Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-03-20
shepherdstown Correspondence.
The Three Great Acts Of the Drama-the
Registration Act Completes the C1imrae-
an Outside VteIo Of it-,oho aoiN be regis
tered and aoIy-Loc u NeUs.


-
does not require the ken Of prophet to per-
ceive- All its Legislation shows the spirit
that animated that body, was that of recemgc
and the PrimcLPte that governed its action was
to perpetuate the existence of the radical
party, or rather Obstructionist and disunion-
list party, at every hazard, even if it made the
country second revolutionary France, and
blotted out the last trace Of Republican
government.
IT'S notorious that the Legislature and the
radical party here, are heart and soul against
President johnson aud his policy of restora>
ton, and would to day play t Brutus to the
Caesar, If they had the courage. Not salts
fed with the infamous "test oath" the late
Legislature has capped the climax of intumy
aud disgrace to the State by the passage of
the proposed g Constitutional Amendment"
and Registration Law" but this last was
necessary iu order to keep their party from
falling into decay" and to give them abso-
Lutte control over the ballot box 1t gives the
Registrars, who are appointed by the Gov
ernor, the right to say who shall and who
shall not vote, and they may ADMIT to regis
tratI"n any one they may think proper rlthOut
reQWl"iny OF him the s. test oath" or even
asking him any questions. This provision
was made for very obvious reason. Many
OF the radical party here, who hold high po-
sitions, cannot take that g test oath " without
PeV"rimg themselves. For instance, one of
the County Board Of Registration holding
another official position under the State gov
ernment, cannot lake that 81 test oath,'' or
answer the questions asked, without perjury
with the Legitimate construction of the oath
and questions, and there are many others in
the same dilemma. To avoid this stumbling
block, they will be registered without the
0af nd IL e
know that no one will be uUOtvcd to prefer
charges against them for perjury before any
grand jury or court in the State of Vest
Virginia. They acknowledge that if plain
construction is given to the test oath " and
" the questions" they cannot take it or an
swer them, without perjury. but they have
reasoned themselves to believe that it does
no! apply to them, as they have been re-
baptized in the cleans Dg waters of the Rad
zeal Loyal Font, and all their sins bIotted out.
IT'S said that if you "put beggar on horse
back, he will ride to the devil" and the adage
may be verified in those radicals who have
been put into power by accident, and not by
any merit of their own.
There is another reason why they should
admit to registration some men who are not
willing to take the g test oath" These are
those whom the radicals wish to join their
party to give it "c&Pect0Liijty; and they are
also very anxious to getzall whom they think
they can whccdle into their purposes, so as
to make ShO10 III numbers, for they well know
that if all are excluded from registration. who
cannot honestly stand the test, their party will
not have Il corpornVs guard in this COUNTY
Itey allcge tn the law is necessary in order
to protect those who have been =: loyil -
faithful to the government all the time We
would like to see that sO-caIlcd - loyal" man
among the radicals here, that did ANYTHING
TOR Virginia or the United States, or in any
way supported The q Union cause" durlp.y
the war. When the war was over. then they
became very beliicosc. and have been wugin.,
shameful aud spitetul war against peaceful
and unOliending citizens. and in violation of
the pledges given by the United States gov-
eminent. Whenever their services were need
cd in the day OF trial, they were always found
. wantin-: and left in such haste on some
occasions, as to make their flight in wuman's
apparel, which was mistaken for their own
These are the ''brave boys THAI arc now SO
warlke, and need SO many laws to keep them
in position to oppose President JohIssn in
his patriotic efforts to sustain the Constitution
aud the government, as they were in the car
lier days of the Republic
The 10th question Of the series. which have
been copied Cc"b1t'nl from the MARYLAND
Board, involves many Of the s0-called ..ioyal"
men OF THIS town, and the s. when and how"
Will show that many OF them were engaged
IN smuggling go DIS of various descriptions to
=" rebels " so-cal!ed during the war. and in
thus aiding the rebellion" they violated
the A""oc" laws OF that government to which
they had sworn allegiance IeopIe who
live in glass houses should not throw stones
lew moro questions might with great
proprlety be added to the list, viz: x Are
you IN favor OF the res, Grafton of the Union.
and do you sustain President johnson in his
efforts to restore peace aud harmony to the
country Z! 40 you believe that men who are
denied citizenship, $mDrnye and representation
should be taxed to support government to
which they are declared by law. uHrns o.
" Do you believe the negro equal to the white
man. and are you in favor OF eufranchising
him 2"
The Circuit Court for this county COM
mences here on the End Monday in Aptil,
and we understand the docket is a very long
one, cases having accumulated very fast in
the last four or five months.
An effort Is making to have the lower room
of the Town Hall ready by that time for the
accommodation Of the Court The African
Church, the house formerly used for holding
Courts, is now used for negro school.
- ne BOARD OF supervisors will meet shortly
to NIX the rate OF taxation, to raise money to
build the Jail here, as this is now the per-
manent O. county seat"
The Rev. j. NJ. Green, the minister sent
by the Northern Baltimore Conference to take
possession of the church and other property
here has arrived, but the minister in charge
and members refused to give it up, and we
presume the matter will finally be settled by
the Courts Rev. MIR. Green preached on
TINS circuit many years ago, and has latterly
been connected with the negro bureau
Captain Kearney OF the 18th Va cavalry
was arrested few days ago, and held to bail
to appear at the next term of the court. to
arsLrar tn, ;.,i;.........