Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-07-27

anne may be said, and is always to some e1-
ent the case, in regard to attendance on cleo.
ion day, and there being SO many days APP
pointed on which the voter may appear be-
fore the Board, there would seem to be no
Just cause of complai on the grounds thus
Having therefore entered in the first column
of the registration record the name of the per-
son claiming to lie registered. the next duty
of the Officers of Registration is to administer
to him the oath of allegiance as prescribed in
the ith section of the LIST article Of the Con-
stitution and which is in these words Il
do swear Cor affirm that am citizen Of the
United States, that l have never given any
aid, counteuance or support to those in armed !
hostility to the United States, that I have
never expressed desire for the triumph of
said enemies over the arms of the United States
aud that will bear true faith and allegiance
to the United States, and support the Consti-
tuition and laws thereof as the supreme law of
the land, any law or ordinance of any State to
the contrary Notwithstanding that will in
all respects demean myself as loyal citizen of
the United States, and make this oath Cor
affii mation) without any reservation or eva
sion, and believe it to be binding on me
lUlS Odll1, Us HuNC ouiu, thuop NC uuuth-
istered to every person applying to be regis
tered, no matter how often he may have taken
a similar oath before, or what may be the
convictions of the Registers of the applicants
undoubtcd loyalty. The oath being thus ad-
ministered, the party taking it, if obnoxious
to none other of the disqualitications mentioned
in the Ord or 9Th sections of the LIST article. is
in my opinion, prima facte entitled to regis
tration but the trainers Of the Constitution
have carefully guarded against the concIu-
sieeness of this oath upon the applicants right
to registration by declaring that "the taking
of such oath shall not be deemed conclusive
evidence of the right of such person to vote"
A question of much practical importance
then arises as to theQex duty Of the Officers
of Registration the applicant having appear
ed before them aud by the terms of the abo We
oath negatived the existence of any Constitu-
tional disqualification expressed in the 4th
section, what is to be their next proceeding =?
Their course, then, as it seems to me, must
be very much in accordance with the custom
of the Judge of Election, who when voter
appears before him. about whose rights he
entertains no doubt receives his ballot without
further question but if from his own person
al knowledge or information, or public reputs
or any other cause. he has reasonable doubt
of the applicants right of suffrage, he pro-
cecds to catcchise him upon oath, SO framing
his iuterrocatories as to elicit all the informa.
ton possible touching the disqualification te
which he considers him subject. Similar tt
It's 5, ;l.in',, the duty Of tho Officers O.
Registration. if they have any reason to be-
icye that the applicant has committed any Of
tho ,cfs cpocfan in the 4th snrtion of the | a
article they should, notwithstanding the oath
of allegiance so administered proceed to in
tcrrogale him more particularly in regard tc
either or all of such acts, so framing thei
questions as to be most likely to arrive at thu
truth. As more convenient for reference,
will here cnumeratc the various acts referred
to in said section, either Of which dcprives thu
: party of his elective franchise. No persons
! bavi ng doIc" OF The following rcts is CT
titled to be registered as qualihed voter
l. NO person wh" mas AZ any ume pech u
armed noS''i'ly 10 ''e o"'.e =, rr r'a'''' VI
."e ,i"'u. a.;" :, w. IS fro;,nor ,sb
4 jew " pun :,. -. 1i, - oa.;,;.
n may n'io oo, ':,.'. aeo c'na; "s -. -.
$ VIII" VIII W., w" r.;,'I S.n,as nS ,,ho L,s s;no
!. WI" .n' ,,"'..,.,,;.od o;,;.an
r oeoo"e "
s 2 INC person VINO ms been, 10 any mar
4 ner' IN the service OF the so'cai'ea '0oh'eu'
C rate states oil America ,.
j. 8. NO person VINO mas 'oiu.'ar"y IL
this State ana gone wi'h,h inc "i'''ary me
the so.caiied 'ooh'eoera'e States or af1.'e
: with the purpose OF adh'rihs 10 said o'"'e'
1t armies
: 4 No person who has given any All
it comfort, countenancc or support to those ell
c gagged in armed hostility to the United States
,e ). No person "who has in any manner AZ
If hercd to the enemies ofthe United States. eit|
1t er by contributing to the enemies of the I'm
l. ted States, or unlawfully sending within tt
as lines Of such enemies money or goods or lie
tiers or information"
}. 6. No person who has dsloyally he
,o communication with the enemies Of the Unit
ht States"
of 7. No person "who has advised any perse
IT, to enter the service Of the said enemies,
,;drd anv nersop to so enter"
n. NJ D,..on ..wbo b,. hr ,,r on., 10
r -. nS i"alaroa his ,dhss;o, :, ,be r,n.o
he .,,o " ano,;os of tho Itn;,aI St,,ss or his
at Cur ,ho ,r;rr,nh Of sail enom;es oyer Il