The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-03-05

day OF April 70 tne IouEAH AhuASA"y VI
May. This rendered 1t practicable and
proper TO extend the time for the COM
pletion OF the first registration and an
net supplemental to the registry law
was accordingly passed, extending the
time for the completion of the first re-
gistration to the tenth of May.
We learn that Boards OF Registration
have already been appointed for nearly
all the counties; and the blanks neces-
sary for the registrars will be forward
ed 10 the several county boards during
the coming week, so that the work will
proceed promptly and vigorously.
The Registry LaW---who It Restricts
and who it Does Not.
Nobetter evidence could be furnished
or desired OF the necessity for the regis
try law, or OF its efficiency, than the
furious denunciation 1t receives at the
hands ofthe copperheads. Nothing has
happened since the surrender Of Lee to
I'LL them with such rage and dismay.
The law of February 18th, imposingthe
test oath on challenged voters was just
as obnoxious so far as its object went;
but they feared it less because they
knew It could not be carried out effi-
GENTLY. But the registration law al
lows no lodging. Whether a man Is
entitled 10 vote is TO be settled before he
comes TO the polls, and no one can vote
unless 1t is SO settled.
The effect of the registration is simply
TO enforce the law OF February 25th,
1885. 1t imposes no disability which
the oath prescribed by that law did not
impose. 1t is in fact not so broad in its
provisions; because while the voters
oath required the challenged party TO
swenr TINT he had "nepcy voluntarily
borne arms against the United States"
&C., the oath to be administered by the
registrar conforms to the proposed
amendment to the Constitution, and is
that the party has not, "siIlce The lSt day
of Janc, 1861, voluntarily borne arms,
&c.
Let us, as we go along, understand
terms. We have spoken of these oaths
MS simposing" disabilities. The phrase
is not quite accurate. They do not linz
pose disabilities, but simply discover
them where they exist. II man has
not been guilty of treason, tho test oath
does not create such guilt. tits simply
the tonchstone TO find out If no
has committed the crime, and it allows
him to swear in his own behalf, and ac-
cepts his oath as evidence of his limo
cence.
Nobody will undertake to denonnce
ns either unjust or unconstitutional
the simple registry of voters, per Sc.
Such system is expressly authorized
by our constitution; and n sort of reg
istry existed under the old State us far
hack as We can remember. A registry
of voters is at all times a judicious
measure; because it removes all ques-
uons OF disability, whether on account
OF age, residence, pauperism or crime
from the polls, and determines them at
another time and place, SO that there is
nothing on election day that need delay
the polling OF votes or tend to stir up
violence. In the present state of things
a registry would be more beneficial
aud necessary than 1t ever would have
been before, even II It were not neces-
snry TO guard the polls against persons
disIoyal TO the United States and minis
cal to the state. These are the only
persons Disseminated against by the
present registry law; and this discrimi-
natron is made only because their past
conduct has been such as to justify the
community in protecting itself against
them In future until such time as their
conduct gives assurance that such pro-
lection will be no longer needed. The
only feature OF the registry law open to
the objection even of this class is the
test oath it prescribes. That test oath
pinches no one IL he has not been a
voluntary traitor to his Government.
1.-The has been and is sincerely repentant,
he will not be urgent of his claim TO
equal participation in political privi-
lcges. We venture nothing in asserting
that there Is not one sincerely honest
and repentant rebel in the State land
every such one has our sincerest SYM
pathy in his unfortunate position) who
does not confess that the loyal people
do right in denying him a renewal OF
his forfeited right to vote, while his
class maintain the hostile attitude
shown by them in the last falls cleo
tions and still manifested through their
mouthpieces, the copperhead newspa-
pers aud politicians OF the State. We
believe there are few who participated
in tho rebellion that are now honestly
loyal; but the number is very small,
and includes mono who went away as
leaders. To these loyal few we would
gladly conecde every privilege of the
fullest citizenship, IL 1t could be done
without Comforting power on their yet
disloyal and disaffeCted confederates to
injure IL not destroy the society and
government of the loyal people. Be-
tween these two classes 1t is not practi-
cable 20 distinguish in the matter of the
franchise, and tho few deserving must
suffer with the many undcserying
We naturally expect those who vol
UNFAIRLY assisted the rebellion. and
others who gave them moral support,
to denounce this law; though we might
hope that even they would not be en-
tirely devoid of modesty, consider
ing the relation they now sustain
80 soriety. but we are hardly pre-