Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-02-22
THE REGISTRATION LAW.


THE REGISTRATION LAW.
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND SENAToRs-The subject now
presented to the consideration of the Senate is o.
greater magnitude than any and all the measure.
which have been introduced to the Senate during
the present session 1t lies nearer the vital interest
and tranquility OF the State than any question thai
can be submitted to our consideration. The bill
which we ask the Legislature to enact does moi
conflict with any portion of the Constitution. but
has been prepared IN strict conformity with it,
person applying to be registered shah take The
oath prescribed by the Constitution; that such
oath, when taken, shall be prima focie evidence o
the right to registrationha it shall require the oath
of at least two witnesses to disqualify the applicant
(because one witness would only be Offset to the
oath of the partyG that he should have the right
being confronted with the witnesses against him
the right to have the assistance of counsel and pro.
cess for his own witnesses with the right of appeal
to the Circuit Court and the trial by jury; and that
no one shall be compelled to give evidence against
himself These provisions are in exact conformity
to the Constitution and the object of the law is to
prevent the gross maladministration of the Regis
traton law and its perversion by ignorant men and
designing and prejudiced partisans; prevent re-
currence of the papable abuses that have signazed
the conduct OF the Registration officers in various
sections of the State.
That in the consideration of the subject the follow
OF the principles of law which are to govern US a:
applicable to it, First, the Constitution of the State
being the organic law. is necessarily supreme and
Constitution or fails to carry out its provisions, il
should be repealed and new enacted in con
ormlty to that instrument. Third. that the funGa-
mental law being made by the whole people by thoir
representatives in convention, every provision made
for the protection of the rights and immunities of the
citizen must be construed most literally and in his
favor. Fourth, every law passed under tho Consti-
tuition Of penal character which is to operate as
punishment, or as imposing penalty or disability
according to the established principles of construc
uon Is to be construed strictly and in favor of the
party.
General '. then examined the Constitution and
remarked upon every specification contained in the
fourth section, and comparing them with the bill be-
fore the Senate, shew that it in perfect conso-
nance with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights
lie then spoke OF and shew to the Senate the gross
outrage that had been perpetrated by the Registra
tlon ottcerS In various sections of the State how
they wholly dlsregarded tho obligations of the law
and perverted its true object and meaning in some
instances making their decision depend upon an
answer to question for whom the applicant voted
rs candidate for Congress. prior to the year 1850
Having brought these infractons of the law to the
notice of the Senate he asked fit was not their duty
TO amend the law to prevent similar abuses at the
He referred them to the numerous acts passed BY
the Legislature at its present session. for the repeal
and amendment of laws which were foundsto be inn
perfect lie appealed to the Senators to act in this
ms they mad IN so many less important cases. First
because OF sense of their obligation to the Consti
tuition; second to the people who have asked it;
the Convention which had assembled in Baltimore
and which represented majority of the people of
the state who constitute threeftths of the tax pay
ing inhabitants. lie commended that the amen6m ent
would be popular and that no Senator could lay d
broader and better foundation of popularity than by
voting for the amended BILL that popularity would
be predlcated on justice, public duty and magma
nimity
lie told them that after taking the oath of office
they became representatives of the whole people Of
the State, each Senator representing not his parc.
uar county city, but the State and were bound tc
look TO and guard the interests of each pCrton and
the whole; that they had been passing laws to ncor-
pOrate companies in tho city of Baltimore to omen
trade and commerce with the South; that Baltimore
was inviting the South to bring her money and pro-
ducts to build the interests Of the city, that while
with one hand they were cndeaYorng TO bring back
tho commerce of the South. with the other they were
Selling by the throat every son Of Maryland who had
ever felt any sympathy for the suaerings and prya-
tons of the South lie asked if it was natural that
the South would reward those who were maltreatina
every man who had ever felt sympathy for theiT
snherngs without justitying their cause? He aske,
II they would not pass by a people who thus acted
and go to New York. where freedom of speech and
OF the press and the elective franchise undis
General v said he came fresh from the people with
a message to the Senate that the principles upon
which he was elected were repeal of the Registry
law, opposition to negro suffrage, and support Of
the Presidents policy of tho restoration of the South
to the Union. He cOngratulates himself that in the
Senator from Dorchester he would have an able ally
as he was elected essentially on the platform OF
PRINCIPLES, and he read from the Cambridge Herald
OF the LIST November, 1860, as follows
TO THE PUBLIC.
I'VE, the undersigned, unuuaIidedIv uneouivo.
caily and heartily approve of the resolutions passed
by the Union Convention on the I'd instant.
list. We endorse the Administration of President
johnson, and especially his reconstruction policy
lative to Southern States.
ID. We believe to the States belong the right Of
regulating the elective franchise within their own
sd. We are opposed to negro suffrage.
