The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1869-09-09

"lst. II elected Will you ADVOCATE tue
repeal in as speedy manner as possible
of the "Suitor's Test Oath, the "Voter's
Test Oath" the "Teacher's Test Oath"
the "LaWyor's Test Oath" and all other
proscriptiVe measures imposed upon 3
portion of the citizens of this State for
acts growing out Of the late rebellion2"
"2d. viii you vote and use your in
auence in good faith for the mOditica'
ton of the registration law, SO as to
make the township registrars and county
Boards of Registration elective by the
peOple2"
"3d Will you vote and give your in
huence to secure the passage Of joint
resolution to SO amend the State Con-
s.itution as to give the right Of suffrage
to those Of our fellow citizens who have
been disfrancbiscd by reason of partic.
ipation or sympathy with the late re.
beilOn? Else, will you vote aad labor
in good faith to have State COnven.
ton called at as early day as possible
to consider and carry out the above
measures"
Your letter concludes with the fol-
lowing request;
"Please give your views at length in
answer to the above intcrrOgatories by
next Monday nooa.'
Believing that your communication
was dictated and addressed to me in good
faith, | shall proceed to answer the in.
terrOgatores in that spirit Of Candor and
good faith with which have no doubt
they we're propounded.
The convention by which | Tas nom
mated adopted platform in the follow
ing words: See resolutions published
10 proceedings Of county convention
approved and endorsed that platform
before my nomination, and if elected, l
shall regard it as my duty to advocate
the early adoption Of all the measures
indicated. This think is full answer
to all your enquiries and here / should
close my reply, but for your request
for my "views at length" &c.
Most of the restrictive measures al
lulcl to we're passed during the pend.
ehcy of the late rebel war. A war was
waged against the government and peo-
pie Of the United States by a strong and
powerful beligerant organization com
monty called the Southern Confed
eracy," for the avowcd purpose of sew
cring or dissolvinG the Union.
West Virginia had just been organized
and admitted into the Union as sepa
rate State, on an equal footing with the
other States. large number of her
inhabitants, and in many counties o
great majority we're arrayed, directly or
Indirectly, in hostility, as well against
the Government of the State, as against
the United States. They were enemies
to the State, aEd of course it was Meth
er proper, wise or Just, that they should
be allowed voice in forming the laws,
or admitted to any positions which
might give them au influence in
the administration Of the siste
Government. 1t was, therefore, not
only considered necessary, by tho
loyal people Of the State, but alb
solutely Indispensable, that all that
class Of persons should be di,frauchscd
and made Ineligible to hold any Office
Of public trust or confidence, hence
the passage of the restrictive laws re-
ferred to; all of which, cordially en-
dorsed and approved, Except the suit
Or'S test oath, } as measures impera'iVely
demanded by the oxigencies the times.
But did not, nor do | now believe, that
any considerable portion Of loyal citi-
zens ever desired or intended, that those
measures should be pCrpetuatcd beyond
the time when the reasons which re-
quirod and dictated their adoption
should cease to exist. Has that time
arrived?-is the question now presented
for consideration. 1t includes, in its
scope, all the points raised in your in
terrogatories.
The rebellion was suppressed, and
the Go, ernmental organization by which
it had been so long sustained, vas an
initiated four years ago. Since then
there has existed no where in the Uni
ted States any organized rebellion. The
Governments of all tho rebel States,
J except three have been reconstructed,
in accordance with. the laws Of the
United States, and arc in peaceable and
successful operation; and the pro-
gress of the work in the other
three States is such, that thcir re
construction, on a like basis, may
now be treated as an accomplished fact
= The laws Of tho United States are now
quietly submitted to, and efficiently en-
forced in all parts ofthe Union, and the
"great charter" of our liberties has been
so amended as to render hopeless any