The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1868-04-15

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shall be allowed to yote without reglstra-
ton, or 10 register without first taking an
oath or affirmation to support the Constitu-
ton and laws Of the United States. and the
Constitution and laws of North Carolina,
no; Inconsistent herewith" ...sj IT, /
Here 10 a provision which deprIves every
citizen Of ,he State oil his birthrisht as an
eleetor, until he shall re-estsbllsh hls title
10 il by an oath, aud that an oath which no
conscientious man can take. Mo- person
shall be allowed to vote without reg'slra-
tiun, nor be registered. without irst taking
sn oath or affirmation TO support the Com
slitution andlaws of.the. nited States, and
the Constitution and laws OF North Caroli-
ma not Inconsistent herewith. ....., .xa.. .
When was an oath OF any kind ever be-
fore required as . qualification fpr vuting I
Men who were appointed TO Office and were
required to take part in administering the.
Government in any Of It's departments were
very properly required TO take an oath OF
office. IS we'll as the oath To support the
Constitution of the United States aud Of the
State bat no oath Was evsr required of m
elsctor asa cOndi,ion Of his right TO yste.
As the natives Of the Stale arrived at years
OF majority, they acquired the right to vote
on paying q trihing tax, az they became
competent 10 make q contiact, by mere aye
and residence and thousands upsn thous-
snds of them have lived and died without
ever taking any 9th, unless called 10 testi.
ly in Court Of Justice. IL was in this
sense, that our people reioieed in the idea,
so opportunsly expressed by 81. Paul on a
memorable occasion. that they were /" free
burn." This Constitution proposes that
hereafter they shall only acquire this prl-
silese By being sworn. IL the oath were
mersly 10 support the Constitution OF the
State and VI the United States, while IL
would be an innovation, and q useless mul-
tiplication Of osths. TO the dstriment Of re-
lislon and morality. there would be no OBJ
jectiVn TO il, in point Of conscience. Bat
10 u not the most ridlculsns Of all absurdi.
ties, TO require q man TO be sworn 10 cup.
port all the laws Of the United States and
OF the Stae; Laws are public or private,
criminal or civil, and, in this Country. con
stitutIonal or unconstitutional. The sta.
tutes oi the United States. independently '
oi the laws OF natrOns, admiralty, common
law aud equity, as adopted by the Consti-
tuition or by acts OF Congress, Gil more than
dozen heavy volumes and the laws OF the
State, embrac ing the common law OF Eug.
land IN Law and equity. are far more Yolu-
minous. Either 10 the study OF learned
profession Tor Iile time. Yet every man,
as condition Of being restored to his birth
right in the elective iranchise,.is to take a
wholesale oath 10 support all the the laws
oi both these Governments. Who will
swear tha, he will never break the peace, no
matter on what pro,ieatiun. that he will sI.
ways keep his fenee FIVE feet high 10 cr"p
season, that he will never break n contract
or trespass on the lands of his neighhor
even by cutting 4 riding switch: Who
ought 10 be required TO swear TO any such
nonsense In what respect will aaths,
"be ng most solemn appeals to Almighty
God as the Omniscient Witness uf truth
aud the just and OmnIpent Avenger Of false.
hood, "--in what respect will oaths be held
among people, who will bring them into
ridIcule aud contempt. BY swearing as this
Constitu tion requiresi viii il not be
true, a. affirmed ~ one VI the veto messages
Uf the President. that we have been hunt.
lated TO degradation aud then laughed al
Tor the ruis,ude OF the sabmiss,unT
have not leisuse 10 pursue, this topic
aor 10 notice the numerous other objection:
10 the document sent forth for the conside.
ration OF the people ; lis extrayagance o
expenditure, its heavy exactions in the way
OF taxation, its changes in our judicial sys'
TEN, multiplication Of offices, &c. &c.
My most earnest recommendation is tC
reject it.
am. Gentlemen, with great respect,
Your O'bt Serv't.
", A, GRAHAM.