The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1865-09-05
TERMS-IN' NCE.

cents for each subsequent Insertion. In the
Weekly, 81 q squares
A@Special notices Is cents line.
The. Constitution of Virginia, under
the restored Government, differs from
the Virginia Constitution of 1851
much less than is generally supposed.
The changes, however important, are
not numerous. In the Code of Viz
ginia, issued IN the year 1860, and
iberally distributed throughout the
State to justices, clerks and others,
aid now accessible to most persons,
viii be found at full length the former
With these preliminaries, we at
once consider the Alexandria Consti-
tuition. Prefixed to it are the old bill
of rights and preamble. Articles I
and u of the former Constitution are
contained unchanged.
Article III, on qualification of
voters, in the old, is greatly changed
in the new Constitution. Residence
prerequisite to voting is reduced to
one year in the State and six months
in the county, city or town. But the
great and Important change consists
Of two parts, namely, disfranchise-
. ment of voters and disability for
office-hblding, by reason of participa-
tion in the rebellion. AL persons are
DISTINGUISHED who, since the first day
of January. 1864, have voluntarily
given aid or assistance, in any way, to
those in rebellion against the Govern
ment of the United States, for the
purpose Of prom oting thesame. The
Legislature have power to relieve
from this privation and restore the
right of franchise, ~'when, in their
opinion, it will be safe to do so.'' Ac-
cordingly, the Legislature, by Act of
the 22d June, 1865, in extra session at
Richmond, restored the franchise to
all those deprived as aforesaid, who
should take the oaths therein pre-
scribed, to wit: that in the Amnesty
Proclamation of President johnson of
the 29th May, 1866, and that to sup
port the restored government of Vir-
ginia. But persons excluded from the
benefit of said Amnesty Proclamation,
until pardoned by the President, are
excepted from such .enfranchisement.
Persons excluded from the amnesty.
by reason of the $40, 900 exception,
are, nevertheless, enfranchised by
said Act The disability for Office
.holding is, next to the. disfranchise.
ment of voters, the most remarkable
part of the instrument. No person
can, according to its terms, ''vote or
hold Office under this Constitution
who has held Office under the so-called
Confederate Government, or under
any rebellious State GovtBnment, or
who has been y member of the So
called Confederate. Congress, or q
member of any State Legislature in
rebellion against the authority of the
United States, excepting therefrom
county officers This prescription
and impractcable rule will, doubtless,
be expunged at an early day. 1t is
impossible to continue such q provi-
sion among a people who are recog-
nized as loyal, snd. who claim q Repub-
Hcan Government. The, reason and
necessity of such a prescription, if
over of sufficient cogency, have
wholly ceased; and the Executive ana
the Legislature have united in recon-
mending and promoting it's abroga.
tion: The Legislature, at the extra
session aforementioned, by ON Act
passed on the 21st day of hIRe, 1865,
entitled San Act to provide for the
amendment of the third article of the
Constitution" invested the Governor
with discretionsto ascertain the sense
OF the qualified voters on the PROPOSE
" ton to empower the next General
Assembly to amend the third ,rticle