Attn. We are in favor of a Just and equitable mod
ihe"tion OF the Registry. Law law.
Candidate for Senator.
"A. j. MoBRAY,
candidate for Sheriff.
WIN. J. DoNoHo,
TH0s. LAMDIN, SR,,
SELyEsTER HoWEFH,
JAMES n. WRIGHT,
GEO. w. PHILLIPS
Candidates for County Commissioners"
lie then adverted to the policy expressed of keep
Ing the people on probation and awaiting the pro-
duction of good fruits, and remarked that the war
was over peace had been restored to the nation: the
efforts of the President used to restore union
learned for it and the interests of the nation REQUIRED
1t; that there was no room for probation, no test
no necessity an ~ results to grow out Of it. He
alton do want? They have petiii2ned BY thou
sands have appeared at your bar by their repFesen
t+t;ves and without murmur have paid three-ffths
OF the CAS- TO sustain the Government; they sit with
you n the same church; worship at the same altar
partake o. the same ehlblaS: attend the same mar
rage teasts the same funeral onseqgSs and if your
hoEss is on fire they assist to exinguish the flames
General 7, then read the preamble and resolutions
passed by the Coast tptonal Convention of 1850 with
out dissenting voice which speak of a dissolution
pG-E1e her course of obstruction 10 the execution OF
the Fugitive Slave law. and the failure of the Gen.
eral Government TO enforce its execution lie then
stated that the people had thus been trained to look
upon dissolution possible that the present parties
are composed of the clements OF thoGo parties and
having been thus taught, can it DO wondered al
in 1851, when the public agitation was intense, that
some should have oppressed sympathies and opinions
which do not now measure Ii to the modern standard
81 loyalty under the Registry law Why not give
them the privilege of the elective franciisa2 He
VINO foIgiVe2 not breaks the bridge over which nc
Our forefa&hers were called rebels because they re-
sisted the authority OF the Mother Country to impose
taxes without allowing them representation i'll Par
lament. Eox. Pitt and others were the advocates Of
the rights Of the colonsts without being called rebels
or losing their right OF suffrage. lie contended that
the Senate had right to be governed by party feel
ings he spoke of the comparatively brief existence
of parties Of the n2untain- Girondists, &c of the
French Revolution; of tne Federal, Wing and Know
Nothns parties OF our own country an OF the ollgi
mentary district
That the ascendancy of party is not to be compared
70 love OF country, constitutional liberty and public
au!y: mat we must act impartaly as our oath re-
CURES II spechcally without Partially prejudice
are the terms of the oath He referred to the decla
ration of the late Judge H.. of Delaware, that he
would rather be right than consistent and appealed
TO the Senators to aetndependent of party affiliations
or aihnties on matter of such moment. Letus not
because We have power exercise it to prejudice
the love OF power should not induce us to withhold
the rights of the people. Lord Bacon said the desire
VI poWer III excess caused the angels to fall; the de-
sire OF knowl ledge in caused man to fall; but
IN charity there is excess neither can angel or
man come in danger by it. Let US then act upon
that charity which hopetb beareth beieyeth and
endureth all things
General v. then related the occurrences of 1886
when the national electoral college could not elect
Senate Tor two months: party having e. and the
other ~: and "A being necessary to a quorum. He
spoke OF his agency to bring about compromise be-
tween the " hlg and Reform parties; of the great
agitation and excitement in the State which was on
ine verge OF civil war that when large majority Of
the people asked and demanded a change. it must be
made lie warned Senators against treating the peo.
PIE unexpectedly. and Of unheediug their clanoI
Tor redress that Acknowledgement must and would
cOme tnat 1t was revolving to suppose that ope-thrd
could hold two-thirds in political bondage He
begged senators to yield now when it could be grace
fully done.
He spoke of his humiliation last summer. when. or
the heights of Montreal he looked down on the city
If the queen, and thought that her subjects were
ireer and enjoyed more political rights than the cit
sens of his own beloved Maryland. He referred t.
the address of Napoleon to his soldiers in Egypt
looked down upon them from the height of yondel
pyramids, and looking to the walls Of the Senat,
chamber, and to its historic paintings he spoke O
the tos. prlvationS and efforts of those great anC
good men in the cause Of liberty and who seemed t
be looking down upon US, who refusing to thei
descendants that liberty they purchased dearly fol
them.
The great Napoleon said to his army in Italy. "b,
the Hberators, and not the scourge of the seOp!e'
Shall we be less magnanimous to our own peopl,
than the great chi efain to strangers Let us b,
the liberatOrs OF the people. and not their scourge
dephia in a case which involved the liberty of the
citizen declared that the habeas corpus was the ange
of safety TO the people. l invoke you Senator'S il
the name of my country and my countrymen; in thu