The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-07-06
GOyermor StevensOn's Instructions
20 Registrars.

1t has been understood for some time
that Governor STEVENSON had issued a
private circular Of Instructions to Reg
iStrars, referring especially to the Fif
teenth Amendment and the Congress
sional Law to enforce the provisions of
that amendment. Having come in
possession of the circular, we herewith
print it entire, for public information /:
STATE or WEST VIRGINIA,
EyEcUTIvE DEPARTMENT,
CHARLESTON, June ID, 1870.
To lie Co,my Boards Of Registration and
Township Registrars
Accompanying this communication
will be found a printed copy OF so much
of Chapter ii of the Code of West Vir-
ginia 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 Township Registrars, they can
hardly fail to understand it.
1t becomes my duty to inform you
that the XIV Amendment to the Consti-
tuition OF the United States has been
ratified BY the requisite number Of
States, and the official announcement of
that fact has been made by the United
States authorities, and appropriate leg
islation by Congress has been adopted
TO enforce it; hence it is now clearly the
law OF the land and must be obeyed as
such Anything in the Constitution of
our State repugnant to the XIV Amend
ment is null and void. This is manifest
from Section > OF Article VI Of the
OF the United States, which
declares that the said Constitution and
the laws made in pursuance thereof
shall he the supreme law OF the land,
y anything in the Constitution
and laws of any State to the contrary
Notwithstanding. Besides this, the
Constitution of West Virginia provides
in Section ! of Article that THE Con
stitution of the United States and the
laws and treaties made in pursuance
thereof shall he the supreme law Of the
land.
The lst section OF the XIV Amend
ment aforesaid, declares that "Therigh
of citizens of the United States to vote
shall not be denied or abridged by the
United States, or any State, on account
of race, color. or previous condition of
servitude.
1t is clear from this Amendment,
taken in connection with Section ] Of
Article Ill of the Constitution OF West
Virginia, that all the male citizens oil
the State are entitled to register and
vote at all elections, except person
who il 4 minor, or Of unsOund mind, or
a pauper, or who is under conviction of
treason, felony, or bribery in an cleo
ton, or who has not been n 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 Las since the first day of June,
one thousand eight hundred and sixty
one, given voluntary aid or assistance
to the rebellion against the United
States, unless such person has volun-
teered into the military or naval service
of the United States, and las been, or
shall he honorably discharged therefrom.
1t is the duty Of the Board Of Regis
tration in the several counties and Of
the Registrars in the townships to exc
cute the law as they find it, tearlessly,
yet strictly and impartially, not permit
ting themselves in any case to he con-
trollcd by prejudice or passion, nor to
lie influenced by interested persons or
parties, nor inundated by. threats of
violence.
Ample power is given to the Board
of Registration I" preserve order and
enforce obedience TO the law. This
power should he exercised with diScrc-
ton, and not upon any slight provoca-
ton; but shoulG be used promptly and
10 the full extent when the necessities
Of the ease demand it.
W. +. STEVENSON,