The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-14
The Duty OF Registration.

A committee appointed by meeting Of tho citi-
IONS of Savannah sometime ago issued an address
TO the voters OF that city, from which We mike
tho following extract, which applicable here, as
we understand that some Young men, and perhaps
old ones too, do not intend to register. Wo ad.
vise such to read the following reasons put forward
by Tho Savannah Committee
Many Of you, wo learn, intend declining to re.
glstcr your names from impulses srringing out oi
sentiment aitI Individual pridc-impuses which VIC
appreciate and respect, but which wo think uIi-
practical and deusiyc, and calculated to distract
your attention from your obvious duties and re-
bponsibilites.
Yon shrink from what you consider persona
humiliation, in consulting to submit to tho dicta-
| ton Of thoso who nov wield tho power Of the Con-
dcspotcally. 't
Mo entreat you to discard these feelings, and to
accept onr calmer judgment and counsel in this
We agrce with you in condoming the Acis which
Congress hns passed, but wo do not acknowledge
that there is any voluntary humiliation in assert
| ing tho rights allowed 10 us by them.
Granting that the Acts under consideration arc
nnetnstitutonal, arbitrary and unjust; that they
violate established principles Of political right,
dom-yet, until repealed or annullcd by compe.
tent judicial tribunal, thoy are tho laws OF tho
iaad III which wo live. You "accept the aitua-
ton with dignity and without sacrifice Of self
respect.
The war il ovor; the issues upon which it waa
| waged 'havo been tlcoided against uH You have
done your. duty i'll that contest, but another duty
still dayolves upon you. Tho question now is
how to restore our State to q peaceful position o.
prosperity and OF political freedom. TO this end
her sons. Tho only way IN which you can rendc,
that aid is by qualifying yourselves, TO- bo voteri
nt tho coming election. You can do that only by
rogistering yonr namos under tho provisions o
tho military acts. In no othor way can you rs
sumo your true positions and grasp once more thl
power Which is your birth;right. ,a.
II you hold back now anu refuse to register, con
Bider what may bo the consequences OF your inae
tion, and tho responsibilities TINT will rost upoI
YOU.
A very few rotes mHy decide tho preponderanc
of power at tie no1t election. What fearful con
tingencies nro iGyolyed in that simple sugseH
tion2 q -
of tlo opportunity q voting for Or against con
renLon, lId for or against tho constitution whicl
thnt convention may adopt.
II you refrnin from qualifying yourselves to D.
voters, what guarantee have You that tho oonyen
tion may not framo q constitution for yonr STINT
that will, on the very ground Of your default, dis
Why should YOU disdain I TO TO exercise @ % the right
suffrage, which has nlvays beon yours, because /
has also boon confarred upon othGrs-whcn tler
is moro need now than oyor boforo that you shoul
aIaDy Of you who will reaR this address l,ay
served your State faithfully in tho field, undor th
honeat conviction that you ,werc simply doin
yonr duty. Yon hsyo oarriod TINT honor whic
duty sincerely undertaken and earnestly por
formed, always confers: But other obligations +
that Slate still remain to bo fulfilled, p ortlo
to complete yOIr record OF o trust faithfully dis
J charged. ',it 'E'' -.
AT no tinle in the history of our stato, did sh
stand moro in need Of tho unitod and ppfaltorin
energy md Devotion of her sons in her behalf,
!, Immediate upon hor altar all selfish ilcns, Ever
, duty is storn. Every duty demands aomo sacr
ilce OF interest or OF feeling. He ia YDrth nothin
10 n,s .h tr, nds OF bis country who is nst willing
You fcarlessly exposed your lives in defence q
Sonr State. VIII you hesitate now, whom sho
encompassed by new and fearful dangers, TO rail
for supportf ..y ?.Il 80 =,
Friends Wo hnyo shown you what so bclioy
to bo your duty in tho prosont emergency. >. I,
! upon tho situation as practical mon, In The hai
OF reason and common sense; and to assert to th
full oxtoht all tho rghts you POSSESS. y