The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-10-26
THE RADICAL REBELLION.
The Troubles In Balfimorc--The
Grounds Of Dispute.
CORRESPONDENCE of the World.1

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The Troubles In BaItimorc--The
Grounds Of Dispute.
Correspondence of the world.l
BALTIMORE, October %.
There is so much misunderstanding
in the Northern mind, judging from the
tone of papers that reach us, about the
real difference between the Conserva'
tive Unionists, with Governor Swami
the upholders of the law on the one
hand, and the Radical Commissioner
resisting the law on the other, that 8
brief and succinct statement Of the
grounds of dispute viii clear away many
mists and scquaint the public with just
what is the case. ll4
In 1864, the State constitution o.
Maryland was so amended on the so
called popular vote, effected under mil
titary pressure and despotism, as to ex'
clude forever from the ballot all who
had taken part in favor Of the late Con
federate States during the rebellion
1t was enjoined upon all Judges and reg
istrars of election specially to see to 1t,
that no "disloyap votes were cast. In
the same year, 1864, q registry law was
forced through each branch OF the
Legislature, whose design was SO
sweeping as to disfranchise not only
all those who had actively participated
in behalf of the rebellion, but every
one who, remaining peacefully and obe'
diently at home, had given it any coun-
tenance or sympathy, direct or indirect
The effect of this exclusion In Maryland,
where every other one was allied by
kindred to some that upheld the cause
of the South, would present the deplora-
BILE spectacle of more than two-thirds of
our people who had committed no overt
act of resistance being excluded from
the right of suffrage. To this end an
oath was exacted which was thrust at
each elector, to the effect that he would
both support the amended constitution
and the laws of the State, but would
swear that never in any way had he fett
or expressed sympathy for, or given
countenance and aid to, the rebellion.
This was first carried out in the registry
of last year, 1865, and it went off with
out disturbance, most Of our people re-
fusing to exercise suffrage at test
which imposed on them to swear that
they had never felt for many, their own
flesh and blood thus swearing them
selves to be moral monsters In order TO
become voters.
There were at this registry three reg
listers for each precinct. The Governor
amounted them. The effect of the act
can be stated when it is remembered
that in Baltimore alone, out of total
population of nearly 80, 900 votes, barely
10000 were able not to stultify them
selves by registry, and this minority
dominated the affairs of the city. The
second registry occurs this year, and is
now in progress. At this registry the
law requires but one registrar, and he
is appointed by the Governor OF the
State. This registry being incomplete,
orr Attorney General was called on for
a decision by Governor Swami, as to
how the recent municipal election
should be conducted in Baltimore. The
Attorney General decided that the only
guide under the circumstances could be
the registry of last year, 1865. 1t was
so acted upon, and it is the alleged ar.
bitrary and unfair way in which the
Police Commissioners acted i'll carrying
ont the registration, according to the
mode of last year, that constitutes the
grounds of the charges against them
now lodged by Governor Swami. Now,
last year there were registered and voted
10000 citizens. This year, about 300
more than half that number. True,
the lists of 1865, when 10000 We're
registered were ordered to be
followed. and professedly were fol-
lowed. How then is the discrepancy
between the five thousand and odd
hundred voters this year, and the ten
last year, Thus; The Com
under the clause OF the reg
istry of 1864, requiring that every ex-
ertion be used to protect the ballot from
"disloyal" votes, claimed the right to
90 behind and beyond the oath OF va
rious citizens that were willing to swear
they were entitled to vote even under
the stringent tests imposed, and to sit
in inquisition upon the question wheth-
er, when those citizens were offering
their ballot, they were affirming so
or falsely, according to the
Judgment of the Commissioners and
their Radical hackers. In other words
the Commissioners claimed the right to
look into freeman's conscience and
convince him by their own dictum OF
perjury, should they see fit, which, if
he were Conservative voter, they
saw fit to do in about every case, and
thus shut him out from voting. The
before Gov. Swami insists
that if a man swears he can contentious
ly vote according to the test imposed,
then no commissioner or any other
man has n right to exclude him on
the ground that he is swearing falsely.
That is a matter for the courts after
due trial. The Commissioners raise
side issue that some of the registers
appointed by the Governor are men of
known "disloyalty," who are so re-
LAYING the lists as to let i'll illegal vo-
tiers; in fact, all who will take the
oath. Briefly, the commissioners insist
that only those shall be permitted to
take oath whose status comes up to
their definition of " loyalty" while the
Conservative Unionists insist that all
who offer to take the oath in declared
and good faith, shall
be permitted to take it, and to vote,
and that the question of whether they
perjure themselves or not, is an after
matter ofjudicial inquiry. The Com
missioners insist that they are the test
of mans oath. The compliments in
sist that the courts are. This Is the
issue "short and sweet"
ANECDoTE OF THE GREAT DUKE.-ln