The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-28
MeggRssEAs Meggs!As GAEAEaaIys A! % ggIAssDERR Us
Q p I N TO N !.
ON THE ~:
4 IlRlfeq!constraeti6nl Il Laws.
|gAyllslll 4. yAll

| WASHINGTON, May 25.-Tho Attorney Qencra
has prepared the following opinion upon the
clauses OF tho Reconstruction Act with reference
to voting and holding Office. Tho provisions roa-
1.-Two to tho powors and dutios of tho commanding
oilcors otc, will be considered In future opinion
| ATTORNEY GENEnALs OFFICE,
| The President: :,
questions arising under Act Mnroh q. 1867 elitlod
an Act to provide for the moro efficient government
Of robel Statcs, and Act Of March Esd, 1867 ch;
| titled AN Act supplementary to an Act cnti.
government Of the. .roboI statos," upon which auCs.
sss 'ss %s IN yos1 Ehs a
| structionB.
The first and most important OF those questions
who arc disqualified from voting at elections bM
yidcd for or coming within purvow OF those scts 2"
ssos5 sHSaS i sha e Be sssa Husa
ygga Ra :3Ss ~; "
Tor an election to be hold for the ratification Or tho
Constitution That may bo framed by sucli Con-
+ Tint cseetidh provides that delegates TO such
| convention slgll bo oocted by maIo citizets OF
said State. twenty one; ;yeatn Old aad rupWard Of
e 81 osssS
Y sOF BsStspsPs r.
qualifications SO required for the election OF delo-
Setos shaEslso ha rcauiren upon Geotionfo rati-
@ 16 S p1sssa SRoa
5R1 5 GfS atos Gs s. t
Congress; and known rs article fourteenth. i
Iha sIth SECTION proceeds, that until people d
any S1f goSefadSts EhioH may n s4iSs tseren ta,sn
ssa ns sSsos S1y sSa q
United satOs, at any time to abolish, modify, cort
TO- on h te hsupeIgodo ting aame and in alolcbtone
TO any Office under ,Is such Provisional
sHteS SSo 90 andsf pss aSas
tho 18th section Of this act and p9 pcrso1 shall
governPents WHO would be disqualified from hold
Seo q saa third S
& sHS haa sS Saoun Ct S
SSsStee S ho sns &
that no qualification, Is declared for deogSto 10
,o:bo sleetodi hut Jby sixth section ssmo Gasiica.
tons rs to voter arc required in all oiections to
s 8sfS 6aBSs asd ss q 5Ss SsH
Ssssss
"the commanding general in each district shall
cause registration 10 be mada OF male pfizbna OF
tho United States twenty-ono yeara OF ago and hIi{
Of States hel Ct P%hes
lion shnll include bhy those PERSONS tsh6 e6un-
sa % oss1s SsiS s0i s as
sas SIT
R4n asa1 e as niss iSoa He Ruat
ressd Ess Hns sss b i s5SR t hs sq ss
ssaRs Gss d yeSa eGa6 b aos Rsa e y
sseo4a fiat he tdsntssGa1Ssa ycafs Eld 6ld 100 ::
a1 my hss afa
sRs ssei Rst ls sas
s aS ass aeEsI Hesa
Sasial 9ss Y DnY ssS END sp S
sstss s. sesa I aS S'fsS q sSRisS eSe&ss
nsss s aAst q b. he SS ssSsa a 6
sfsE g tR Sss sS &c ss
Unitod states, and afterwards. engasSg In fnsurs
rection or rebellion against the United statba, OF
sixth. That he vii faithfully ] support sHe tSS
l:Ht'tdton and obey the laws OF the Uhited States
SaS will to to tho boat 81 his ability
Second section Of this aot provides that after the
aft .at 9aast tbist!s aays nabiIo nStios I IL tho tho
assgsss gssssS's8 sas hsa
S E The number Of ds!egssss 60 ee.s
sentation in tho ratio Of the registered yoters IL.
a RfssTssa sas sS g the no fSsn sT
against convention. Tho fourth section provides
for an election to ratify tho constitution that may
o ths Is sas xoC
The sixth section provides that oil elections ip
theT strtes mentioned in said original aet shall
81 SsGa ssSh ss e and and
conducting said election shall before emf tering
NH; t1a6
'An act 10 prescribe IN oath Of Office" w.
The first consideration which requires my atteh-
ton upon tho question as to-. .ui6. right to vcta
ariao upon the regulation Of voters; question OF
qualification or disquali HIad ny fegiss
No S shss bad
sss sahaafsa .aS ssE sTss 20
on iuSH ti ts: Rtesss ssGsaas %s1
be be- completed before the first day OF septo omber,
tration cannot BIO extended beyond that fIedt timo,
but after that tho duties which rem ain to be per.
formed by the officers composing this boatd arc
psasSs a HEas aa sS ssnsSdns
general This brings de TO tho direct question who
fass e & g 1ss SSs
fRs 5G afisSRs & sef gssf fss
on. Persa x s oaeaf ass zsEpSsts
voto ts entitled ~ reRtstyetton5 although ~te hts
not at that tinlo bcen resideft OF tho iSaEo fer
o full year. For we find that In the supple
mantal pot that the oath TO ,r9sidsnpe does not
IeoY|tp 4hs epglisa9ts eyesL that .hq hss boon q
tho number OF months Of bis residence contour
Plating period lSse @ thsn as ;Ye!l IS fqll tetm Of
fsstsSBSa@ e sBs @ ez%s psSsaS
counting from the day Of election, doe9 NOT cover
an ansfre yeai:tHe oanpotsota ct e1irh etaon, for
this supplemental not does not, as TO reaidenco;
change tho regiaionsof tho original a9t, 10 Il
eIpreshfy provided by IT, as to regulation, that u
BY the 5gbsI IT. carry % ont tEe pspcsds S sc
e Ss e AS Ssbs RS'1a
| the person whose rogidence has not o1tonded TO
ths iull term tfoezacttimo Of histesa4ne9 ns y
Tho qualification stated In the asgisl aot q
citizenship Of State, but by the irstolsuse OF the
frat section in the Supplemental ACT, The yegis-
trnlon Ia TO- DO gaao iInala citEbns pf the Unit
ed States, and as to onth tho applicant Ia only M
6 Of opinion that the phrase Citizen Of tho State
,sa used i95.ho pssh, u intsnded to iasudS only
and citizens 9f tho State, and tkqt an nlion who
thhsInot !ont half9 citizen ofthb Unitet State,
Court cannot safely take the oath-but es the
minister the present oath, they cannot require
any further oath or proof as to otizenship; and !
an alien, Who is not mado citigen o. tho United
states takes the PAIL lo takes y fthS peril, and