Washington telegraph., 1865-07-12
ARKANSAS STATE QuEsrIoN.-Our pur-

| ARKANSAS STATE QCESTION.-Our puf-
pose to support the present State Organi-
zation as the basis OF restoration. as the Presi-
dent calls it us not at all affected by the act of
its Legislature, passed May 3ist, 1864, sec h
of which reads as follows:
! Ser. 6. Be- it further enacted, That each voter
shall, before drposiiing his vote at any election
! ia this State, take an oath that he viii support
The Constitution of tn Enited States and Of
| this State and that h. has not voluntarily borne
arms against the United States or this State
nor aiisd directly or indirectly the so-called
| COnfrdrrate au horities since the 18th day of
| april. 1854. Said oath to be administered by
unr Of the election officers; this act to take Ell
! rct FROM and after its passage.
| Ii is only necessary to compare this with the
clause Of the Constitution fixing the elective
| franchise, to be satisfied that the act is nuga-
3un:l when the question is properly brought
before it. Legislatures are ,reatures of the
constitution, owing their existence to it, and
conrolled hy its provisions. Their powers are
circumscribed. aud when they transcend their
| liInis their acts nrc roil. .....-.
It would be strange, indeed if Legislature
'!ectcd - that OF 1854 notoriously was, could.
| IA opposition to the COHstitatinn, DO an act of
such grand sovereignty, that the very a:temp,
10 accomplish it by the people in their primary
| capacity, by incorporating i; in the Consiitu-
;irn, IS now convulsing the State OF Missouri.
b. such hasty and absurd legislation. ell land
marks of freedom become confused r .
The qualifications of electors are plainly de-
fined by the Constitution iis.lf. They are only
three, The rl-ctor must be free white male.
citizen Of the United States. This excludes
slaves, free negroes, women and forei gners
(We are not responsible for the want of gal
lantry in the association 2d, He must have
attai ed the age of twerty-one years This
excludes minors Sd. He must have beer a
ci izen of the State six months The ONLY pro
hibition IS that in time of peace h. must NOT
belong 10 the regular army or navy of the
United States. Thus prepared, the constitu-
ZION of Arkansas says: lie shall be deemed
qualified elector"
SHALL is a very imperative word The
| constitution is 4 We imperious power. It ere
ates the Legislature and its creature saws il
nay He shall rot, unless he comply with
some conditions further, which we impose He
shall swear also that he has not done this, that
or the other thing. The proyiso about b b.irz
in the gular army IS not suffi GENTLY extensive
We will make others, or be shall not vote
This seems refractory enough in any Lngis-
! l'ture, and Is by no mans to be encouraged As
q general thing Perhaps the next L-sis!ature
! may wish to provide ties, oath and make
| he ei-ctor swear that he has never whipprd =
| II gfo SING Presidr mt Lincoln's emancipation
proclamation. nor done some other act, since be-
come odous to the majority then having seats
! in the body And in course Of tim.. when par-
ties become rancorou., some other L-gisia.ur.
may require thai the voter swear that Ia. never.
| in all his lie, did this or tha, which the other
party have ben always doing with all their
| might. This legis alive trif:ng with the elrc-
i've francAis, would be moekery of free gov
ernm Mt We see in this r.Guofio ad aIsurdnm
very legitimat= logic,
To ''reLabiiitate,' (see Webster } the State
Of Arkansas therefore, the easiest process. and
e-idrdly the best, IS to come in to the support
of tho present government, without regard to
Who mad, it, or who told them to, or what ha.
orrn don" under its presumed authority. The
hing is a gool thing The state Govtrnrnpp,
SCI forth in the Constitution is the .; st we can
ieYis, 1t was devised in the good old time.
before the war-au but cmancipr ton
Let il pass guilty into esttl lishmen. and
recognition by filing its civil ofii.ss through
out. without tumult and clam jr Of new conven,
tons, and what not. Let it be looked upon
ike EN- ncipation, "a thing aceom2Iishrd''
and qui'rly working. AM the best results will
follow thereirom. All truly loyal citizens will
have part in lis maEagcm mt, for many former
9ecessoiists who take the oath are better meu
and tIuer TO professions than many who now
plume themselves on having never supported
the cause. Negro suffrage is ALREADY excluded
Our courts can correct the errors Of first leris.
lation WHERE they exist and if they do not, our
people can fill the courts with better officers.
/ We are, therefore, anxious that it be mani
tested and understood at Washington as soon
as poss bic, that the present government OF
Arkansas, of which Isaac Murphy is Governor,
IS fully scquirsced in, accepted, and in opera.
| ion. ard that wish no better for the present
When the storm blows over. and we may con
slider little, then we may make such changes
n the constitution, all as family matter, as
he people may desire. .... .