The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-02-10
The Cecil Wing.
ELKTON, FEBRUARY 10, 1866
Petitions Against the Registry
Law

extra session, mas bGen IalrIy DcSlegcd with
rebel petitions asking repeal of the Regis
try Law, and if a total repeal of the law and
the clause in the Constitution requiring the
Acknowledgement Of traitors, cannot be
granted, then, at least, modification of
them. The Copperheads of Cecil determined
not to be out done in their zeal for the rails.
ing up down trodden rebels, sent in petit
ton signed with upwards of 1900 names.
How many Of these were gathered from
graveyards, we have no means of ascertain
/ ing. Perhaps they may all have represented
living men and boys. Our Copperheads
| have always been remarkable for industry.
They do power Of work. but we never
! could discover that their efforts were directed
with much brains. But for SUCH active,
healthy exercise as riding over the county
soliciting men and boys to sign petition
for no matter what-they are captally fitted.
The "Quartette," in its palmy days, operated
largely in the exercise of bill sticking The
only good purpose that order ever achieved
was to furnish a supply of waste paper for
the community, and the long petitions the
Copperheads have been sending up to the
Maryland Legislature, will serve the same
purpose.
1t is very easy to collect long list of
names for the repeal of the Registry Law
Every man that wished the success of the
rebellion is ready to sign; and every return
ed rebel will sign and every other Copper
head will sign because all of those ds'raA
chsed traitors and sem-traitors belong to
the Copperhead party. If petition were
started among the criminals who people our
jails and penitcntiaries and their confcder
ates who, having escaped justice, are still at
large, praying general Jail delivery, think
you there is one among them who would not
sign? But would or should the signatures
of more than 200 such petitioners influence
the Legislature to repeal the criminal code I?
If it would not, why should the petitions of
all the Copperheads and rebels in the State
or the United States, have any weight in
debating repeal, or change Of the Registry
Law of this State?
1t was fine display of chivalry and indie.
pcndencc on the part of those gentry who
are wearing the fred, white and red" in our
penitentiaries to take purses, enter houses
without leave of owners, and borrow horses.
forgetting to return them; but the law bd,
ing, good citizens couldn't see it, so they
enacted laws to protect themselves from this
particular species Of democracy. SO also
with these votaries of the ''red, white and
red" who swore Maryland should be mem.
Der Of the Southern Confederacy!" and in
order to make good this oath part of those
outlaws ran away from the State and Joined
the armies of jeff Davis, and sent back
word by every opportunity offering, that they
intended to come again with Lee and Stone.
wall jackson to burn the villages and lay
waste the farms Of Union men and divide
their property among the conqucrors while
another part of them remained in the State
to cheer and comfort, and send information
and contraband goods to their friends in
arms.
Hence the Union men of the State of Ma
ryland the friends of republican govern.
ment, in their sovereign capacity declared
that those outlaws should be DISTINGUISHED
believing that he who attempts to overthrow
n republican government established on the
principles of universal freedom, in favor Of
one to be tonhded on perpetual slavery, is
not entitled to, is not worthy of, is not capa
Bile Of is not to be entrusted with, the cleo.
tive franchise, any more than the villain who
steals your horse, breaks into your house, OF
steals your purse, is safe to be allowed to
run at large.
SO think the loyal men of the State, and
so decided the Committee on Elections Of
the Legislature, and conclude a lengthy re-
port to the House on that subject in the fol-
lowing words:
"These memorials come before your hon
orabe body not in the language of petitions
but demand, requiring the Legislature tc
stultify itself by ignoring plain constitu
tional provision in the repeal of a law it ha:
made in the conscientious discharge of the
oath required of its members. This demand
is made on the assertion of opinions made
in these memorials, differing from the judg
ment of the Legislature as well as the solemn
Judgment of the Court of Appeals. Will
the subject brought before your committed
} in this light, they cannot do otherwise thar
recommend that the demand Of the memo
rials be not granted, and submit the follow
; ing resolutions for the adoption of the Sen
; ate:
l "Resolued, That the Committee on Elec
, tons be discharged from the further consid
) Grafton of the memorials referred to them
. on the subject of the Registration law ant
} the repeal Of section 4, article 1st of tn,
Constitution, the prayer being nexpedient
''Resoired, That the Officers of Registra
ton are hereby advised to execute said Law
according to its letter and spirit, in confom
ity to the opinion Of the Court of Appeals.