The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-07
= Restored Virginia. f"
fErnyn tha AYo--I. -

Mr. EDITOR I'll observe that Mr.. Chas
q. Lewis, signing himself Secretary O
the commonwealth of Virginia. is on,
in new proclamation to Commissioner,
OF Elections, defining their duties. &c.
as follows, viz: ut Is proper to advise
you by an Act ofthe last General Assem-.
| bly, the right to vote and hold office is re.
stored to all officers attached to militia
regiments, disbanded before the LIST Of
July, 1852, who have not since the fret
day of January, 1854, voluntarily given
aid and comfort to the enemies of this
State and the United States.U It il we'll
worth while for the public to notice fsvv
Lewis. Ss'"s - NAi'
The so-called Alexandria Constitution
imposed two political disabilities upon
all who had been in rebellion. f;rst q
disabled from voting, all who would not
take an oath that, among other things
tuey had not since January LIST, 1864,
voluntarily aided rebellion; and second
~, IN q subsequent position, it disouali.
fed from, both voting and holIin0 office
all who had ever held office under tha
rebellion, except county officers, IT'S lan-
guage on the latter point is as follows -
mo person shall vote or hold offico
the constitution who has held on;oo
under the so-called Confederate govern
eminent, or who has been. memher of
the so-called Confederate Congress or q
member of any State Leuislature In rs'
bellion against the authority of tho
umi.ea 30 states u,, excepting therefrom
The Alexandria Constitution confided
to the Legislature the power to remove
the disqualification from voting wh;oh
results from not taking the oath referred
to-. Its Language is, but the Legislature
shall have power to pass an act or acts
prescribing means by which ners s1u,s
who have been distranchised bu thia 1 a,ro'
vision shall or may be restored 10 Inc
RIGHTS of voteys, when in their onin IL m e
will be safe to do So" The Constitntio =.
did not give the Legislature the power
to prescribe means by which the Der.
sons disqualified from holding Office
could be restored to that right. The All,
exandria Constitution unconditiopaIlv
takes away that right. There must be-
an amendment Of the Constitution IN
the legal way, by another State Conven. I
ton, before that right can be restored r.
tIOSc illus ehSquallueu. line OIestioo
is so plain as to need no argument ''on
When Mr.. Charles H. Lewis retur,,
from Dixie last winter, he found bir'
self in the condition of a man sadlv,r LII
ing office, but, by the CONSTITUTE" s su
ever disqualified from holdino T. ior-
cause he had 'sheld office under ~ -, oe-
called Confederate government ne e So
under" a "rebellious State go,. anu
ment." He, however, applied ~ .n
Legislature to help him. and H. 70 the
ever ready for skillfui man tnat pody,
passed law for hia benefit, assuminS
to themselves the power Of removineg
the disability, which power the conatigs
tuition denied them, and which mower
they had no more right to exercise thar
had the corporation Council or the grand
Jury of Alexandria county, IT il neaJA
less to say that the law thus passad l.
clearly unconstitutional and yoid-tbat
by the constitution of the State M
Chas. III. Lewis is forever disoualifisd
rom holding any Office under the 60.
jailed restored government of Virginia
md that all his acts as such an off,na,
IRE simply void, because he cannot con-
additionally hold such an office. WIZ
1t follows that all the elections hold
y virtue OF any authority given hv
him "a Secretary of State are voidEasars
III commissions and other documants
igned by him in that capacity. a nrat
muddle will their Peirpoint rovarn
nent be In, If 1t keeps on In this illeoal
nd irregular way much longer. Hard.