The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-11-14
The Nature Of a Voters Oath.

The Norfolk Tirginian quotes the follow
ing oath from the Constitution of Virginia,
manufactured last winter by the Negro
Convention
81, L., do solemnly swear Tor affirm
that I am not disqualified from exercising
the right Of suffrage by the Constitution
framed by the Convention which assembled
in the city of Richmond on the third day
Of December, 1867, and that / arW support
and defend the same to the best Of my
ability"
And then asks the following question:
"Now, after taking this oath in order TO
obtain the right of franchise, how can y
vote to overthrow the Constitution which he
has Just sworn to support and defend :"
In the bill of rights pref1ed to the same
Constitution it is declared that " n MAORI
"ty of the community hath an indubitable,
"iualienable, and indefeasihle right to re-
"reform, alter, or abolish" any govern
ment inadequate to the proper ends of the
same. It is also declared that this bill Of
rights is a part of the Constitution, and
"sball not be violated on any preteuce
"whatever.' Whatever oath, therefore, a
voter takes, he takes subject to this quail
fcation, and with the clear understanding
that he retains full liberty TO overthrow the
Constitution for the purpose of getting
better.
1t is at least among the possibilities of the
future that the constitution in question
shall be ratified. We should, therefore, be
sorry to have the idea disseminated among
the people that they may not thereafter
conscentously 90 whatever may be in their
power to alter or amend it. 1t is a mis-
taken notion. We 90 not know how our
friend Of the Firginian could have got such
a CROCHET into his clear head. Members
of the Virginia Legislature have repeatedly
sworn to support the Constitution of |ir-
GINA, and then, without violating their
oath, passed laws providing for the destruc-
ton Of the old ard the formation of a
new constitution. Every officer in Virginia
before the war had sworn TO support the
Constitution of the United States. Surely
our friend does not think that they Vio-
lated this oath when they wentinto rebellion.
Every member Of Congress, and the Presl-
dent and all his Cabinet, take the same
oath. Yet Mr.. LINCOLN, all Of his Cabinet,
and nearly all the members Of Congress,
agreed upon an amendment changing that
Constitution in important particulars. They
did not violate their oath Of office IN SO
doing. In 1850 every officer in Virginia
stood sworn to support the Constitution Oh
1S29-'30; yet many Of them went TO the
polls and voted to uproot that Constitution
and establish another. Did they violate
their oath Surely not.
1t is we'll understood that whoever takes
an oath to support constitution merely
swears to do so so long as that constitution
shall be binding upon him. Dld not our
friend take an oath to support the constr
tuition of the Confederate States! Thou
sands of us did; but we do not believe that
we violated that oath when we afterwards
took an oath to support the Constitution OF
the United States.
We conclude, then, that even if the new
Constitution be ratified no voter will for
that reason lose his right to work and vote
for its overthrow. He will still retain his
indubitable, inalienable, and indefeasible
right to destroy it as soon as possible.