Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-11-23


~ We lsst sees aiis'i aff flohif.
he rsassfgfnye men NJ fotas noi ~ vote
In me feslloa iof ~ asslasi rohvenil1n
We desire 10 he ssaild IN ihll malief ani
asi mlsIead ouf readers, bat - give su,h
sdslse a. ssthlnk viii b. fof Mo f'1l NJ
ne state
Together win NAM Of NE iHsl mfn of
the STATE We hay, supposed that W % mh
lotlly Of all tho registered voters dii hol
vote for conyeniio one could not 10
beld-ii wa. lost Believing his We have
advised our friends 10 vote against Goa.
yoniion.' Such however isnot the ease
The Austin Gazette very clearly states the
case as II stands, AID We append M eA'
tract from that paper on the subject, which
We fully endorse, rs follows
II all those voting for or against
convention, comprise a majority
of the registered voters, and II ma
iority OF those voting vote for n con-
vontion, then convention will be
held-although those voting against
convention, and those not voting
at all, make an actual majority
against one. The I'd section Of the
Supplemental Reconstruction Act is
as follows;
"SEc. 3. That at said election the
registered voters of each State shall
vote for or against convention to
form q constitution thereof under
this act Those voting in favor of
such convention shall have writ.
ten or printed on the ballots by
which they vote for delegates, rs
aforesaid, the words "Fora Conven-
ton" and those voting against such
II convention shall have written or
printed on such ballots the words
Against n Conventions" The per-
son appointed to superintcnd said
election, and to make return of the
votes given thereat, as-herein pro-
vided, shall count and make return
of tho votes given for and against a
conventions and the commanding
general to whom the same shall have
been returned, shall ascertain and
declare the total vote in each State
for and against a convention. If a
majority of the votes given on that
question shall be for convention,
then such convention shall be held
as hereinafter provided; but if ma
jority of said votes shall be against
q convention, then no such conven-
ton shall be held under this act :
Provided, That such convention
shall not be held unliss majority
of all such registered voters shall
have voted on the question of hold
ing such a convention"
It will thus be seen that to secure
a convention requires that "a ma
,jority Of all the registered. roters shall
hare uoted on the question of holding
such conuention," and a majority Of
that number "shaU be for a conren-
ton" This is plain and this is the
construction given and acted upon
by the military authorities. If we
desire to defeat a convention-and
we believe that to be the wish Of
every genuine Conservative in Tex
as-we must not vote against con-
vcntion, for that may bring one up
on us Ue must not cote at all. We
must stay away from the polls, and
let the agroes and radicalsIdo what
they please.
1t is thought by some that in dis
tricts where Conservatives have un-
doubted majorities, they might vote
for delegates to convention with
out voting for or against a conven-
ton, and thus prevent the radicals
from electing delegates in those dis
tricts, but the act says that the tick
cts shh:s.!! have written or printed
upon them, "For a Convention" or
against a Convention" and we
know not what construction may be
given to this part of the act, in case
OF voting for delegates without vot-
ing for or againsta convention, and
we think it safest not to cote at all.
We have consulted with some Of the
truest and best men in this vicinity,
and they give this as their judgment.
1t is ours, decidedly, as may have
been inferred from our late editori-
ais on the subject. "Touch not,
taste, handle not the unclean thing
we have said, and we repeat it. Had
this matter been generally under
stood in Louisiana and 9th r States,
conventions would have been de-
fcated. Let us take warning from
results elsewhere, and have nothing
to do with a negro suffrage election,
What say our conservative friends
Of the press Let us understand
one another and act together.