voted against the privilege
: of allowing the soldier vote on the BATH
+ field. WILLIAM A. WALLACE, the presen
a Chairman of the State Central Committe
: was the party leader in the Senate.
q q The Copperheads in the House.
f Whilst the Copperheads in the Senat
were doing their utmost to degrade the sol
$ der, their friends in the House were nc
~ idle in the same dirty work.
o By examining the official proceeding
d published in the Legislative Record, OF tn
5. session of 1864, it will be seen that every e
y fort was made to defeat the bill giving tn
IL IJ;o tbo ,.;obt to vote in the field, an