Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-09-04

warrants furnished him without linn /.
signed by Don Piatt, to arrest any man he
should consider in the way of Cresswell's
election. 1t was proved, also, ] understand,
before committee of the Legislature that
some time prior to his election Mr.. Davis
informed gentleman ION the Eastern
Shore, believing him t0l be OF his party,
that all the necessary measures would be
taken to carry the elections; that the order
had been prepared and printed by General
Schenck, but that 1t would not do to pub
lish it till within few days before the
election, because Blair would get Lincoln
to revoke 1t, and this proved to be the
! fact. "i % .VS p" '''
| The order was revoked, but that revoca-
| tion, as had been well calculated did not
reach the Casters, Shore in time Members
| so chosen represent Mr.. Stanton, not the
people Of Maryland, and SERVE but to de-
lude our happier and treer neigibors as to
our sentiments. It would be tar better and
more consistent with true dignity tor us to
share the absolute disfranchisenient of the
other Southern States, than to have our
seats filed by the nominees of Mr.. Stanton.
And this brings me to consider a, measure
adopted by the Legislature, as eliminated,
remodeled, and corrupted by the instru-
ments of this man, which threatens TO dis
turb the harmony, Of our people, and to
plant ranking and bitterness in the hearts
of neighbors. l allude to the law for the
registration of voters. BY the terms OF that
law three members of the dominant party.
constitute tribunal in each election dis
trict clothed with absolute power to dis
| franchise whom they please. Thus pen
atty which has heretofore been inflicted
only upon persons convicted of infamous
crimes, after fair and open trial by court.
and jury, may be imposed by a secret in
| QUESTION. That multitudes of good citizens,
against whom no one would dare publicly
to make any dishonorable charge, will thus
be branded as felons Is most, probable-T,
Men who are earnest in cause, even when
disinterested, are apt to doubt the patriot
ism of Jealous opponents. ILg ~ .tftI
| But when they have, selfish motive to
heat their passions, toleration is almost i'm
possible. But many. of our registers are
eXpectant candidates for the suffrages they
are deciding upon. They are generally,
too, the nominees. of the.countylcommittees,
standing candidates of the party. Nothing
but a strong public sentiment can prevent
a partisan enforcement of such law.
have been against it from the beginning, for
this reason. EXasperation against the re-
bellion affected most of those who voted
for it, but it was instigated, tear, by par
tisanship. Itbears the stamp of a disfran-
chising Spirit which existed before the re-
bellion, the leaders in which taught the
rebels how to organize in secret TO carry
elections against the public will. In my
opinion theret never was any justification
for such a law, and certainly, there is none
now. The ostensible reason has passed
with the rebellion, and the maxim that the
law ought to cease with the reason for il
applies in such q case undoubtedly. .;
| Secession is not indigenous in Maryland
Calhoun had not half dozen friends in the
State in 1882. If Governor Hicks had
| yielded the State would have been forced
into secession. We have held on to our
allegiance since, L religiously believe,
against his wishes and constant efforts to
drive us into rebellion, and have emanci-
pated the State, and thus got rid of the
only question which could, by any posi-
bility, prevent us from being prosperous
and happy people. Why, then, should we
continue on our statute book an act to pro-
nounee our political adversaries. felons be-
cause iof expressions and feelings which,
though wrong, were not reduced to act /?
Observe how the conduct of those
called rebel sympathizers in Maryland con-
trasts with the same people in other border
States. No Union man has been murdered
here in his house or his fields, although our
lines ran four hundreds of miles along the
lnes Vi DlAle, anu the yonng nlen VIM
nave c3me anu gone rom amongst,, US
most Oh Gnenl urlveh away, verify peneve,
lor iear ol arTesC or passiolls cohsequeht
upon Ile arrest ol lrienus-have hoG iIllta,
Tea the ieroclty so frequently eNhlDiteo
ELSEWHERE before ueparIlhg. lhis was NOT
the temper OF our people,: Cohsluerlng the
amount OF properly sacrlnced IN tne save
institution, and the feeling connected with
u nurtured through generations, anu tne
harIylhgs tney nave undergone, we nay
pareon sometnlng 10 oangry expressions anu
1eellngs OF resentment towards govern
ment Whlch they dhonght pore so heaVlly
upon tlem' ~, ~,
BuI an toIg gne law Is on the statute
book, and the Executive and his appointees
are bound to enforce 1t. '1H',.
IL is an embarrassing state OF thingsicer-
talnly. put 1 am OF tne OPINION myseil
that the ACT Is unconstltntlonal' " lniilcts
INFAMOUS punlshments Wlthout Irlal, IN a
state where pubic order Is not disturbed,
ana Is sretrospectlyeinlits operation.
Bit just 70 odisiranehlse MI: SreSsWeI ana
gne'1rlenos VINO Voteu WIN MIN I'm, IN pleuglng
Maryland TO the south Dy puohe resolutions
at Ekton In 1851! Yet, II TINS law IS 10 be
enforced, he cannot vote. Inc war was
Then 1agrant. Inc 1orts, arsenais' ana 9th
er puDllc property were Delng selzed every
where IN the south, ana such resolutions
from such place were most mlschleyous,
and gave comfort and ald TO the enemy I
But, Notwithstanding this, l. do not think