Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-07-02
ran vTsIsLf ApMIkTUaE IsIaUIrr.
Enacted tn visIssion Of every Prsnespis
ID 4JAH Of Democracy. 'ial 1I iai
constitution and claws Openly viofated
81 BE- IN its Passage. .i ,.,i =
what D.meer.ss voted f.r ana Against.
A record 70 ,. Rs~smb.r.a.

aecnFu 10 bc AeMembereos .
Although the Visible Admixture law
of the Democratic Legislature died an
early death, and by that means. entirely
disappointed the hopes Of its friends. vet
1t may not be amiss to give brief in
side history Of the manner the abortive
iniquity was attempted to be forced upon
the people by q party claiming to be
Democratic. In its enactment, every
principle ofjustice, law. constitution and
fully violated and repudidted, and we
propose quoting a few pages of the Sem
ate and House Journals to show that fact.
She measure itself, was monstrosity
to begin with, and in order to carry II
through, every step forward was like
that taken by an assassin who had moth
ing else in view but the life of his i'm
tended victim, let il cost i'm conscience,
in right, in justice, what it would.
The object was TO disfranchise class
of voters in our State, who had always,
under the Constitution and laws, enjoy
ed that privilege. The purpose was a
malicious, party purpose, hoping there
by to gain an advantage to themselves
at the coming fall elections.
| 10 that end, early in the session, bin
was introduced by Mr.. Hutchinson, of
Franklin County. 1t was remarkable,
more for its apparent vindictiveness to-
ward the colored race, than for any lit
erary or legal merit it contained. Not a
single section but that was full of abomi-
nation, and therefore unobjectionable to
every Democrat, so called, ~ 9ui 1a7
| When first called up, therefore, Mr..
Cohant, Senator from Portage County,
moved to strike out of sections 8, and 5,
that part requiring the person chal-
lenged to produce two credible witnesses
who shall be compelled to answer GER
tain prescribed questions under oath or
affirmation relative to the marriage of
challenged persons, parents" &c. Also
THAT no evidence of reputation, as to
parentage, shall be received, unless the
parties about whom such reputation ex-
lists are first proved to have been mar,
ried.u lfa
That motion, though clearly proper
and just, was lost by strict party vote.
Next, Mr.. Keifer, of Clark County,
moved to amend $50 as TO make ID q penal
offence to receiue the vote of a person not
being q WHITE male citizen of the United
.Statcs," instead of"receiping, contrary to
the provisions Of the bill, the vote of any
person hdufng a distinct and visible ad-
mixture of african blood"
That motion was also lost, though
strictly in accordance with the constitu-
ton, and designed to save it, by a close
party vote.
Mr.. Potts, OF Carroll County, moved to
amend by inserting after this provision
| making it the duty of the Judges to chal-
lenge and reject the votes of persons
having distinct and visible admixture
of African blood, the following words =
"any person who has borne arms in sup.
port of any insurrection or rebellion
against the Government of the United
States" aN 4u Ul
Mr.. Hall of Lucas, further moved to
"except from the provisions of the bill
such persons Of visible admixture who
bore arms in defense of the Government
of the United States in the recent re-
bellion." ..l ..
These propositions were also lost by
every Democrat voting No, thereby ex-
pressly declaring they were willing that
REBELS, who fought against the Govern
ment in the late rebellion, should vote
whilst men who fought for the Govern.
ment, should not vote. That accords
well with modern Democracy, and lei
the people of Ohio remember it received
Endorsement ofthat party by its repre-.
sentatives of the General Assembly
Patriotic Union men repudiate it as un-
Just and devilish. alI r
Further, Mr.. Griswold, of Lorain
County, moved the following amend
ment:i" Provided that the provisions o
this act shall not apply to persons hav'
ing visible admixture of African blood
who have been crippled, manned ol
wounded.in fighting for the Union"
That proposition seemed just and hui
name, but 1t was fiendishlylvoted down
Yeas-Republicans, Is; Nays-Demo
Gratis, 10. r. airj l.lr-.
Mr. Burrows, of Lake County, ther
moved to amend by Providing tha
citizens having prepondeance of tn,
blood of the white race, shall be deemed
white citizens under the provisions o
this act.n ts 7u ..H.i TI
/ Also lost by the same vote as were tn,
previous amendments.
These propositions and amendment
were all ably discussed by the Republi
can Senators and enforced with th,
power that Right and Justice gave to
good cause. The Democracy attempte.
no justification of their villiany but de
clared they intended passing the bill be
cause they had the disposition and powe
to do so. .li4rG. ta3v -tti i. M
Accordingly, on motion ofthe pfeviou
question, by Mr.. Stambaugh, of Tuscara
was, the bill was passed i'm the Senate b,
3 the following vote: Democratic Senators
except Mr.. Berry, absent on account c
ill health, all voting yea; and all til
: Republican Senators excepttwo, Messrs
/ Biggs and Brooks, who were absent ol
] leave, voting nay, as follows: sill nj
: YEAS--Messrs. Campbell, Carter
! Dickey. Dowdney, Emmitt, Evans, God
!, frey Gordon, Hutcheson, Jamason
Kenney, Lawrence, Linn, May, Ondei
donk, Rex, Seribner, Stambangh, Win
ner--19,p hJl asliileq i.f6 ~ rgili
NAYs--AIessrs. Burrows, Conant, Coz
ey, Dangler, Everett, Griswold, Hal
: Keifer, Kessler, Kramer Potts, Simmons
Terrence, Woodworth, Yeoman-15.
When the bill came to the House, an
!. was read the third time. Mr.. Dickson, G
! Lorain County, moved to recommit 1t I
a select committee of one, with instruC
}. tions 10 amend as follows: s.a7,s,6
y "But II, from the evidence adduceC
o the Judges of felection, or "a majority c
Q them, shall be satisfied that the perso
y Offering to vote is male citizen of 'th
3 United States, and has the other qualif
!. cations required by law his ballot sha
9 be received.n iiid f0ssi edGsn oi slO5 2
3 This amendment, most certainly en-
9 bracing everything that any reasonabl
= person ought to dsk, WAS voted agains
9 by every Democrat In the House. Whs
q objection could they bring to II? Moth
J. ing only that their own party Suprem