The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-03-22
THE NEW ERA, MARCH %. 1865

poWeFo. the party, yet IN the first intro
ductlon OF such system, some appear
ance OF fairness must be preserved. 1t
VIII not 90 to shock the public sensibili-
y 700 suddenly. 1t will not do, at first,
10 display too openly the enormities of
this system of placing the right of suf-
frage and the returns of elections under
the control of the Governor, in order to
Keep particular party in power. And,
iel'oW-cltlZens, if we exert ourselves as
inc great Interests at stake demand of
Us, there Is even an appearance Of
harness in carrying the registration act
INTO execution, we can defeat this party,
and secure harmony, good government
and free principles in our New State
At least, let us try.
The amendment proposed to the con-
stitution of our State is a, follows:
"No person who, since the first day of
June, 1861, has given or shall give vol
untarN aid or assistance to the rebellion
against the United States, shall be a citi-
zen of this State, or be allowed to vote
at any election held therein. unless he
has volunteered into the military or
naval service of the United States and
has been or shall be honorably discharg-
cd therefrom."
When the resolution proposing this
amendment was adopted at the session
commencing in January, 1865, we were
IN the midst of war, and no one could
then foresee how soon the war would
end, or what might be its results. 1t
was again adopted by the Legislature ut
its recent session, after the armies of the
rebellion had disappeared and all resist
ance to the authority of the United
States, or Of our own State, had ceased.
When you vote upon it on the 9th of
May you do 50 in time of peace. You
have no longer the preteXt that it is a
war measure-lt IS now spirit of vim
dictiveness and revenge. As it will be
presented to you on that day, it will
relate to past acts, not to the future con-
duct of the men who are to be punished.
And, like the test oaths which we have
considered, it too makes no distinction
of guilt-allows of no repentance or
hope of pardon. He who was mised or
deceived into the support of the rebel
lion by influential and artful men-who
joined the rebel cause ignorantly or
thoughtlessly, or because he lived in
community who were all doing the same
thing-is to be punished equally with
the most guilty of the conspirators. He
who would, if permitted, become again
quiet, industrious and useful citizen,
true to the Union and the State, and
and prosperity Of the country, is still to
be forever prescribed. If any one has
ever given assistance to the rebellion, no
matter how tritling, or under what cir
cumstances it may have been done, there
is no hope Of pardon for him. The Presi-
dent of the United States has granted
amnesty and pardon to these men, but
you are expected to declare that there
shall be no amnesty in West Virginia.
All alike are to be deprived of the rights
of suffrage and of citizenship, and by
making this amendment a part of your
constitution, you cut off all hope that
these rights will ever be restored to
them. DO you mean that these men
shall remain among us as outlaws for
ever-that their hands shall be against
against them? Is it thus you would
restore prosperity and good government
to the New State: Are these the coun-
sells of wise and truly loyal men, who
have the interests of West Virginia at
heart: Deprived Of civil and political
rights, and without the hope that these
rights will ever be restored under your
government, the men you have dis
franchised, and their children, will be
the enemies of you and your children
for generations to come. They will feel
towards you as the 1rishman now feels
toward England and the Polander to-
wards Russia. You will force them to
hate your name and institutions
Though they have been our enemies,
they are men, and brave men, too; and
if trampled upon, they will turn upon
the oppressor at every opportunity. Put
yourselves for a moment in their places
would you not do SO too:
There are sections of our State where
the people, owing to the locality, were
all more or less engaged in supporting
the rebellion. DO you intend to de-
populate this territory, and drive away
its inhabitants, in order that malignant
and selfish men may seize upon their
houses and farms, or purchase them for
a mere tritle: The people of a portion
of the State have had no voice in fra
ming your constitution-no vote upon
the question of its ratification. They
We're not consulted when you included
them in the State, and many of them did
not know until recently that you had
done so. They are taxed without repre-
l.,,,