The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-05-23

tho learusd Dssl,i Lamb doubt sbesa'
Llidity Of The constitutional pmsndmeus'
Daniel Lamb opcc favored the adoption
Of this clause, and mado 8 better ,rsu'
uent 10 It's favor than ho has ever been
able since thenit to make against it.
COL. SMITHS ARGUMENT.
The whole supcrstruc,ure Of Colonel
Smiths argument against the validity Of
the constitutional amendment is bnscd
upon the assumption that rebels are
qualified voters in the meaning Of the
constitution, aud laws passed in pursu'
apce thereof, of this State. If bis prem.
Uses arc right, his conclusions arc also
L. follows, then, if tho voters test oath
law md tho registration law, which pre-.
cludc them from tho exercise Of thi"
political privilege, ure both unco"St'tu'
tionul, Col. Smiths argument is good
but if those luws are constitutional, which
he is bound, as q good citizen, in obedl'
ence to the laws Of the State, to rcccg-
uizc, (uutil by the courts they uro dec''
ded to be otherviss) his whole argumen.
tative supcrStructure, like building
c>,nA,ttnn
"Like the baseless fubrc Of dream -
falls to the ground.
In regard to the fest oath laws for
voters and officers, wc Gun not zee but
that tho sauo principle is Involved 10
each and they have been 10 existence
long enough on the statute books Of the
State and Nation, to have tho question OIL
their constitutionulity set at rest
BY decision . 10 the courts, und
then tho matter would not rest upon
tho interested declarations and assump.
tons of rebels and their sympathizcrS
or the hired opinions Of learned lawyers
pleading their cause before tho loya'
voters Of tho State, who are now flooding
the State with this kind Of literature to
deceive you. If they urc so con
6deut that these laws ore uucoustitu
tional, why do not those who arc Sc
much interested in demonstrating that
proposition, have that matter decided be-
fore tho legal Tribunals Of tho country,
instead oftryins to humtus the people
who arc not supposcd..to DO learned in
loyal loro. by their sophistry? The
truth lie apparent to every rejecting
mind that Col. Smith, Daniel Lamb, unt
other great lights in tho ncw'fangled
political party called conservative
would rather submit this question in con
uection With an appeal to prejudice ano
false issues, to the people, than to lay
",he law and tho testimony" before th.
courts Of tho State. On the side of the
loyal people Of tho State We are not LEFT
liz. grope ops vay.in'tbo dark on this
Subject. Maryland has enacted disabling
laws against traitors and their aidcrs
o..
apd ubcttors, and those laws and constI'
tutional provisions have been decided
valid by tho supreme court Of that State
and i. is porhops knowledge Of that
fact that has deferred these would DC
expoundors Of constitutional law from
submitting this question 10 tho courts Of
West Virginia. "
We hope the loyal people will remcm
Der the zeal aud earuestness with which
many learned lawyers deceived many
we'll. meaning men into the support Of
the ordinance Of secession, aud low the
stigma Of disloya'ty still attaches to
them for this great mistake Of thei'
lives, and avoid the maelstrom that ueu
interested 10 building up new party in
the State aso beckoning them to, which
will swallow up the vital interests of the
loyal people Of this Stato.