North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-08-15
Every man @ Qualified under the State Elec-
tion Laws Shall Vote

Every man Qualified under the State Elec-
tion Laws Shall Vote
Lists of deserters and non-reporting draft
ed men are being printed at the State print
ing office in this city, under instructions
from the State officials. These lists, 1t is
said, will average about one hundred and
| fifty to each regiment--thus aggregating
| from thirty to thirty five thousand names.
| They are to be sent, with copies of the now
defuncl act of the Legislature disfranchis-
| ing deserters and non-reporting drafted
! men, to all the election officers of the State,
with orders to refuse the votes Of all whose
names appear upon the lists. Covert threats
and inducements, as circumstances may
require, will probably accompany the lists.
The Disunionists seemed determined to
make what little they can out of the State
act, notwithstanding they know full well
that the late decision of the Supreme Court
renders the State act null and void. Gov
ernor Curtin gave AS reason for his delay
| in signing the State act that the decision
of the Supreme Court in the Franklin coun-
ty case, if rendered against the election
officer, would upset the State act. The
| Court having so decidcd-that an election
! officer or board OF officers cannot be made
a tribunal for the trial of deserters-the
State act becomes q mere nuillty, of no
force or feet, except as a bug bear The
Court also decided that Congress has not
only no authority to empower election off,
GERS TO disfianchse desertcrs and non re-
porting drafted men, but no authority to
empoUer the Legislatures to authorize such
officers to try or disfranchse such men
for offenses against the Federal Govern.
mcnt. The Court distinctly stated that
nothing but tie eridence Of u trial by court
n.artiaI, and sentence approved; can be made
grounds for disfranchiyenaent 1H desert
ers and nOn-reporting dratted men, there
fore, otherwise legally qualified, can Uote in
Pennsylvania on the second 7uesddy Of Oc-
tO6er, aud THE ELECTION OFFICER OR INDI-
vIDUAL WHO SHALL ATTEMPT To PREVENT
THEM WILL BE LIABLE TO HEAVY PUNISH
MENT. Let this be distinctly understood
all over the State.
This scheme now perfecting is certainly
the dornier resort of thc Geary Disunion-
lists, knowing, as they do, that no deserter
or drafted men, ocho w9s tormerlyu ere
publican" can, by ally possibility, be ex-
pected to vote for Geary or any other
candidate of his party, since that party has
pissed these acts Of political outlawry
against him. 1t has been well judged, BY
the Geary faction, that all 'Republican'
non reportihg drafted men will help to keep
out of office those who unjusIy and unlaw
fully attempted to deprive them of their
rights under the Constitutions of the State
and of the Union. Hence the effort which
is about to be made to deter men from
voting, by sending on. these formidable
lists. But none but ignorant and timid
persons viii take ary account of the threats
OF Dj5lnionists. Some of them may be
Undue / 10 vote for Geary, under promise
of the Geary politicians that they will not
be thereafter molestcd or disfranchised,
but the individual who shall give up his
right to vote (which in his ignorance he
may think he has lost,) is neither free
man nor pan in any sense. 1t is to be
hoped that the number who can be so in
Inundated and humbugged is very small.
hS 1'tihoSlaIiS ph' uSIcuiC'l
the membership of all political parties from
the attempted unlawful deprivation of po-
ltical rights, it is therefore no more than
fair that those men, irrespective of party,
should aid the Democracy in upholding
the State and Federal Constitution, through
and by which their rights are St cured. If
family ties, disapprovaE of the negro aspect
of the war, or other circumstances and in
fuenccs beyond their control prevented
them from striving on fields of battle for
the Union; they may now repair that neg
lect by voting for the Union. Every ballot
that may be cast for Holster Clymer viii
| be telling blow for the restoration of the
| Union according to the wise policy Of Pres
ident johnson, whilst every vote cast for
John w. Gcary will be a blow at const-
tional freedom and the Federal Union.--
Let this fact be kept constantly in view,
and let every man, qualified urder the
State election laws, demand and secure
| his vote. Ihere IS no lam nor poecer, to
prerent-except brute force. If that shall
| be attempted, meet it as best you cam
| Patriot d Union.