The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-05-06
The Disfranchisel.

much more interest is manifested to know who is dis
franchscd and who is dcbarred from holding Office I'M
derit, than before the election. Many still think that
those elected to Office will have to swallow the verable
ronclad before they take their seats Such is
the case will be from the following oath from
the constitutions:
i (AB) do solc.nnlv swear Tor affirm, that ac
ccpt the civil and political equality of all men, and
agree not to attempt deprive any person or persons
on account Of race, color or previous condition, oil
any political or civil right, privilege, or immunity en-
IJoyed by any other class OF men, That VIII support
the Constitution and laws of the United States and the
constitution and laws Of this State, and that I will
faithfully and mpartially discharge and perform all
the duties incumbent me - according to the
best of my ability and understanding. So help NE
God.
Any person who is an elcctor under this consttu
ton by taking the above oath can take lis seat, fill
any Office to which he may have been elected. Who
are electors according to this constitution? The in
strumen itself says every male person of the age OF
twenty one years, upwards, born naturalised in
the United States and inject to the Jurisdiction thereof
and resident of the State year next preceding
election, and the last ten days within the parish in
which he offers to vote shall be deemed an clector,
except persons under neIdiction persons found guilty
Of pciteutiary oiense5 and the following All per
sons who held office, civil or military, for year or
more under the Confederate Government; all persons
who registered as enemies Of the United States all
leaders of guerrilla bands during the war; all who in
the advocacy of treason, wrote published newspa-
per articles, preached sermons during the late war
all who voted for or signed ordinance of secession
in any State All other persons, under this constitu
tion deemed electors and therefore qualified to
hold Office until the fourteenth amendment is adopted
which declares the following persons incapable of hold
ing office, civil military, under the United States in
any State: All persons who having Ken an oath to
support the Consultation of the United States as an
officer either of the United States of any State shall
have engaged in Instruction rebellion against the
same, or given aid and comfort to enemies thereof
Congress- by twotbrds vote, can alone remove this
disability 1t will be that this amendment in no
way affects the ecctor, but confines se:to stipuat
ing who shall not hold Office. There are no doubt
quite number OF Democrats elected to the legislature
who think they disqualified to hold office under
the constitution, when in reality they are not but who
will be on the adoption of the amendment. These
can, by taking the oath above mentioned vote for its
rejection as we'll the Radicals for its adoption
and if the last dispatches from Washington in regard
to the complexion Of the Senate be true be the means
of defeating it, Taking this view of the matter it be-
heoves every Democrat elected to the legislature who
is DISTINGUISHED by the nincty-ninth article to
take the oath and vote nganst the amendment We
therefore urge upon every Democrat elected the i'm
porancc, yea, the necessity, of throwing themselves
into the BREACH to nulliy this constitution conceived
in iniquty and adopted by fraud. We would ask no
man to do violence to his conscience, but we do insist
On his approaching the edge of the prccpicc
Is safety and honor will permit. We used every cf-
ort to defeat the constitution before the people, and
although defeated there we have entrusted our repre-
cntaves and senators with weapon with which they
nay possibly slny the banng, fhey prove true their
rust. The cause in which they nre engaged demands
t, and the people expect it of them. We believe the
representatives of the conservative element in this
icinty can consistently qualify and will no doubt do
c; especially under the circumstances. We have not
poken to any of them on the subject and of course
o not speak advisedy. We ask at their hands care
IL examination of the subject matter and if they
ave any doubts, to give us at least the benefit of
hose doubts We do not by that expression,
hat, like Christ, they must sacrifice themselves for
he good Of the people but, like the good Samaratin,
re would have them pass by side of the road.
We would have them remember that Radical recon
ruction means Radical Senators ana Representatives
Congress, and that they, with their contemporaries,
lay possibly bar the doors of Congress against them
y qualifying and voting against the Fourteenth
mendlncnt
TEE StJypJ sI, y tl,o r.