Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1870-07-16
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Charleston, June Is, 1870.

LNuTttStOH, JUNG To- lC'V.
To the County Boards Of Registration and
TO,cnship Registrars:
Accompanying this communication will be
found a printed copy Of so much of Chapter
III Of the Code of West Virginia as relates to
the duties of your respective offices. The law
in relation to the Registration of Voters is very
plain. and if it is carefully examined by the
members of the County Boards and the Town
ship Registrars, they can hardly fail to under
stand it.
1t becomes my duty to inform You that the
XIV Amendment to the Constitution of the
United States has been ratified by the requls-
tie number Of States, and the official announce
ment Of that fact has been made by the United
States authorities, and appropriate legislation
by Congress has been adopted to enforce 1t ;
hence it is now clearly the law Of the land and
must be obeyed as such Anything in the Con-
stitution of our State repugnant to the Nv
Amendment is null and void. This is mani
fest from Section of Article VI OF the constl-
tuition of the United States which declares
that the said constitution and the laws made
in pursuance thereof shall be the supreme
law of the land. o anything in the Con-
stitution and laws of any State to the contrary
notwithstanding" Besides this the Constltu-
ton of West Virginia provides in section | OF
Article that "The Constitution of the Uni
ted States and the laws and treaties made IN
pursuance thereof, shall be the supreme law oil
the land"
The LIST section of the Nv Amendment
aforesaid. declares that % The right OF citizens
of the United States 20 vote shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States, or any State,
on account of race, color, or previous condition
ofServitude."
II is clear from this Amendment, taken in
connection with Section l of Article Ill OF
the Constitution of West Virginia, that all the
male citizens of the State are entitled to regis
ter and vote at all elections, except person
who is a minor, or of unsounG mind, or
pauper. or who is under conviction of trea son
felony, or bribery in an election, or who has,
not been a resident Of the State for one year,
and of the county in which he offers to vote,
for thirty days next preceding such offer to
vote or who has since the first day of June,
one thousand eight hundred and siXty-one,
given voluntary aid or assistance to the rebel
lion against the United States, unless such per-
son has volunteered into the military or naval
service OF Tue Oullcu Dtdtc, anu has pOSu,
or shall be honorably discharged therefrom.
1t is the duty of the Board Of Registration in
the several counties and of the Registrars in
the townships to execute the law as they find
it, fearlesSly, yet strictly and impartally, not
permitting themselves in any case to be con-
trolled by preiudce or passion, not to be in
1uenced by interested persons or parties, nor
intimidated by threats Of violence.
Ample power is given to the Board Of Regis
tration to preserve order and enforce obedience
to the law. This power should be exer-
cised with discretion, and not upon any slight
provocation; but should be used promptly and
to the full extent when the necessities OF the
case demand it.
w. E. STEVENSON, Governor.
THE Board of Registration for this County
is composed we learn, of C. H. Traynor, H,
Roderck and 8. X. Lindsey-all deep-dyed
" Bitter-Euders" Which of these belong to
the " Democratic side, as contemplated in
theact of the last legislature Press