The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1865-10-27
THE REGISTRY LAW,

the Philadelphia .Age on the Registration act Of
this State, which every reader of the HSis & In.
telligencer should not fail to read. Indeed, il
deserves to be read and reflected upon by every
well.meaning mon. 1t tells, in plain, temperate
language, the story of our Wrongs, and we join
the author in his effort TO unvel the monstrors
abuse of power practiced by an insignificant
minority in this State Feeling and knowing
their own weakness, they at once commenced a
general hue and cry against every man who diff
fered with them in opinion, or rather, who was
not likely to vote with them, charging all such
as Traitors, Coppcrhcads, and many other choice
names, cullcd from the most approved edition of
the latest Billingsgate lexicon; while for them
selves they claimed the largest amount of loyalty.
So anxious were they TO show to the Washing
ton authorities their great anxiety for the
of their fayorite scheme, emancipation, that in
the midst of the most gigantic civil war that the
world ever witnessed and while the whole State
was bristling with bayonets, and the whole peo-
pie laboring under degree of excitement never
before known, this little minority, constituting
hardly one-third of the legal voters of the State
called together what they termed the Maryland
Legislature, and passed an act providing for the
call Of q Convention to change the Constitution
of the State. The call was submitted to the
voters of the State, such Of the legal voters as
were graciously permitted to vote, and persons
were voted for at the same time to represent the
people of the State in the Convention, should
the same be called. The call was declared car
ried, and large majority of the delegates elect
ed were of the school of the faithful. But it
should not be forgotten that these delegates and
this call, like the delegates to the legislature
making the call, did not receive over one-third
of the legal votes of the State. This evidence of
great weakness alarmed the Soons who met at
Annapolis, and they came to the conclusion that
unless something was done, Othello's occupation
would last but little while longer. II was use
less to depend upon the people, for they had
given abundant proof of their determination not
to sustain party whose doctrines were so perni-
cious, and destructive of the interests of the
State and the well-being of its people, as that
held and practiced by the Republican party
Nothing was then left them but to legislate
themselves into office, and that could only be
done by DISTINGUISHING a large portion of the
legal voters of the State and for this purpose
they prepared the way for the famous Registry
Law.
The new Constitution was made, and declared
not binding until it was submitted to and adopt
ed by the people. But here difficulty present.
ed itself. If the whole legal vote of the State
was cast, the instrument would bebea,en, and TO
obviate this n test oath was made part of the
Constitution. Now, mark you, this instrument
had no binding force, according to its own pro-
Visions until it received the sanction of the legal
voters at the ballot-box. This test oath being
part of the instrument, it was supposed by Rev.
erdy Johnson and other men, eminent up to that
time, to have no binding force until the instru-
ment was adopted according to its own provi-
sions. But this did not suit the loyal anti-sla
very philanthropists. Something had to be done
to exclude from the polls the Copperheads, or
they would have obtained that which the in
tcnsely loyal did not intend they should-all
their rights which were guaranteed to them un-
der and in virtue of the laws of the land. So,
in addition, long string Of illegal questions,
framed by some Of The friends OF the american
citizen of African descent in the city Of Balti-
more, was insisted upon, and the new Constitu-
ton was adopted and loyal Legislature elected
under it, by the usual one-third vote, of course
We will make no reference TO the soldiers vote
few of US know much about it; they who would
deprive legal voters at home of their Just rights,
would cheat legal voters in the field of theirs
The Legislature convened, and soon the statute
books of the State were disgraced with that mon
strous act of tyranny, known as the Registry
law.
Reflect for one moment upon the great and
unjusti6able severity of this law. 1t deprives
the citizen of one of his dearest rghts-the right
of suf1rage-and that without the shadow of
trial. He is deprived of his right to take>part in
the government under which lie lives, and which
he is compelled to obey and support, by the will
of three persons appointed by the Governor of
the State, and who, this Draconian law SAYS,
must be satisfied of the loyalty of the applicant
for registration. Now, without charging such
folly and madness upon any officers of registra-
tion who are known to US, we submit that there
are men who are likely as any one else to get the
appointment at some time or othcr--if this law be
not repealed or modified, who are so blinded
with prejudice or party zeal, that no amount of
testimony could satisfy them. The felon who
has committed the most beinous and revolving
crime cannot be deprived of the right of suffrage
until be has been indicted, tried and convicted.
No opinion, or desire, Or suspicion of Judge or
juryman can deprive him of the right of suffrage
but to deprive him of that right-one of the
dearest to freeman-he must have a public
trial, and be confronted with the witnesses
against him, and hye process to compel the at
tendance Of witnesses in his defence, and be pro-
vided with counsel to conduct his case at the
expense of the State or county, if he is unable to
pay counsel himself and then he is tried by the
strict rules of law, and the whole proceedings
overlooked by an impartial, learned and sworn
hF Aa1