The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-07-21
The Registry Law.

Iu0 U0Bl6bTy LAW
Almost every day we see appeals made By the
Rebel papers of our State, urging the Governor
to appoint conservative men &c. rebels to the
position Of Registers, SO that enough of the dis
loyal Of our State may be registered to carry our
fall elections for the Democracy We doubt not
that Gov. Swami would willingly appoint such
men, If he could, but, fortunately for the inter-
ests of our State, the Constitution and the Regis
try Law very plainly prescribes his duties, and
he cannot, in this matter, act with his copper
head friends without violating the oath he has
taken to support and maintain the Constitution
and the laws made Hereunder.
SECTION 4, of Article lst of the Constitution,
says -
q No person who has at any time been in arm
ed hostility to the United States or the lawful
authorities thereof, or who has been in any man
ner in the service of the so-caled g Confederate
States of America" and no person who has vol
UNFAIRLY left this State and gone within the mill
tary lines of the so-caed Confederate States
or armies, I" with the purpose of adhering to SAID
States or armies and no person who has given
any aid, comfort countenance or support to
those engaged in armed hostility to the United
the United States or unlawfully sending withn
the lines of such enemies money or goods or let
ters or information, or who has dsloyally held
communication with the enemies of the United
States, or who has advised any person TO enter
the Service of the said enemies or aided any per-
son so to enter, or who has by any open deed or
word declared his adhesion to the cause of the
enemies of the United States, or his desire for
the triumph of said enemies over the armies OF
the United States, shall ever be entitled to vote
at any election TO be held in this State, to hold
any Office of honor profit or trust under thela
of this State, unless since such unlawful acts be
shall have voluntarily entered into the military
service of the United States, and have been hon
orally discharged therefrom, or shall be on the
day OF Election actually and voluntarily in such
service, or unles he shall be restored 10 his full
rights ofcitizenship by an act Of the General As
sembly passed by vote of two-thirds OF all the
members elected to each House
SECTION /, of the Registry Law is as follows:
SECTION /. BE Il enacted, By the General Assem-
bly, of Maryland That there shall be appointed
by the Governor from among the citizens OF the
State most known for loyalty, hrmness and up
rightness, three persons from each ward in the
city of Baltimore, and for each election district
in the several counties of the State, who shall be
STYLED Officers of Registration, who shall register
the names of all free white male persons claiming
and entitled 10 the right of elective franchise re-
siding in or temporarily absent from the several
wards of the city of Baltimore aud the several
election districts in the counties in the manner
therein prescribed, and the said officers OF regis
tration shall receive for their services the sum OF
| three dollars for each and every day occupied in
discharging the duties imposed on them under
this act any two of whom shall be competent
to act and any vacancies in any board shall be
| filled by the Governor from among the citizens
of the State as hereinbefore provided All OFF,
GERS of Registration before entering upon the
discharge of their duties as such shall take the
oath prescribed in the Constitution and subscribe
the same in the Book of Registration for their re-
spective wards or election districts.
SECTION IA. BE 1t enacted, That for the purpose
Of correcting said list of qualified voters, after
the first general election held under this act by
the addition of the names of persons having
come of age, acquired legal residence, been nat
uralized or otherwise, and by striking from such
register of voters the names of persons removed
from the county or State, by death or other caus-
es of disqualification There shall be designated or
appointed by the Governor annually, one officer
of registration in like manner as hereinbefore
mentioned who shall be qualified in like manner,
and have and exercise all the powers herein con-
tered on the three original officers of registration
so far as shall be necessary for the correction of
the list of voters and books of registration rem
dered necessary by the provisions of Sections g.
and 5, of the LIST Article Of the Constitution
and the action Of the General Assembly 81
Here then, is set forth the plain duty of the
Governor and Of the Registers The Governor
is required TO appoint men of (" loydly fTmness
and nprightness, and the registers so appointed
must obey the requirements of the Constitution.
1t is not left 10 them TO decide whether they will
register applicants or not the question is not
left to their feeling in the NATTER but they must
register those who have not committed any of
the acts of hostility to the Government mention
register any whom that instrument disqualifes.
The duty of the Governor is to appoint loyal
men as registers-those registers have their du-
ties plainly prescribed by the Constitution and
Registryrijaw and it is made incumbent upon
the Judges Of Election 90 earstully to exclude from
ooting all persons disqualified BY the Coastitu-
hon Very wise has been the action of our ru-
lers in thus guarding the purity Of the ballot
box, in thus plainly setting forth the duties of
the various officers connected with the elective
franchise Possibly the Governor may be in
duced to appoint copperheads as registers, and
those registers may disregard their obligations
and open the ballot-box to rebels and their SYM
pathizers, but the judges of election have also a
duty, one which they will not hesitate, we feel
sure, in performing. e i'stfit.'l' ,a .h
The Hopelessness of the Democratic
4 ss,is.a-. Capse. aaaee e-.r
/ 3 From the beginning to the end of the war the
Democratic party has beent he refuge Of disIoy-
atty and disaffection with our cause Deserters
from the army sought its sympathetic shades
Valandigham who owes his miserable life to the
clemency of board Of western officers, who
scorned 10 soil their hands with bis wnrthlesS