The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-05-19
THE CONSTITUTIONAL ELECTION IN
VIRGINIA.

80, orJsring an eIeCtou 10 Oe helu IN II
.,.i, on the 9th Of July, to rAtfy or rejec
,5o constitution prepared by the convention
called together under the reconstruction
laws in December 1867. The commando
Of the district Gen. Candy, will make al
rangements for new registration to b
made prior to the election. Only two 90,
tons of the proposed constitution will b
submitted to a separate vote but these ar
the most obnoxious ones. The objects sough
to be accomplished by the trainers Of these
sections are the wholesale Acknowledgement
OF the substantial taxpaying, property hold
ing people Of Virginia, ut least ninei'n'hs
Of whom are known to be Democrats, or at
any rate opposed to the dynasty at Washing
ton: md the exclusion Of every respectable
native white man from Official station.
Hence it may be said that these two clauses
are essentially Republican prescription Of
political opponents.
The first Of these proscriptiye clauses
provides in substance that every person who
hos held any office, civil or military, under
the United States or any state, aud who has
taken an oath Of office under either Of such
governments and has subsequently cugag.
same or given aid and comfort to It's enimies,
shall be disqualified to vote at any election
held under the proposed constitution. There
is appended to this clause another defining
ust what persons or officers are to be IN.
cuded 10 its terms, which is as comprchcn-
siye as the whole scheme is outrageOusly
Parii4an, embracing rs it does every con.
ceivable officer, state and national, from q
Senator or Representative in Congress down
to inspectors Of tobacco and dour or record.
ers Of a village board Of trustees in any
state.
The other Objectionable clause which is
10 be submitted to separate vote provides
that in addition to the disabilities already
referred to, all general state officers, mem
ber5 Of both branches Of the legislature and
OF Constitutional Conventions and the Mayor
and Councilmen Of any town or city, shall
before entering upon the discharge Of the
duties Of their respective Offices, submit
themaelves to gagging process by taking
and subscribing to an UNANIMOUSLY proscrip
tive oath, every line aud word Of winch is s,
fu.. Of part,zan lniquty that 1t cannot T.,
condensed without marriug It's symmotrica
meauuess and dastArdly deiormity, we there
fore give it in fall as, follows:
d., do solemuly swear, or affirm, tina
have never voluntarily borne arms agains
the United States since ! have been citizen
thereof; that | have voluntarily given 10
aid, countenance, counsel or encouragement
10 persons engaged IN armed hostility there
70 that have never sought or accepted
nor attempted to exercise the functions d
any office whatever under any authority
or pretended authority in hostility 20 the
United States that have not yielded q
voluntary support to any pretended Govern
men!, authority, power, or Constitution with.
in the United States hostile or inimical
thereto. And do further swear, or affirm,
that TO the best Of my knowledge and ability,
viii support aud defend the Constitution
Of the L n,ted States agains, all enemies Tor
cign and domestic; that ! viii bear true and
faithful allegiance TO the same that | have
taken this obligation freely, without any
mental reservation or purpose Of evasion
and that will well and faithfully discharge
the duties of the Office on which 1 am abuu
70 enter 30 help me God'
There are probably NOT dozen respect,
bic white native Nrginiaus or residents
the state before the war, who can "irro'
without any mental reservation subscrIl
to the above oath, nor can nuy considcrab
number Of negroes even, conscientious
and freely take it, for who that had bis co
poreal being in the state during the war h,
not in some way voluntarily given II,
countenance, counsel or encouragement
some kind to Confederate soldiers?
There il but little doub. that, notwi
standing the limitations placed upon the {
ercise of the RIGHT of suffrage in one dir
ton, and the great license extended
another, by the reconstruction acts, the abo
proscriptiye clauses Of the proposed cons
ton will be defeated, whatever may Be t
ruault ~ tho ipatrurpapt no a yrb,Ia