The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-09-24

IueS paul tue SOIuleT III paper WllOSc
contract called for gold, and are now
trying to force you to pay the bond
holders in gold whose contract calls for
paper.
Official Circular Relating to Regis
tration.
STATE OF WEST VIRGINIA,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
s CHARLESTON, Sept. 18th, 1870. J
To the Boards Of Registration:
Since the instructions to the Boards
Of Registration and Township Regis.
trars, issued from this Department on
the 18th day of June, 1870, a concerted
and mischievous plot to subvert the
plainest provision of our State law, re-
gulating the registration of voters, has
been inaugurated in many counties.
The parties engaged in it have seized
upol the act of Congress entitled "An
Act to enfdsce the rights of citizens OF
the United States to vote, dc. approved
May 3lst, 1870, generally known as
the "Act to enforce the XVIII Amend
ment to the Constitution Of the United
States,") and by, false and violent con-
structions Of its provisions, sought to
convert it into an instrument Of terror
with which to intimidate the Regis
trars, Boards OF Registration, and Elec-
ton Officers. SO far has this scheme has
been carried out, that the Registrars in
all the counties were threatened with
fine and Imprisonment if they refused to
do as these selfconstituted interpreters
of the law demanded. In many coun-
ties the Registrars were arrested and
placed under heavy bonds to appear be-
fore the United States District Court,
and in other counties were lodged in the
common jails; all this because these
officers declined to violate the oath they
had taken, by putting upon the re-
gister of voters the names of persons
disqualified to vote under the Constitu-
ton and laws OF the State
AS soon as the violent proceedings
thus instituted could be brought before
the proper authorities, they were de-
clared illegal, and at once ordered to be
dismissed When the Attorney Gen
eral of the United States was appraised
of the prosecutions instituted against
Registrars, he promptly ordered their
discontinuance as illegal; the Grand
Jury, at the session of the United
States District Court, held at Clarks-
burg on the oath day Of August, 1870,
failed TO find single indictment against
the Registrars while the decision OF
the Hon. Hugh L. Bond, Judge of the
4th Judicial Circuit Of the United
States, in the McIlwee habeoS corpus
case, heard on the Goth ult., at Mar
tinsburg, swept away the last shadow
Of pretense remaining to those who
had commenced prosecutions against
the State officers. By the proceedings
Just recited, it will be. seen that the
State authorities have been fully sus-
tanned in their construction given to
the Enforcement Act OF Congress,
and in the Instructions issued to the
Boards Of Registration and other Off
GERS whose duty it is to execute the
laws of the State.
Your duty, therefore, is plain. Exc
cute the law relating to the registration
of voters, as formerly instructed, fear
lessiy and impartially; not permitting
yourselves for a moment to be deferred
by intimidation, threats of persecution
or violence; exclude no citizen from
registration who is entitled to vote; re-
gister no one who is not entitled to vote.
In thus honestly executing the law, you
will be sustained with whatever power
is at my command.
The attempted subversion of the laws
of the State, and the questions raised
by it, make it necessary that ] should
suggest few instructions to Boards of
Registration in addition to those already
given.
Whenever the Board of Registration
is of opinion, after an examination OF
the registers of voters returned by the
Registrars, that any person whose name
has been registered is not a qualified
voter, for any cause mentioned in sec
ton | of article 3 of the Constitution OF
West Virginia, the last clause Of which
provides that mo person who since the
! first day of June, 1861, has given OF
shall give voluntary aid or assistance &c
the rebellion against the United States
shall be allowed to vote at any election
| therein, unless he has volunteered into
the military or naval service of the
United States, and has been, or shall be
honorably discharged therefrom, il
! will be the duty Of the Board il
every case, as we'll where such per
son was required by the registrar tt
take and subscribe the oath described
4 in section Is of chapter 8 Of the Code
of West Virginia, as where he was no
so required, to cause a notice to bs
served at least three days before the re
turn day thereof upon such person Z
appear at their regular meeting on tn
4 first Monday in October, to show cans'
! if any he can, why his name shall no
be stricken from the register OF voters
Such notice should be issued and serve
in conformity with section 81 80 ant
81 of said chapter 3. II such perso
: does not appear as required by sal
notice, or if appearing he does nc
prove to the satisfaction Of the Boar
that he is qualified voter in the towr
J ship in which he has been registered