Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-03-28
The Deserters' Candidate for Governor.

The DeSerters' Candidate for Governor.
There are many strange things trans
piring nowadays, giving room for special
wonder, and among these may be cIassed
The deliberate act of Hester CIymer and
eleven OF his cOpperhead friends in the
Senate Of Pennsylvania, in entering
protest against an act 10 deprive de-
serters Of the right OF voting. 4
few years ago these same men and their
friends decided that soldiers could not
vote in the army; the republican Union
men Immediately passed an act amending
the constitution allowing soldiers to vote
which was bitterly opposed by the Brown
township democracy here and elsewhere.
Next Congress passed an act disfranchis-
ing desertcrs, and then these copperhead
gentlemen declared that Congress had no
such power, as States only could regulate
the elective franchise Taking them at
their word, the Judiciary Committee of
The Pennsylvania Senate reported bill
carrying out the act of Congress 50 fairly.
that il is difficult 10 imagine with what
reason any one could object to it. In
proof of this We annex two of its sec
tons:
See. 6. That Il certified copy or extract
OF amy such record, tOtiicial list of desert
cre, rom the clerk of court of quarter
sessions OF this Commonwealth, shall be
prima f;tcia evidence, before any election
board, OF the fact Of desertiOn and conse-
4uent disability and disqualification as an
,iector: Pr0Ujdcd, That if any person
shall WlliulIy Use or present any false.
ifauduicnt or forged paper, purpOrtiHg to-
he cerulled copy or extract aS aforesaid.
hcshall bc deemed guilty OF a misdemean-
or, and, Oh conviction thereof shall he
punished as misdemcanOrs are now Inv
iuW punishable: Ind prGrjdod, hOlccreE.
That if, by the production Of a certificate
OF MS honorable discharge, it shall appear
That such person, SO offering to vote. was
III the military service OF the United
states before and at the time OF his beinp
drafted into such service, and thereupo6
falling 10 report, or III case Of the fact of
GeS@rtiOn appearing by certified cODy Of
liis company roll, if it shall appear that
ne was afterwards acquitted thereof and
honorably discharged, such proof shall be
EeceIFtd as evidence TO disproVe his said
disqualification: ind prOriTcd fiirther.
mat If any person liable to be objected to
NlN ittStllttCtA a. iIOIc>diN SIdll produce
before amy board of election officers. any
false or fraudulent paper purporting or
pretending to be his honorable discharge
lr0m the United States service. he shall
he deemed guilty Of a forgery. and on con-
NictioR thereof, shall be punished as ner-
SONS are now 10y law punishable for forge
Ty.
See. :. That it shall be the duty of the
Judges and inspectors of elections hereaf
ter to be held in this Commonwealth
whenever the name of any person offer,
ing 10 them a ballot or ballots, shall be
found upon Il certified copy, or extract
furnished from said rolls, or records. by n
clerk Of Il court Of quarter sessions, mark
co as Il dcscrter, or whenever any person
shall be objected to rs disqualified. as
aforesaid, at any election, by any qualified
voter, at the request or suggestion of such
person, 50 Offering a ballot, to examine
such person, on oath or affirmation, as to
thc fact appearing from such certificate
or alleged against him by the elector so
nplectIng, and if he deny it, as to his rea-
sons thereof: Pr0Uided, h0lOeCcT, That if
amy oi his answers under such eXamina-
ton are false, such person shall be deem
cd guilty of the crime of perjury, and
up0n conviction thereof, he shal! be pun
ishcd us persons are now punishable by
law, Tor PERJURY.
1t will here bic seen that the list is an
official one--but TO guard against errors
ind consequent injustice the election