The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-02-27
Remarks OF senator Burdett ON the
: Bin Providing for Registration
(puJlLahed bv Reo,test,l /

(Ftt6lLShsd by Reqtsest) ..I5 -
Mr.. PREsIDENT-TheSe Senate will bear
with me in an attempt to say a few
words in opposition to the bill under
consideration, providing for n registra-
ton act, being one of a series of meas
utter distranchisement of almost the
entire population of your border coun.
ties, and nearly one half the voters OF
the. State, sweeping in its operation
alike Union and rebels, and thousands
to-day as good citizens as many that
will vote for this measure. Pause, L
entreat You, to pause before enacting in
such haste SO cruel proposition, blast
ing'and discouraging in its effects on
the future prosperity and glory of our
young State, dimming the lustre and
brightness of the noble example fur
nished by us fora reconstruction of the
States of the Union. Mr.. President, i
started out at the beginning of the re-
bellion with the motto, trhe Union,
the Constitution and the eptorcement
of the laws,p and have only. yielded
to departures from the old land marks
as the results of the war forced them
upon me; the great end of which was
the freeing of four millions of slaves,
which all accept as tho great provi-
dence of the war. Now, sir, the war is
over, and some allowance must be
made for an honest difference of opin-
ion, and at least concede that our erring
brethren believed what they fought for,
and hive more respect for q gallant
foe than for tho coward in the rear,
who snuffed the war afar of, and to-
day is doing all he can to destroy
the harmony of the country. lw !
It is proposed by this bill to tax us
about thirty thousand dollars, to do
what ?-to virtually degrade nearly one
half of the voters OF the State, aye! to
send sadness and sorrow to the already
humiliated hearts of u down-trodden,
fallen foe, driving from your State pop
ulation, of those to the manor born, a 3
the same time that you are anXiously
inviting immigration, and have expen77
siye agents employed for the Pur-
pose. 1t is human to err, and God-like
TO forgive, does it comport with the du-
ty of wise craftsmanship to SO legislate
as that looks to party instead of coun-
try? Let patriotism take the place OF
passion, and the future and prosperity
of our State become u paramount con-
sideration. Sir, I opposed secession (the
Pandora box, from which comes all
our trouble, that ism has met its re-
ward, and stand here in my place,
alike to resist such measures COME
from what quarter they may,) conflict
ing in my Judgment with wisdom and
Justice, as we'll as to infract the organic
laws of the land; both federal and State,
such think not only this proposed
law, but others already enacted.
The Constitution of the United States
declares that "Congress shall make no
law. abridging the freedom of speech.n ~
Thus for strong reasons man should
not be punished for conscience sake.
His words he may restrain, but his
thoughts come at Will and his COM
science is entirely independent of his
mn H-ni6 hi 80
victions and sYmpathies than the leop-
ard can change his spots.
Article I'd, section 10 "declares that
treason shall be punished according to
the character 1.-the acts committed, by
the infiiction of one or more of the pen
alties of death, imprisonment, fine, or
confiseation of the real and personal
property of the offender. Then we see
that man may be imprisoned, fined,
or his property contiscated and still not
disfranchise,I. Then / ask any candid
man how he can disfranchise n. citizen
in the absence of an arrest, trial or con-
Viction, when ACKNOWLEDGMENT is not
one of the penalties annexed to the
crime by our Constitution
Again; the law is a violation of our
Constitutions. as it is retroactive or eI
post Jdcto in its operation; it creates
penalty thatdid notattach to the offense
complained of at the time of its COM
mission. Such a law would be at war
with the best. interest and ultimate
prospects of our State. Let US examine
for a moment that branch of the sub
iect, as every member of society is more
or'less dependent upon the community
around him for mutual help and assist
ance, it is of the first Importance for the
we'll being and happiness of society
that a general feeling of friendship
should pervade all classes. How, ask,
can that be, when such inyidious dis
tinctions, such class legislation exists2
How can you expect the friendship and
good will of your neighbors when we
and our party deny to themthe rights
of freeman, merely because he has
differed with you with regard to the
of the eGovernment. No,
sir; such cpprse must engender strife
and chickering's of the most unpleasant
character, unlike any political differ
ence heretofore existing. II will even
tuate in destroying family and social
intercourse, growing worse and worse,
spreading its baleful influences to all
circles, haunting churches and school
houses, The. animosity will lose none
of its bitterness as it is transmitted
from father to son, and in all commu-
mites the weaker will be the sufferer.
The advocates of this measure are
blindly led by the delusive idea that
thereby. they can entrenoll themselves
behind this unstable breastwork and
perpetuate themselves in power; but
who, that will Judge the future by the
past cannot discern the fallacy of such
a hope2r All past experience proves to
us that no party ever has or ever will
secure the permanency of its position
by such means.
The party in power is only forging
the shnckels that must some day,
sooner or later, recoil upon themselves.
ii a 10
could always hold the reinsof power.
Hence it would be expecting too much
of the down trodden and disgraced, If
an accession to power, they would not
retaliate, which would produce eonn-
ter spirit of retaliation with alternate
vibrations, until the good sense of the
people operating as the force of gravity,
would at last bring about an equilibri=
um. r. And OH how w,demoraliZing the
effect of such law, an incentive 10
perjury to regain lost political rights.
Then i repeat and implore the advo-
Gates of this measure to pause and re-
flect.upont the consequences inevitably
flowing from such short sighted and
misguided policy, driving men to the
dire necessity of forgetting the sanctity
OF an oath to odefend themselves against
the denial of the inestimable privilege
of every freeman the sacred rights of
suffrage. -
10 GIamor for the right of representa-
ton when not exempt from taxation,
great fundamental principle that under
lies all free governments.
b Constitution of the United States, ar
ticle 9Th, section 2. The citizens ofeach
State shall be entitled to all the privi-
leges and immunities of the citizens in
the several States.
Virginia, 1776, Rill,of Rights, sections