Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-07-09
Governor Stevenson's Instructions TO
Registrars.

Registrars.
Gov Stevenson has issued the follow
;rs letter of instructions 10 The Registrars
of The Safe.
STATE OF WEsr VIRGINIA, !
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT. :
CHARLESTON. June 10, 1870. }
To the County Boards IF Registration
and Township Registrars:
Accompanying this communication will
be found a printed copy OF so much OF
CHAPTER Ill Of The Code OF West Virginia
az relates to The duties of your respective
Offices. The law in relation 10 the Reg
ls.rs.ion Of Voters is very plain, and II II
is carefully examined BY the members oil
the County Boards and the Township
Registrars, hey can hardly fail 10 under
stand il.
|, becomes my duty to inform you that
the XIV Amendment 10 the Constitution
Of The United States has been rsuhed by
the requisite nunber OF States. and The
official announcement, OF the fscI has been
made by the United States authorities, and
appropriate legislation by Congress has
been adopted 10 enforce 1t /; hence 1t IL
now clearly the law Of the land and nu''
he obeyed as such. ANYTHING IN the
Constitution of our State repugnsn' 10 The
XIV Amendment is null and VOID. ms
is manifest from Section Of Article VI
of The Constitution Of the Unied STATES,
which declares that the said Constitution
and the laws msde in pursuance thereon
"shsll be the supreme law OF the land,
anything in the Constitution and
laws Of any Stale 10 the contrary not
wi,h.,anding." Besides this, lie Con
sd,uiion OF West Virginia provides in
Section OF Article Ihoi The Consn
tuition of The United States and he laws
and iresle. made IN pursuance thereof.
shall be the supreme law Of the land"
The lsr section of the Nv Amend
ment aforesaid. declares that The right
OF citizens OF the Unied Safes 10 vote
shall not be denied or abridged by tie
United STA es, or any SAFE, on account OF
race, color, or previous coodI'on OF seTvi'
lude."
/. is clear from this Amendment, taken
in connection with Section OF Article all
OF the Constitution OF West Virginia, that
ell the male cilizens OF tie State a;e EMU
tied to register and vote al all elections,
except person who IL minor, or OF IN
sound mind, or paYper or who Is under
conviction Of treason, felony. or bribery
in an election, or "ho has not been res
Ideni Of TIE State for ore year, and ol The
county IN which lie offers 10 vote, Tor
thirty days next proceeding such otter to
vote, or who has SINCE he FIST Gay OF
June, oae Ihousand eight hundred and six
ty.one, given voluntary all or assistance
10 the rebellion against the United States.
unless such pcrson has volunteered INTO
the military or naval service Of The Unl.
ted States. and has been, or shoIl be bon
orally discharged lherrlrnm
Il is the duty OF HE Board Of Regis
lra,ion in the several counties aud OF tie
Registrars IN tie townships TO execute ihe
law as they find it, iesrIessly, yet s'HcIt
and imps,'lslly, not permitting them
eelves in any case to be controlled by
prejudice or passion, nor'to be influenced
by interested persons or p"lIe', nor IN.
Inundated by threats OF 'Iolcn {.
Ample power is given to The Board Of
Registration TO preserve order and enforce
obedience 10 the law This power -ho'ld
be exercised Wi'h discretion. and not up"
on any slight proyocstlou hut should
be used promptly and to the foil event
when Tue necessities Of the case demand
il. W. +. STEVENSON,
Governor.