The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-08-19
from tie GhdriestoN Ccuricr. 7
Evory Man Gan Vote.

NS 'nc cicctiohS approach which inv i've
inc rights ana Liberties of our po,plc, the
question naturally occurs rs to who, under
he present condition of things, arc entitled
I" suffrage 1t will readily be seen tfn no
more important question can be submitted
ana To tins we propose Il clear and simple
answer
We propose first TO consider This in The
light of tho Acts of Congress, and then to
refer TO the Constitution Of this State, a,ioi.
CT under what arc known NJ the Rcconstruc
ton Acts.
Secretary Seward has declared tho How
| ard constitutional Amendment rs ndon,cl
AS words arc important, We cite the very
langurg &c Of tho third section:
SEQ. , No person shall be n Senator or
Representative in Congress, or Elcctor OF.
President and Nicc-Prcsidcnt, or hold anv
otcc, civil or military, under tho Uni,
ted tatcs, or under any State, who, havng
previously taken M onth as member Of
| Congress, or as an officer Of tho United
States, or rs member Of any State Lcgislu
'nrc, Or as an Executive or Judicial officer
OF nny State, to support the Constitution of
the United States, shall have engaged in
insllrrcclion or rebellion gainst tho same, or
gwen aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.
/ But Congress may by n vote Of two thirds
OF each JlonSc, remove such disabilities.
Two things therefore, will DO observed.
| First. That this amendment now declared
o be part of the Constitution Of tho Uni
! cd Sinics ''Sqm"iG's only. from office and not
Fom sngrogc. Secondly, that the Offices to
whlch all, who, either as. members of Con-
grcss, or rs officers Of The United Stntcs. or
as members Of any State Legislatures or as
tho, executive or judicial officers of any
state: aud who participated, either by aci,
or in aid, the Confederate States, nro dis.
qualified from holding or enjoying Office
are:
!. Those of Senator's and Representatives
| in Congress.
2. Electors for President and vice. .presj
dent.
9, Any office, civil or military, under tho
United States or under any State.
| 1t is apparent, therefore, that this amend
mcnt excludes largo and intelligent por-
lion OF our citizens from any Office. whcth.
CT Federal or State. And this disability
remains until removed by two-thirds vci.
of each House Of Congress-.
liut %hc important fact remains that undo
this amendment no citizen is excluded FRO,
sD0ragr. Therefore, 90 for rs this Is co,
cerncd, there is no restriction upon III,
ballot, although there is MS 10 Office.
Is there, then, anything in the now allcq
cd Constitution Of tho State which orohibits
suffrage for past political opinions?
We again refer to text:
| ARTICLE yIII-nfGHr OF SUFFRAGE.
SEC. 2 Every male citizen Of tho Uni;oI
States Of thc ngo Of twcnty-one and ,p.
wards, not laboring under Tho disabilities
named in this Constitution, without dislinc.
| ton OF race, color or former condition. yhs
Shall bc resident Of this State nt tl.c tn
of tho adoption of.his Constitution, oryht
! shall thereafter reside in this Slato QUO
year. and in the county in which he oGgr
TO vote sixty days next preceding any Died
, tion, shall be entitled to vote for oil officer
! mat hrc now or hereafter mny be elected D.
/ the people, and upon all questions submit
cd to tho electors at nny election; Provi9eo
! .hot no person shall be allowed ii. yoh
hold oMcGG. who Is now. or, hersQftcr MAJ !.
disqualified therefor by tho Constitution of
the United States, until such disqualified son
/ shall be removed by tho Congress of .n,.
/ United States: provided further, that Ia
person, while kept in any aims house Or
| asylum, or OF unsound mind, or confined in
any public prison, shall DO allowed to volo
or hold oflice.
Tho words in which wo are in'ercs.ea
arc "That no person shall be allowed 10
yolo, or hold Office, who is now. or horeaftor
may be disqualified therefor BY Tic Constitu.
tion Of tho United States'
! Now II has been seen that the Consiitu,
ton Of tho United States disquuhGes no oae
from sn0raye, therefore the Slate Constitution
disqualifes none.
| 1t follows, therefore. that whatever may
be tho rno with regard to Office, that in.
| relation to suffrage, all malo citizens Of lilo
United States Of age, resident within Tho
state FOR one yoar, arc entitled 10 cote, ex-
G,) Those kcptin any aims house or
asylhW.
(2.j Those Of unsonnd mind n
48.( Those confined in any public prison.
rms u seems to us is the plain and incyi-
table construction Of the low.
----------.-> - <s----l---<-.- &
Frogs legs are getting to be g popu.