The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-03-28
,aares. by the Board of Regisira,ion'
Wheeling, March %.

We publish tins morning '"0 "
dress of the Board of Registration lor
Ohio County to the people of the county,
and invite for it careful perusal. 1t sets
forth very clearly the qualifications OF
those who are to be permitted to vote
and is very commeudable in that 1t
shows to the people just what they may
expect from the operation OF the regis
tration act. The test oath will not be
required of any except those whom tie
Registrars may suspect of disloyalty,
and we are fully confident that, even If
it were exacted in all cases, it would not,
if properly construed, distranchise more
than fifty men in Ohio county. All who
voted in the election last fall can vote i'll
the election to be held in May There is
nothing in the Constitution or the law,
as understood by the Board of Registra
ton itself, that can deprive any citizen
who could vote last fall of his right 10
vote now.
We therefore urge upon our readers
again the dnty of registration, 1t mast
not be neglected. AS soon as the oppor-
tunity presents itself every conSerVa'
tive man in this county and IN the
State ut large should have his name reg
istered rs voter. We know very well
how distasteGul aud repulsivc 1t Is 10
men who have been voters during many
of the best years of the Republic and
whose rioht to vote has never heeeM C,,ii,.,i-
lenged, to submit uGW)to an ahridGe-
ment Of their rights and exposes them
selves 10 20 the necessity Of taking an I'M
constitutional oath in order To exercise
the privileges Of citizenship. But men
who really love their country and ITS TT
publican institutions will not sniiei
their pride to cause their virtual DIS
reimbursement. The snrest, SpeedIeSt
and best means of getting rid OF these
odious cnactments and restoring to the
people of the State the full enjoyment
of all their constitutional rights is found
in compliance with the provisions OF
the registration act.
The act is odious and oppressive, at
best, but we are inclined to thiah that
at least in Ohio county lis execution
viii not he neediesely offensive. The
address OF the Board Of Regstlationpnts
the matter very fairly, aud, if the act Is
10 be enforced ut all, we do not see how
the Board can take more liberal view
of its provisions than they have pun.
lshed. We hope it will be met lay the
people with proper spirit, and that not 4
single man who is opposed 10 ladl'aIhm
and who can take the test oath viii omit
To have bis name recorded before ihr
tenth of May.
We fear that the various Boards of
Registration throughout the State will
not pursue as liberal 4 course towards
the voters as has been indicated hy the
Board in this county. We suggest,
therefore. to our brethren of the West
Virginia press the publication of this
address as a kind of model or guide for
the Boards in other counties The adj
dress has probably been prepared with
the sanction of the Governor, and may
fairly be taken rs an expression oil the
manner in which hc wishes The registra
ton act carried into effect. Of course
its operation should he uniform through
out the State, and some plan should be
adopted by the ymions Boards which
will prevent the dslrauchisement in any
county of I man who, if resident in
another county, would be permitted to
vote.