Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-05-20
CHE RUTLAND HERALD
President Grants PrOclaInatiO Oh
the Virginia Constitution.

On Saturday, President Grant issued
proclamation ordering that the 9th Of
july should be the day named for
submitting the constitution passed by the
convention held at Richmond, Virginia,
on the third day of December, 1867, to
the-voters of the State of Virginia regis
tered at the date of such submission,
which was July 9, 1869, for ratification
or rejection. 1t is submitted to separate
vote, in accordance with the fourth clause
of section one, article third of the consti-
tuition, which reads as follows:
Every person who has been Senator or Rep
re;entative in Congress- elector Of President or
Vice President, or vino held any Office, civi or
military, under the United States, under any
State, who, having previously taken an oath as a
member OF Congress, officer of the United
states, or as a member of any State Legislature,
or a. an executive or judicial officer of any State,
shall have engaged in instruction rebellion
against the same, given aid comfort to the
enemy thereof. This clause shall include the fol-
lowing otfi ,ers Governor, lieutenant governor
secretary of state, auditor of public accounts.
second auditor, register of the land Office state
treasurer, attorney general, sherffs sergeant OF
city OF town, commissioner of the revenue, county
surveyor, constabes, overseers of the poor, com
missioner OF the board of public works, judges of
the supreme court, judges of the circuit court
judges of the court of hustings, justices of the
county court, mayor recorder alderman, council
men OF a city or town, coroners, eseheators, in
spectors of tobacco and flour, and clerks of the
supreme, district, circuit and county courts, and
OF the cDllrt q n INST and for he
commonwealth provided that the Legislature
may, by a vote of three-fifths of both Houses re-
move the disabilities incurred by this clause from
any person included therein by separate vote
on each case.h
The President also submits to a separ-
ate vote the seventh section of the Vir-
ginia Constitution, which is in the follow
ing works
"In addition to the foregoing oath of Office, the
governor, lieutenant governor, members of the
General Assembly, secretary of state, auditor of
public accounts, state treasurer, attorney general
and all persons elected to any convention to frame
u constitution for this State or to amend or re-
wise this constitution in any manner, and mayor
and council Of any city town shall, before they
enter on the duties Of their respective Offices take
and subscribe the following oath or affirmation,
provided the disabilities therein contained may
pc Individually removed by the three-fifths vote
of the General Assembly:
], -, do soemnly swear, or affirm, that
have never voluntarily borne arms against the
United States since l have been citizen thereof:
that have voluntarily given no aid, countenance
counsel OF encouragement to persons engaged in
armed hostility thereto; that have never sought
accepted, nor attempted to exercise the func-
tions OF any office whatever under any authority
OF pretended authority in hostility to the United
States that have not yielded voluntary sup
tort to any pretended government, authority,
power or constitution, within the United States,
hostile or inimical thereto. And l do further
swear, or affirm, that, to the best of my knowl-
edge and ability, will support and defend the
constitution of the United States against all enc
mics, foreign and domestic; that l will bear true
faith and allegiance to the same that make
this obligation freely, without any mental reser-
yation or purpose of evasion; and that will well
and faithfully discharge the duties of the office
Oh which L am about to enter, so help me God
The above oath shall also be taken by all the city
and county officers before entering upon their du-
ties and by all other State officers not included in
the above provision
The President directs the vote to be
taken upon each of these provisions sep
arately and upon the propositions as fol-
lows:
Each voter favoring the ratification of
the constitution, excluding the provisions
above quoted, as framed by the conven-
ton of December 3, 1867, shall express
his judgment by voting for the constitu-
ton; each voter favoring the rejection of
the constitution. excluding the provisions
above quoted, shall express his Judgment
by voting against the constitution. Each
voter will be allowed to cast separate
ballot for or against either or both of the
provisions above quoted