The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-11-08

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their own swift coming doom. They
represent but small minority OF the
people. BY legislation in shameless
violation of the Constitution OF the
State, they have deprived majority OF
the citizens of the right Of suffrage /;
and fearful lest a majority of those,
who, under this legislation have the
right to vote, should exercise that right
against their own ubiquitous schemes,
they have, in thousands of instances,
trampled on their own laws in excluding
Johnson men from the polls, and in adj
hitting thereto Confederate soldiers and
others, who aided the rebellion. and
who promised to vote the Radical
ticket. As it has been in Baltimore, so
it is now in West Virginia. The cleo
tive franchise is miserable farce. Two
thirds Of the citizens of this State are
to-day supporters of the Administration
of President johnson, and If permitted
to exercise their constitutional rights,
would have SO declared themselves by
their votes at the recent election.
THE GREAT RIGHT OF CITIZENSHIP.
The most valuable right Of American
citizenship is the right to vote. The
exercise Of this right controls all the
great interests of society and Govern
ment. The citizen who is deprived of
it, whether by legislative usurpation,
executive usurpation, OF the violence of
the mob, is mere political slave. He
has no voice in the election of rulers, or
in the enactment or administration of
the laws which govern his personal
action, and the disposition Of his prop
erty. Ignorant and corrupt men may
be placed in power-laWs the most
unjust and oppressive may be enacted
the very foundations Of the Govern
ment may be subverted, but heis power
less to prevent it; bound hand and foot,
he must stand by, a silent spectator, of
the progress of corruption and ruin.
And yet valuable and sacred as this
right of citizenship is, one-haif at least
of the citizens of this State are denied
its exercise. They are Is voiceess and
helpless in all the affairs of Govern
ment as the most brutal negro on the
streets. They are taxed TO an amount
unparalleled in the history of American
taxation. But what is done with the
taxes collected they know not-and
even their right to know, IS often insult
insly denied. And after all this injustice
and outrage, the men who have been
guilty Of 1.-THE men Who have voted
to disfranehise their neighbors, and
deprive them Of everything valuable in
American citizenship, and reduce them
to a state of political serfdom, may be
seen fawning and puring around the
victims OF their political venom, seek
ing their support in business, their favor
in the relations of social life, and their
association in the church of COP, as if
they We're their dearest friends, and de-
serving of their highest confidence. In
some instances, we are ashamed to say,
they are successful in their sycophancy
and hypocrisy-and certain men who
have been robbed Of their citizenship,
seem to have lost, at the same time, all
the nobler elements of their manhood.
Instead Of standing up in bold and
defiant condemnation of the outrages
practised upon them, and with the
firmness and dignity offree-born Ameri-
cans, demanding their rights; they cling
to the feet that kick them, and cherish
in their bosom the viper that would
sting them to death. But these, we are
happy to know, are the exceptions. The
great body of our insulted and despoiled
citizens land they are a majority of the
citizens of the State have just esti-
mate of the wrongs done them. and of
the character of the men who are in
tlicting them--and that sentiment is
Justly expressed in their conduct towards
them. To foster the men who rob them
to sanction the dishonesty and politi-
cal villainy that aim at their degradation
and ruin, are not duties prescribed by
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