Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-10-10
COMMUNICATED.
For the Spectator.
Col, John 3. Baldwin.

COL John B. Baldwin will be voted for at the
next election to represent the county of Augusta
in the House of Delegates of Virginia.
Col. Baldwin has been pardoned by the President
Of the United States and under the act Of the
Legislature, passed on the I'D day of June last,
is now restored to all rights asa Voter. The Act
of June 22d last, which In terms removes all the
restrictions upon the right of suffrage imposed
by the third Third Article Of the Constitution,
contains the following proviso:
''Pro0ided, however, that persons excluded by
&c the said Proclamation (of the President) from
&c the benefits thereof eXceptingih hose embraced
9. in the 9Th class of such exclude persons, shall
g no: be entitled to or qualified to vote as afore-
g said, unless pardoned by the President, as pro-
g vided for by said Proclamation.
Col. Baldwin, having been specially pardoned,
is restored fully to his right of suffrage, and, be-
ing Voter, is eligabe under the Constitution,
to a seat in the House of Delegates The End
Paragraph of the 9TH Section of the 18th Article
Of tM Constitution reads as follows
etAny person may be elected member of the
90 House of Delegates, who, at the time of cleo
ton, has attained the age Of q years, and is
&c actually resident within the county, city.
g town, or election district qualified to cote for
" members of the General Assembly according to
&C this Constitution
The disqualification for holding Coffee" under
the Constitution. imposed by the Third Article of
the Constitution, upon persons who have ''held
Office under the so-called Confederate Govern
ment &c., does not apply to membership of the
House of Delegates !; for, besides being excluded
by the terms Of the Constitution itself, quoted "a
| bove, the House of Delegates, which is made the
sole judge of the qualifications of its members
has deliberately decided that membership of the
House .of delegates rs not san Office in the
meaning Of the Constitution, but is merely "a rep
| reSentatiUe trust.'
| Upon this point we quo tie the opinion of Gen.
Jas. L. Kemper who presided as Speaker of the
House of Delegates, with great ability 1t is as
follows:
'sMADIsoN C. H., August "a, 1866.
ssMembership in the General Assembly has been
authoratively decided not to be an Office, in the
meaning of the Constitution. The House of Dele
'gates which is the sole judge of the publications
f'of its members, has deliberately so decided and
'sheld Such representative not being an office,
SIS not referred to in said Sd Article
Col Baldwin is absent from the State at this
time. and does not know that his name is to be
used in this connection, but the people Of Angus
ia county know Col B. too well, to believe that
he will hesitate moment to discharge any pub
lie duty that they may impose upon him. and the
duties that will devove upon the next Legsla-
ture are of such vital Importance as TO require
the services of the abest men of the country,
particularly III the revisal of the Code and the ad-
ljustment of intricate legal questions.
| III. M. Bell, G.. NJ. Cochran,
| T. NJ. Young, Benz. Crawford
Jas, W. Crawford, Jno. NJ. Hardy,
j. M. Bumgardner jr., S NJ. Woodward, ST.,
VIM L. Bathis, T. d. Fuqua
G. 7. Cochran, J. G, Bowyer,
j. NJ. Hanger, G. E. Price,
R. NJ. Guy, G. W. Imboden,
j. l. A. Trotter, T. A. Berkeley.