Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-10-27
THE TROUBLES IN MARYLAND.

A correspondent Of the New York Times,
writing from Baltimore gives the most clear
account Of the nature OF the controversy be-
tween Governor Swami and the Police Com
missioners Of Baltimore that we have yet
seen. 1t is worth reproducing for the inior-
nation of our readers. The trouble arises
under the following circumstances The
amended Constitution of Maryland OF 1854
DISTINGUISHES, forever all who took arms in
the Rebellion, and makes it the Joint duty
of Judges and Registers of ehetion to use
all diligence to the end that the ballot shall
DC projected against disoyal voters. In the
same year Registry law was framed, which
directed that each voter applying to be
registered must take u stringent oa.h OF
allegiance and swear that he will not oniy
support the Constitution and laws oil tue
State, but has never given aid or couh.o-
nance to or openly expressed sympathy i''
the Rebellion. ,oo-
The first registry took place in leoo.--
There were three Registers tor each 'osrne ',r
nr,cinct. appointed By the Governor. len
thousand votes were registered III bai'iihoie,
the rest of the population being elIner uis-
loyal or sympathizins with the rebellion
so much that they could not taHe the onth
of allegiance and of repudia,ioa OF Rebel
svmpathies. The second registry is to take
cinct being appointed by the Governor. At
the time of the recent municipal! election
this registry had not been finished, and it
was n question whether the persons already
registered this year had right to vote. OF
whether the voters were no other than those
who were registered last year.
This was legal question, and there wcrt
conflicting opinions about it. Reverdy
Johnson, whose sympathies lean toward:
the Democratic and Secession parties, wa!
of opinion that thc newly registered citizens
had right to vote. But the Attorney
General of the State, at the request of thu
| Governor, gave his opinion, to the efiec
| that only the voters on the registration o
the former year could vote at the municipal
| election, the other registry being incomplete
| The Police Commissioners accordingly, II
compliance with the official opinion of tn
law officer of the State of Maryland ex
cluded the newly registered voters from th'
polls. This is the offence for which the
are summoned to answer at Annapolis
There are other points also, which involv,
the nature of the registry. On one hand
is claimed that if the Register put nam
on the registry the man is entitled to vote
no matter whether he is or is not disquail
fed by the Constitution and laws. On tn,
other side it is asserted that the registr
only gives to man right to preceht hi
vote, and that the election officers have au
thority TO inquire as to his claims to citizer
ship, by virtue of that clause of the Const
tuition which makes it the joint duty {
Registers and Judges of election, to us
diligence to protect the ballot against dli'
loyal voters. and of the law Which permit
the judges of election to administer the oat
Of allegiance whenever they deem such
course necessary. That caution is now n
quired,, is asserted in consequence of SON
OF the Registers appointed by Goyernc
Swami being men of Secession proclivitie
who, by the Constitution and laws, al
DISTINGUISHED. That such is the case, ma
be inferred from the arguments against til
right of the Judges to reject disloyal voter
who are registered, although by the law
is plain enough that they have right to q
so.
Governor Swami, who was elected as
Union man, has now gone over tony policy
He is in full sympathy with every Rebel wi
went into the Southern army, and every s.
cession sympathizer who hated the tnit
cause. The outcry against the Police Con
missioners of Baltimore is because they al
faithfully carrying out the law, and if TIT
are removed by Governor Swami it will
because he desires the men who are disfra
chised by the Constitution of Maryland to &
once more the upper hand, and restore Il
terrorism of the 18th of April, 1861.