Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1869-05-21

Separate Votes only on the Test Oath and
DISTINGUISHING Clauses.
By the President ofMe United States Of
america:
PROCLAMATION.
In pursuance of the act of Congress APP
proved April 10th, 1869, hereby desig-
nate the 9th day Of July, 1869, as the time
for submitting the Constitution passed by
the Convention which met in Richmond,
Virginia, on Tuesday, the Bird day Of De-
cember, 1867, to the voters of said State,
registered at the date of such Submission,
viz: July 9th, 1869, for ratification or re-
lection, and [ submit to separate vote the
fourth clause of section one, article third Of
said Constitution, which is in the following
words:
every person who has been Senator
or Representative in Congress, or elector of
President or Vice President, or who held
any office, civil or military, under the Uni
ted States, or under any State, who having
previously taken an oath as member of
State Legislature, or as an executive or ju-
dicial officer of any State shall have engaged
in instruction or rebellion against the same,
or given aid or comfort to the enemy there
Of This clause shall include the following
officers: Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
Secretary of State, Auditor Of Public Ac-
counts, Second Auditor, Register Of the
Land Office, State Treasurer, Attorney
General, sheriHs, sergeant Of city OR town,
commissioner of the revenue, county survey
or, constables, overseers of the poor, COM
missioner of the board of public works.
judges of the supreme court, judges Of the
circuit, Judge of court Of hustings, justices
of the county courts, mayor, recorder, alder
man, councilman of a city town, coroners,
executors, inspectors of tobacco and -four,
and clerks of the supreme, district, circuit
and county courts and of the court of hus
tings, and attorneys for the Commonwealth,
provided that the Legislature may, by a
vote of three ffths of both Houses, remove
the disabilities incurred by this clause from
any person included therein, by separate
vote on each case"
And [ also submit to separate vote the
seventh section Of article third of the said
constitution which is in the words following
.'In addition to the foregoing oath Of Of
fee. the Governor, Lieutenant Governor,
members of the General Assembly, Secreta-
nv Of State, Auditor Of Public Accounts,
State Treasurer, Attorney General, and all
persons elected to any convention to frame
constitution for this State, or to amend or
revise this constitution in any manner, and
Mayor and Council in any city or town,
shall, before they enter on the duties OF their
respective Offices. take and subscribe the fol-
lowing oath or affirmation, provided the dis
abilities therein contained may be indivldu-
ally removed by three-6fths vote OF the
General Assembly: l., do solemnly
swear, or affirm, that / have never yolunta-
rily borne arms against the United States
since have been citizen thereof. thatol
have voluntarily given no aid, eountenance,
counsel, or encouragement to persons engag-
ed in armed hostility thereto; that have
never sought nor accepted, nor attempted to
exercise the functions, of any office whatev-
er under any authority, or pretended author
ity in hostility to the United States that |
have not Welded voluntary support to any
pretended government, authority, power, OF
constitution within the United States hostile
or inimical thereto. And do further swear,
or affirm, that to the best of my knowledge
and ability, I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States against all
enemies, foreign and domestic that | will
bear full faith and allegiance to the same );
that take this obligation freely, without
any mental reservation or purpose Of evasion !;
and that I will well and faithfully discharge
the duties of the Office on which [ am about
to enter, so help me God"
| I direct the vote to be taken upon each OF
| the otner portions or the SAID constitution IN
| the following manner, viz: Each voter fa-
| voring the ratification of the constitution,
| excluding the provisions above quoted, as
framed by the convention of December Bird,
1869, shall express his judgment by voting
| for the constitution. Each voter favoring
the rejection of the constitution, excluding
the provisions above quoted, shall express
his judgment by voting against the constitu-
ton Each voter must be allowed to cast a
separate ballot for or against either or both
of the provisions.
In testimony whereof have hereunto set
my hand and caused the seal Of the Uni
ted States to be affixed Done at the city
of Washington this 18th day of May, in
the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty-nine, and of the Indepen-
dence of the United States of America the
ninety third.
y. S. GRANT.
By the President:
HAMILTON Frs11 Sec'v of State