Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-10-08


tutIonal Limitation to usurpatiOn, by disiran-
chising ultimately all who do not act and vote
with them.
The exclusion from representation of the
so-calIed seeded States was a mere opening
wedge to this policy, for already an inquiry
is instituted whether Delaware, Kentucky
and Maryland have Republican governments
Ohio next winter will be included in the same
category, if at the next October election she
rejects the negro suffrage constitutional amend
ment proposed by the Radicals, and finally
every voter will be disfranchied, necessary to
maintain Congressional party asce.dency
without regard TO State lines North or South
1t is strange the mass of the people in the
blindness OF party zeal cannot see TO what this
tends-the denial of all freedom in political
action, the total destruction of Republican
institutions, and the subjection of all our
rights aud liberties to the arbitrary will of
Congressional majority who advocate as loy>
atty "0'o what they denounced as treason
through the war.
a striking illustration of this moral oh,
lIqGIty recently came within my observation
IN West Virginia, where the dominant party
has passed registration law which places the
control Of the elective franchise entirely in
the hands of Boards Of Registration appointed
by the Governor in each county, who can on
the pretext Of disloyulty reject any voter they
please.
The test made procticady is not what the
cIcctor has been during the War, but will
he support our party ticket. Under this test
at the registration last spring in Harper's
Ferry. Jefferson county, S. V. Yantis, Esq,
consistent Union man from the start through
the War; an active supporter of the formation
OF the State Of West Virginia, former men,
+ tnr | Il, a..
wiser of the military during the occupancy of
the town, aud a business agent of Judge n.
ii. Swaync, Of the Supreme Court of the Uni>
ted States, was eXclu ed from registering as
a voter. because he would not 20 with the
Governor Foreman faction and was opposed
to negro suffrage; while one Rcinhart a Ma
Jor In the rebel service. was permitted to vote,
because, as one of the Radical leaders ex-
pressed 1t, che is now right on our ticket"
This, too, in State where the registration
oath enacted by the Legislature in February,
1866 provides that the voter shall swear not
only TO support the Government of West Vir-
gina but the reOrgan;zed Government OF the
State of Virginia, on the Leyul recognition of
which the very existence of the new State
depends. as only 10y the consent of the Gov>
ernment Of Virginia, could the State have
been divided, and that is acknowledged in the
enacted the registration oath, now Join with
Congress in denying that there was any lcgoI
Government in the State Of Virginia, in VIC,
latIou Of their own test oath. Oh LOYALTY.
how many crimes and perjuries are commit
ted in thy name
Another illustration of loyal consistency Is
afforded i'll the denunciation of President
johnson for adhering to the Lincoln policy
OF reconstruction and refusing a change Of
base at the djctation of leaders. The reor
ganIZed Government of Louisiana was gotten
up through the agency of General Bauks-
Wells was elected Lieutenant Governor and
afterwards became Governor lie had been
Union planter in Rapides parish. a jealous
emancIpatIonlSt refugee, who had lost his
property for his adhesion to the Union, ercn
Negro Suttrageitc, and yet he is di<IoyuE
now Tor Radlcal purposes, and General Sher-
ldan superccdes him by Flanders, one Of
Chase's shoddy treasury agents, notorious
chiefly for doubtful cotton operations during
the war, aud his defeat as the anti Lincoln
Chase candidate for Governor during the mil
ltary occupation Of New Orleans The fact
Is that the fight inaugurated is Il revival of
the old fcud between the coutcnding factions
OF the LnlonIsts. one OF whom is using Sher>
LOAN to enable 1t to control the disbursement
OF $1,000 OOOO-a levce fund Sheridan's
mixing himself in such quarrel, which has
nothing to do, even with military reconstruct
tion, is prima lacie proof Of a mere will to ex
ercise 0"b'I"IW power, because he could. as
was once evidenced by his hanging up a ne
gro barber all day in tree near his head
quarters at Winchester, because he did not
Immediately drop the shaving of volunteer
officers with whom he was occupied to accom-.
modate his little highncss' by coming forth
with to his quarters.
The registration now going on at the South
develops Iurther the settled purpose Of the
Jacobin faction to hold office at all hazards.
else how is it to be explained that Louisiana
with population by the census Of 1860 of
100000 negroes. 357 COO whites. registers
$4,000 black to $4,000 white voters. unless
on the same honest principle by which Wash
In@'on City. with a population OF 10000 re-
@roes. and 100000 whites. registers nearly
an cq"W number of white and black voters.
y more stupcndOus system Of fiauGulcntlv
depriving the people OF the trkolc country OF
the future political control of their own GOV
ernment was never devised. The attack is
made on the very foundation of our political
system by turning over the ballot-box to be
manipulated and made to return trhuterer
military satraps backed by corrupt politicians
may desire. DO the people look to the estab-
lShm"nt OF negro supremacy in half dozen
States by the bayouct, and the practical ex-
clusion of white immigration thercfrom as the
chief resuI, Of the war for the Union? Are
New Orleans. Richmond, Charleston. and the
chief marts of commerce of the great staples
OF the country to cease to he controlled by
the energetic and intelligent white race. to
be ? plundercd by needy adventures playing
on the ignorance of the former slaves p
Great political capital was made on the cry
that 100000 shareholders held the balance
OF power in the Government How will it
be helped by establishing an oligarchy of a
few self styled white loyalists to enter the
political market with $4,000 negro votes g?