Maryland free press. [volume] (Hagerstown [Md.]) 1862-18??, 1866-08-23
WHAT nCONsTITUTEdsDfsLoYAL
-,,v,7' ali ExPRESSIONS.n- .si,r.cR
The True Duties oIf The Registers

ICommunicated for 1.-THE Free Pressli]
.HAGERsTowSr August Is, 1866;
Nh EDIroR .--Therc has been great deal of
sun sud talk about "disloyai expressions ,t&cI
and much that hasibesn slib OH ihat 9 bect was
the result ofbad5eelng A.nd bitter passion gather
than the conclusions of SOBER Judgment. n0 -
There is no doubt that the authors of the Regis
,tfy Jaw Intended 80 10 tegisstc asto proven any
iiian' from voting Who would not vote their tick-
vt, or who did not itiinkas they thought On pub
JIG aanirs. Bat Intercollegiate do q thing end dbing
Il are, two things. To have said po pan shall
vote unless he thinks rs we do, would have been
too bare-f.ced. Hence the same result was aimed
Attn smother way. But fortunately for the people
Stat result has not been attained. a mans opii-
ionor expression ON public affairs is something
fiat IS beyond tie reach of The M,o. Every man
hts the Fight to do that '' H'''l''' -''''.l'
n The first Art. Of the constitution uses the word
.disloyalty but, once and that is in connection
with holding cemmtnieafiea nth Rr enemy,
nication with the enemy but not disloyaIly,-
Disloyal communication means communication
such as gives them aid, information, &c.
Now "disloyaity" is not named as any of the
dsqnalify ing causes. q Looking at tile 4th Sec
will he seen the causes that disqualify. Disloyalty
il . term used, by men, but the definition OF that
term, 10 norhere girrn. ,....r..,.:..,
= IT'S meaning, therefore, is something that rests
ID EACH mans orn mind hence it is not fixed, no,
jaw, but is unstable. One man may think certain
thing disloyal, and another may differ Tho Rad
icals believe johnson disloyal. others believe to
the contrary. They believe Gov. Swami disloyal
and call him traitor. Others differ widely with
Them. Now why do the Raeicals call these grea,
aud patriotic men disoyaR Simply because both
eshcse men have saidthings which the Radicals
choose to cali disloyal. -. 9..l $50 ,-i-..
There is NO law anywhere defining .he word-7-ii
!. not defined either in the constitution or tine
Act of Assenby--but its definition exists In each
nnan's mind, putting such construction Oh the
word as be thinks proper, It will be seen how
improper and unjust it is for one man to call
smother disloyal because, they differ about pub
lie affairs; and win It be seen at once, too, how
difficulty task it would be to attempt definition
sfitin any public law. brs .9'.."g q yfh
The constitution, therefore, not pretending tc
make what men may choose to call disloyalty a
cause Of disqualification, goes on and mentions
sie ob1yT Tdahgs which do dsqualfy. Those things
arc mentioned in the 4th Sec. of the lst article Il
the constitution. These causes are, list, 'any
person who has been, in any ,nsanner, in the SER
Vice Of the Confederate States" That is plain;
We all understand it..
A'and; s'No person who has voluntarily left thiS
s ate and gone; within the lines + &c., with the
purpose of adhereing to thcm."
This is also pretty plain. The party must hare
gone rolunariiy, and more than that gone foy the
parposs Of adhering, &c. = NJ
The thirdfc fciaass i.he one that gises all the
trouble, and ithas several subdivisions. II reads
thus: -igstr u'~ .szff-a4uI J. rs y.rg1
''srd, No person who has given, aid, comfort
~ountenance or support to those in armed hosti)-
ity, &c. or in any manner adhered to the enemies
ofthe United States. ."i' h!''"F 10 '' .'''
s4Now just here there will be noticed q very re-
narkable circumstance, to wits: That the consti-
tuition steps in and defines how and in phat n, an
ntr this aid, comfort, countenance and support
may be given. II the law stopped with only so
much as is written above, then we would all be
atseA each -Rsb deciding for himself as to what
vas giving aid, comfort, ,eountenance Of supports
but the constitution steps in and settles the mat
t,r for US. Il goes on and says how tn aid may
DO given; dEither by contributing to the enemies
of the United States-" That is ole way in Shicl,
aid, comfort. 60, may be giyen,-oB VI. Alu
We all understsnd that. Contributions mean
such things and means voluntarily not under
the Dduress Of an armed force occupying ths
territory, Cgivenh to the accredited and aa-
hosEed LIseentsdOf c: the neuemy--sao Z ~
ousstermssters, kc,r and not food and drink, OF
even pair of shoes or coat given, TO, q Rebel
soldier, who may have been suffering perhaps fol
sither. The lsst would be an act Of humanity and
eharityto fellow mortal. The first would be Ar
act within the meaning of the constitntion-eoatri
Saion. a. s,a z-arcG TAI. -"5.!l "
Another and the second way mentioned in th'
constitution by which aid, comfort &C., may b'
siveaIis s'dplawfdily sending within the. lines o
,hssneshy, ,siann1y or goodser letters erinforma
lsas'"7KssallspassssAna thai i5Hho 124l 81
ksiSairo5 o,stibnao sd' osnqeny 10 @
So! s1r .s'aoiusH o9fTHra oIa9n sh' =