The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-11-03
Free MissOuri-Registrati Scenes
In Clay and Vernon Counties.

y venerable man, bowed down with {
years of serene and honest cOuntenance,
and whose hair is whitened by age, APP
proaches the Board of Registration, and I
asks to be registered as a voter in his cleo |
ton precinct The inquisition begins:
What Is yCur name?
Ny name Is Andrew Means.
How old are yOus
Eighty years of age coming the 23d day
of next March
How long have you lived in Clay coun-
ty?
Nearly fifty years. came to this coun-
ty among the first who settled here. and
have helped TO make it what YOU see it
now Is. | presume | was citizen of
this county before either of you was
born.
W here were YOU born?
In Randolph county, North Carolina
Are YOU willing, Mr. Means, to take and
subscribe the oath of loyalty"
am.
The oath of LOYALTY" is duly taken and
subscribed, and the inquisition is renewed.
What Is your occupation?
| am q farmer, and have been since nv
youth.
Are you now, and were YOU during the
rebellion, LOYAL to the government?
l am and was | ought TO be. Nv
father was with Gen. Greene at the battle
ofGuilford was soldier under Jackson
IN the war OF 1912. Man and boy, | have
been faithful 10 my cOuntry-have violated
none OF her lawS-and have done no man
any wrong. | have discharged all the
duties my country has imposed upon me-
and besides | have given her my love
aEd reverence.
How did Won feel toward the government;
and the rebels during the rebellion, and
with whom did YOU sympathiZc:
opposed secession and supported the
government was Southern man born
and bred and had lived all my life i'm the
South. All my friends and relations were
there, and would not have been human
being had | not svmpathized with them
and wished that they might escape the
perllS and calamities of war, but | did not
sympathize with the object of their
struggle am and ever have been 4
Democrat, and, during the civil war the
government IN my opinion did some things
that were not only unwi>e but unjust
How did You manifest your LOYALTY dur
ing the rebellions
Ny age and intirmitie; excused me from
arms. and the perks of the times justified
me IN peaceab. r remaining at my home and
IN strict 2ttention to my domestic affairs.
and that did.
luminous winks and glances ..le now in
terchanged among the inquisi rs Prompt
ers, three or four. speak to the registrars in
Subdued tones. y low whispering sue
ceeds "a of serpentS kissing a harmon, in
the long grass. The muskets of the a,,arqi5
clash as they nervously grasp them. TIE
old mans head rolls from the block. and
implied tears fall from his eyes A nod is
gwen TO man AT the door with an obselv-
ant eye, and the next victim is summoned
Andrew Means is slave,
From the Nevada CITY Times
The following are some of the questions
asked and reasons assigned by the registrars
OF Vernon county for DISTINGUISHING loyal
citizens after they take the oath:
First case-Did YOU vote for Claib Jack
son for governor in 1862
did
Then You can't he registered
Second case-Did YOU tie Grape ON your
door when Lincoln was killed?
No.
You will have to be put on the rejected
list
Third case-IIow old were YOU when
the war commenceds
Between eleven and twelve veaIs
Did YOU not go into the rebel lines9
Sly father moved South and took me
with him
Have YOU always been loyal:
Did YOU ever sympathize with the
South?
never did
Well, you can't be registered as quail
ned, on account of going south.
f0ur'n case-Was not your father in the
Yes, he was.
And two brothers of yours9
Yes, they were.
Were You not in favor OF having the
government divided:
No, was not.
When the armies had fight did YOU not
sympathize with the rebels?
No, sir, | did not
Did You not hope that your father and
brothers might not be killed or captured
IN fight?
| did hope that they might not b.
Killed or any harm befall them; but I Wa
always Union man
That will do for YOU we must mi vorr
name on the rejected list.
Filth case-Are ycu a Union MANI
ought to be; served four years in the
Union army
pave you an honorable discharge
got one when ! was mustered ont bllt
don know where il is now
1on can't register without YOU have am
honorable discharge
am willing to swear | had one at the
end OF the war when was mustered out
nat makes no difference. The law SAYS
mat unless man has an honorable dis
charge from the army he j. not Il voter
MS Is the law, and We viii carry it ont.
Unless You have discharge YOU can't he
registered as qualified
Sixth case-Where were You borng
In Virginia.
Did you live in Virginia during the war !.
No, left Virginia in 1863, and moved to
Iowa GU -
Did you live in Iowa during the late
WI?
No, L moved to Pike county, in Iii
Were there not great many rebels in
None that know of. There were =
"ood many people called Copperheads.
Did you shout for JEFF Davis?
No
Did you not say that Virginia had a
night to secede2
| did think she had that right accor,linss
to the Constitution of the United States
We will have to reject you.
These and similar questions arc tb.
grounds on which twenty out of thirty
Democrats were rejected in the township
OF Mcundville, and this is the way i'm
which the registration has been conducted
throughout the whole county. This is
what made men indignant, and more than
! that, II was an outrage These law-abding
90 registrars swear that the will carry it
4 on, or oYerrun the county with the militia
4 Schenck's Case.
WE sympathiZe with General Schenck
In his defeat and humiliation, for the cir