Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1869-06-24
Voting on the Constitution.

We quote from General Canby's order
on this subject:
1t is hereby ordered
First.-That an election be held in the
State of Virginia On Tuesday, the sixth
day of July. 1869, at which election all re-
gistered voters of said State may vote
For Constitution or "Against," (Me
prorision Submitted to q separte rote being
accepted and also on the same ballot
may vote for and elect members of the
General Assembly of said State" &c,
&c.,
1t seems, from the above, that the peo-
pie are required, first, to vote for, or
against the Constitution, without reference
to the excepted clauses. They are not
considered, at this voting, as part or parcel
of the Constitution, and will not be, unless
by subsequent vote, a majority of the peo-
pie shall so declare. This first vote upon
the Constitution, therefore, does not affect
the question of disfranchsement or dis
ability one way o: the other, SO far as we
can see. The order provides next, that:
cat the same election the registered
voters of the State may vote on separate
ballot "For clause 4th, Section 1, Article
Ill, of the Constitution" Or Against
clause 4th. Section l., Article Ill, of the
Constitution - and for or Against Section
7, Article Ill, of the Constitution"
1t would seem that after having cast
the first ballot for, or against, the Con-
stitution, two more will be necessary to
complete the work. The order says, may
vote OIL separate ballots" SC. A person
may vote for one of the excepted clauses,
and against the other, which would make
two ballots necessary; although, we pre-
sumo, very few persons would thus dis
criminate between them, but would be
more likely to vote for both, or ag ainst
both, according as their Radical or Con-
sentative proclivities would dictate.
From this view of the case, we may
readily determine how important it will be
for all who are opposed to the DISTINGUISHING
and disabling clauses of the Constitution
to vote against them. If they fail to vote
on them. the Radicals will not. They
will vcte for them and if majority of
votes. (without reference to the first gotta
cast for the Constitution. be cast on the
second ballot IN taror of the excepted
clauses-even though they be less than
half the number cast for the Constitution,
the two obnoxious features will be ad-
opted, and hereafter will stand as part and
parcel of the Constitution. This fact
cannot be impressed too strongly upon the
minds of our people. Il should be rung
into their ears from day to day. In view
of the fact that the Constitution is almost
certain to be adopted. they should be made
to appreciate the peril to which we are ex.
posed of having ninety6ve hundreths of
our people-the very flower of Virginia
declared the privilege of holding any
Office in this Commonwealth. Whatever
else they may do, let our people be sure
to cast second ballot in favor of ex-
cepting these now separated provisions
from the text of the Constitution. In
other words vote them out of the instru-
ment by an emphatic, no ! All can under
stand their duty, and the means by which
that duty can be discharged, when they
come to vote on the excepted clauses
Lyncl.Jurg Trginian.