The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-05-16
Tho Right Of Suffrage for the Htato'
to Regulate. S.Ssl-Eti-..- :

Tho right Of sufrsgs, % ..o,iIiaslly
contonp plated BY The ftamsrs sk-its 4Sd.i
sral Constitution, was LEFT TO the etitsiz
to regulate. Thi, right has heretofore,
aimee the adoption Of our constitutions 70 !
tho present time. been assumed BY: thss
States, and cheerfully aequieseed ia,by..5
the General Government. Relyiag upon
this indisputable State prerogatiys,s the:
loyal people ofWest Yiieinia detstniS.:.
ed to requisite tho right Of, Sudrage;Sisd
10 say who shall aud who shalt not b
votors 10 tho State they decllre il % !
their policy to limitt6sIfEA EAt-uf suurSgo
TO those frienaly to the existence Of tho
body ,polisio from which hith.tsightis de-
rived, and to exclude and deAr.sH ,otk:!
srs from political powes. 1n5 assaNings
this position, after consulting the. sxps.SI
riencs snd intelligence Of their own
State, they turn for additional light to
The tried and loyal States Of Marylsnd AAd
Missouri, which hsvo adopted 10 tksir /.
organic laws the ssms emcisut protective
measure. The loysl. people Of those
States have been plsced under similsr
circumstances With the loyal pscple'ef
West Virgini,-they have hsd mixed
population Of loyal and disloyal. Of pst.'
riots asd traitors; so With West Virgins. (
Aftsr four years vrsugiiuS With rebels.
the loyal have at last found It necessary
to disf,spchiss then, and: deprive them
Of oil political, power, .sud in Missouri
the disability extends even to civil rights.
These lights around as, our loyal people
are ready to cossult and 6ud 10 them T.
lesson taught is keeping With their own
experience. ThscpIiuOipls Of disftsn.
chising rebels hai boon fully tested BY
.hs Aighe,t tribunals in Maryland and
Mi,souri-in tho former State, on the
Registry Law, and the latter on the Min
iI.Srs Oath, 10 each case sustaining tho
great fundamental principle that the
loyal and those friendly to tho State shall
have tho right Of running its.polkioaI
machinery. ,...;..,F
The {" odiouspen Of our test oith" 10
dwslt upon BY tho disloysl and,rebsls in
our midst, 10 the most. glowing terms,
and characterized with the most oppro.
brious spishets. They. al agree that
they should not be permitted 70 h2sdF
Office, bat should be- allowed the,sSSof.
the ballot. For our plrt this mere
petitio principii,. and .t eoncsdes
The whole question, tQscl laIS % equally
retroactive, rstI9l ttise; sad e1 post
facto - Eieh slSsa1suin\ Of the right
to bsldTon Sia ibs s',ight, ls:vots;AAud-
our oGltIS oath kas tssn fully sosssia.
sdsIy our Ssprsne Court Of Appe.ig.
6thout . di'sensloH opinion. which oct.
Hes the question fully % to, these o6jec.
tiopS. The test osth can not iu our
State be odious, becsuse it makes man
. judge 10 his oWn case, and eertainly
no man can complsin Of tho decision Of
4 question whea hs is called upon him.
self to render it. y; .,.a5
Why brand it a, 90 odious, Infamous
l.w, which requires mon. to oriminats.
Themselves. If they have committed 800 !;
crins"-if treason is to DO rsndefpd
houorable7 IF they are, not ashsued Of
the part they have played iu this infs.:
NOUS rebellion, Why feel ashamed Of the
s:as facts scs or, 10 40 affidavit, aud
thea object to tie Law because it makes
thcn crimins,s thensolvss2t In5West,
Virgins, more than 10 any other STATE,
do we need tho "proscriptive amend.,
mont" because the very 10 and eziste.ee.
of the ne,o STATE depend upon e. We aIe:
assured that If tho rebels In our midst
once return to power, the whole poliiicSl.
fabric Of West Virginia will again Do;
absorbed in the Oh. Dominion. II i 9.
necessity for Us to pass this con,titu!ioni.
al amendment, and every Union nsn.
who votes against, or refuses to register
and vote, will be recresut to the highest
duty ho owes to his State. and TO The
Union. Wo hope aone of our Vulol.
friends will fail to appreciate the impef;;.
txnce Of voting for this lecessary msss.e
ars.-Berkel<y Union. :. ..z.,$'1,:;.5;i S's
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