Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-04-19

be deemed the most honorable as it is
the most responsible duty Of citizen
It should be so esteemed because upon
that duty faithfully and UatriOticalIy |
discharged, rest the welfare Of our
government and the security of our
liberties, But how can this be the
case if persons who have fought IN
open war to overthrow our eonstitu-
tion and laws aud bring devastation
and ruin to our fresides, or those who
have committed a worse treason by re-
fusing to fight for our institutions and
have basely deserted our flag on the
battle field OF more basely deserted 1t
Al home-if such, guilty of these in
famous crimes. are permitted to put
the same amount Of iuHnenee in the
ballot-box as those who have done aud
suffered most to preserve it the free
mems heritage? To permit such
thing viii degrade the duty and dis
parsge the responsibility of the fran
ohise, and make It a thing common and
uncIean. To prohibit it will be max
ing the privilege of voting. as It ought
to be, an honorable right which COW
ardiee and treason may no less forfeit
than honor and patriotism may de-
serve. The proper eh1llenge is not 'are
you black OF white, brown or yellow,
but hare you been trale to The flag p
To establish this restriction of the
franchise is no less an act of propriety
and justice than it is to abolish that
one which deprives men Of it simply
on account of their color. In case Of
future rebellion it will be worth
something to the country for every
citizen to know that to fight In rebel
armies, or resist CONSUMPTION or sneak
to Canada viii work forfeiture Of
political rights, and that faithfulness
to the flag. By whatever race, will not
be politically ostracised after the strug-
gle is over. It is simply just that men
who will not help to defend the gov
ernment when IT is in peril should be
deprived of the political privileges it
lconfers. 1t is enough that individu-
ais mot men) who sneaked from their
country, leaving their families, homes
and property for others to protect and
defend, should be permitted to come
back and enjoy them after the danger
/ is past. 1t is jus t and reasonable too
that towards who, in time Of bostili-
ties, left the ranks and went to the en-
emy OF to their homes should suffer an
equal penalty and disgrace.
These classes, and these only, are
disfranchised by the amendment It's
disqualifying clause applies first to
such persons as have borne arms in
support of any instruction or rebel
lion against the government of the
United States; 2, to such as have
lied from their places of residence to
avoid being drafted into the military
service" 3, to such as have deserted
the military or naval service of said
Government IN time Of a0ar and have
not subsequently been honoTably dis
charged from the same From this
lastGlause good soldiers have nothing
to fear, even though they may have,
at some time or other, with inuo-
cent intentions abseuted themselves
without leave The desertion must
have occurred in time of AGAR,
that is, in time Of actual hostilities.-
Secondly, It must be such as can be
proven by official records, for DO Judge
Of election would dare reject a vote
challenged on account Of charge OF
desertion based upon mere hearsay ev-
| idence. Nor would mere allegation
of desertion, written on the rolls OF
the regiment or the records Of the Ad-
jutant General, be sufficient to disfrau-
chise In Pennsylvania, where there
is law of this kind, it has been de-
eided by the Supreme Court that the
deserter must have been tried aud con-
victed of his Offense before a military
or civil court, and evidence of such
trial and conviction must be produced
But even if evidence from the Adju-
tant Generals records was sufficient,
those records show that subsequent to
April l, 1865, there we're only 1868
deserters among Ohio soldiers. OF
these a large proportion we're doubt
less afterwards cleared Of the charge
of desertion.
Those who manage the Democratic
press would have been less prone to
make a scareerow out of this deserter
clause if they had been more familiar
with army affairs.