The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-04-05

y
been made, the voter may be summoned
before the County Board of Registra-
ton, to defend himself against the
charge of having taken the oath falsely,
if that charge should be made. If, in
the opinion of the Board the charge is
sustained, his name may be stricken
from the list.
Now, who can take this oath?
The oath is as follows:
STATE Of Vest Tirgi1aio, 7b,onship
Of County, to acit:
r., do solemnly swear that /
hove not, eince the first day of June,
eighteen hundred and siXty-one, volun-
tarily borne arms against the United
States, the reorganiZed government of
Virginia or the State of West Virginia;
that | have not voluntarily given aid,
comfort or assistance to persons engaged
in armed hostility against the United
States, the reorganiZed government of
Virginia or the State of West Virginia;
that | have not sought, accepted, eXer-
cised, or attempted to exercise ANY office
or appointment whatever, under any
authority or pretended authority hostile
or inilnical to the United States, the re-
organized government of Virginia or
the State of West Virginia. that | will
support the Constitution of the United
States, and the Constitution of this State;
and that take this oath freely, without
any mental reservation or purpose of
evasion.
Those who, since June lst, 1861, have
voluntarily borne arms against the
United States, the Reorganized Govern
ment of Virginia, or the State of West
Virginia, and those who have given aid
comfort or assistance to those actually
50 engaged in armed hostility and at the
time they were SO engaged and for the
purpose of aiding them in such hostility,
cannot honestly take the oath. Those
who have sought, excepted, exercised or
attempted to exercise any Office or APP
pointment under any authority or pre-
tended authority hostile to the United
States, the Reorganized Government Of
| Virginia, or the State of West Virginia,
cannot honestly take the oath. All 9TH
ers who are ready to take the oath OF al
legiance to the United States and to this
State can, we think, take the registry
OATH Having administered to the me-
cessities or contributed to the comfort of
rebel prisoners of war, while such--hav-
ing voted for the ordinance of secession
having sympathized with the South
ern cause-having merely supplied the
present wants of ordinary food or cloth
ing to son in the rebel army who
CHANGED to visit his fathers house-hav
ing given rebel soldiers something to
eat when they asked for it at your door,
do not, in our opinion, disqualify for
taking the oath. \ man to be SO dis
qualified, must have rendered voluntary,
positive aid to the rebellion, that is, he
must have done what he did with the
intention and for the purpose of aiding
the rebellion. 1t is ridiculous to say that
a loyal father who gave his rebel soldier
son meal of victuals when he came UNI
der the paternal roof. his heart at the
same time painfully oppressed with the
detection of that son, was guilty thereby
of rendering voluntary aid to the rebs j.
lion.
We repeat then, go and register with
out delay. Let no false pride proven,
you from taking the test oath, if it is
offered you, and upon fair interpreta-
ton of its terms, you can conscientiously
take it. Every man who ctai register,
and neglects to do it, helps the Radicals
to fasten permanently upon West Wiz
ginia their policy of injustice and op-
preston. at Is the chief hope of the
radical enemies of the State and dis
turbers of its peace, that men who are
opposed to their continued domination
will suffer their Indignation against Tho
registration act to lead them into re
fusing to comply with It's provisions
The radicals are counting largely upon
the odium and enormity Of the registra
tion act preventing many honorable anc
hioh minded men from having thell
names recorded, and they are also re
living upon the time and trouble hcces