The evening Argus., 1867-06-26


ceedings, which are pnblished by permission
of the proper authority:
1NcABIsEr, JUNE Is, 1867. -
Present The President.
The Secretary Of State.
~ The Secretary of the Treasury.
~ The Secretary of War. { fsl II
The Secretary of the Navy.
- The Postmaster General.
a. The Attorney General.
The Acting Secretary of Interior.
The President announced that he had un-
der consideration the two opinions from the
Attorney General as to the legal questions
arising upon the acts Of congress commonly
known Is the Reconstruction acts,a and
that in view of the great magnitude of the
subject, and of the various interests involved
he deemed it proper to have it considered
fully in cabinet, and to avail himself of all
the light which could be afforded by the
opinions and advice of the members of the
cabinet, to enable him to see that these laws
be faithfully executed, and to decide what
orders and instructions are necessary and
expedient to be given to the military COM
manders.
Thef President said, further, that the
branch of the subject that seemed to him
first in order for consideration was as to the
instructions to be sent to the military COM
manders for their guidance, and for the
guidance of persons offering for registration.
The instructions proposed by the attorney
general, set forth in the summary contained
| in his last opinion, will therefore be now
considered.
The summary was then read at length.
| The reading of the summary having been
l alr In
| cred and discussed, ,sand voted upon as fol-
| lows: ss
1. The oath prescribed in the supplemental
act defines all the qualifications required, and ey-
cry person who can take that oath is entitled to
| have his name entered upon the list of voters.
All voted aye, except the secretary of war,
who voted nay.
2. The board of registration have no authori-
ty to administer any other oath to the person ap-
plying for registration than this prescribed oath
| nor to administer any oath to any other person
| touching the qualifications of the applicant, or
| the falsty of the oath so taken by him. Ne pro-
| vision is made for challenging the qualifications
of the applicant, or entering upon any tria. or in
| vestigation of his qualifications, either by wit
nesses or any other form of proof.
All voted aye, except the secretary of war
who voted nay.
g. As to citizenship a nd dresidence-The applicant
for registration must be citizen of the state and
| of the United States, and must be a resident of
eounty or parish included in the election district
He may be registered if he has been such either
| for period less than twelve months at the tims
he applies for registration, but he cannot vote a
any election unless his citizenship has then exten
ded to the full term of one year. As to such
person the exact; ;length of his citizenship should
| be noted opposite his name on the list, so that il
may appear on the day of election, upon referene,
to the list, whether the full term has then been ac
complished.
Concurred in unanimously.
| 4. An unnaturalized person cannot take this
| oath, but alien who has been naturalizee
can take it, and other proof of naturalization
| can be required from him. -.-..-
All voted..aye except the the Secretary o
| War, who votes nay.
). No one who is not twenty -one years of age
at the time of registration can take the oath, fo
he must swear that he has then attained tina
age.
| Concurred In unanimously.
6. No one who has been disfranchised for par
| ticipatiOn in any rebellion against the United
States, or for felony committed against the laws o
| any state of the United States, can take thi
OATH The actual participation in rebellion o
the actual commission of felony, does no
amount to disfranchisment The sort. of disfran
chisment here meant is that which is declared b,
been fixed upon the criminal by the sentence o
the court which tried him for the crime. No Law
of the United States has declared the penalty o
disfranchisement for participation in rebellion
alone. Nor is it known that any such law exist
in either of these ten states, except perhaps Fir
ginia, as to which state special instructions vii
be given.
! All vote aye except the Secretary of War
who dissents as to the second and third par
agraphs.
z. Asto disfranchisement arising from harm
held office, folioued by participation rebellion
| This is the most important part of the oath, an
requires attention to arrive at its meaning. Tb
| applicant must swear affirm follows: "Tha
| have never been q member of any state Legisa
ture, nor held any executive or judicial Office il
| any state, and afterwards engaged in an insurrec
| ton or rebellion against the United States, o
| given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof; tina
have never taken an oath member of con
gress of the United States, an officer of tn
| United States, OF as member of any state legisla
ture, or as an executive or judicial officer of an
state, to support the Constitution of the Unite
States, and afterwards engaged in insurrection 0
rebellion against the United States, or given al
| or comfort to the enemies thereof" Two element
must concur in order to disqualify person un
der these: First. The Office and official oath :
support the Constitution of the United States
Second. Engaging afterwards in rebellion. Bot
must exist to work disqualification, and must hap
pen in the order of time mentioned. A perso
| who has held an Office and taken the cath to sup
port the federal constitution and hasnot afterward
engaged in rebellion, is not disqualified. So, tos
. | person who has engaged in rebellion, but ha
not Heretofore held and taken that oath, is nc
disqualified.
, All voted aye except the Secretary of Wa,
: who voted nay.
. / s. Officers of the United States-As to thes
the language is without limitation. The perso
! who has at any time prior to the rebellion hel
= any Office, civil military, under the Unite
States, and has taken I'm official oath to suppo
| the constitution of the United States, is subje
/ to disqualification.
: Concurred in unanimously.
i 9. Militia o6icera of any state. prior to the r
a bellion, are not subj ect to disqualification.
!. All vote age except the Secretary Of Wa
), who votes nay.
TO- Municipal officers, that is to say, officers
u incorporated cities, towns, and villages, such
e mayors, aldermen, town council, police, and 9th
, city or town officers, not subject to disquali
cation.
Concurred in unanimously.
. IL. Persons who have, prior to the rebellio
or members of q state legislature, are subject
disqualification but those who have been men
J. bers of conventions framing or amending Il
. constitution of state, prior to the rebellion a
not subject to disqualification.
Concurred in unanimously.
IL. All the executive or judicial officers of ar