Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-03-01
proposition would secure white man suffrage


proposition would secure white man suffrage
and he therefore approved it.
Mr. Lamb doubted whether either the
amendment or the substitute was necessnry-to
enfranchise the white men or would effect it.
He doubted whether.the Constitutions it now
stood, DISTINGUISHED any one for treason except
upon conviction. Before tue amendment of
1866 was passed upon, thousands were dis
franehised by the Test Oath aud registration
law, and the Republican party might repeat
the same process with the disfranchising
ciause of the Constitution repealed.
Mr. Summers thought the Fifteenth Amend
ment had been proposed in violation of the
rights reserved by the.States to regulate their
own affairs. 1t was long step in the direc-
ton of consolidation. IF the Flick amend
ment were divided so that the vote could be
taken separately upon the propositions 10 give
the ballot to the DISTINGUISHED white man and
to the black man, he would vote to submit
both propositions to the people. But in Its
| present shape. he could not support it.
Mr.. Brannon. said it was his purpose and
duty to aim at practical results. He had con-
sistently and earnestly opposed negro suffrage,
but in spite of his opposition the negro was
voter In this view, there was but one end
to be accomplished by the Flick Amendment,
man. That was all there was of it. 1t did
not give the ballot to the negro. Rightfully
or wrongfully, he had already, and no power
that could be available for many years would
| take it from him He had had no part IN the
negro's enfranchisement, and if the matter
depended upon hie'yote there would be no
negro suffrage. But he could not shut his
ewes to facts and wander after distractions,
| while the rights,of thousands of his white
| felloW-citizens were at stake He saw in the
| Flick amendment only proposition to restore
to them their rights. 1t answered affirm
atively the ouly question now left, shall the
white man vote? He would therefore sup
| port it.
Mr.. Hervey heartily concurred with the
gentleman from Lewis. He was not troubled
about his record. He had voted against negro
suffrage when it was an issue, and now that it
! had been settled, he proposed to fight on living
questions, not on dead ones IF the Demo-
cratic party would succeed it must turn its
face to the future and cease struggling against
questions that are fixed and past. He sup
ported the Flick amendment.
Mr. Smith discussed the method in which
the DISTINGUISHING clause of the State Consti>
tuition was adopted, and showed that because
| thousands were disfranchised to secure its
adoption that adoption was questionable. -
Besides this, that clause being an ec post faeto
| law was contrary to the Constitution of the
United States. OF tho two propositions be-
fore the House, he preferred the Davis sub
stitute.
The House then proceeded to vote on the
pending question, the Davis substitute, limit
ing the operations of the Flick ameudment
by the insertion of the word "White -
| Several Republican members attempted to
| I'D
getting away, but Mr. Wheat was intercepted
and turned back by the Sergeant-at>A rms,
who then barred the egress of other members.
The Davis substitute was rejected by vote
of 16 to 81.
The question REQUIRED on the original reso-
luton Of Mr.. Flick.
Mr.. Sturgiss moved to strike out of the
resolution all after the word "namely" and
insert the following:
''The male citizens of the State shall be
! entitled to vote at all elections held within
the election districts iHwhich they respective
~ reside. but no person who is n minor, or
| person of unsound mind, or pauper. or who
is under conviction of treason, felony or
bribery in an election, or who has not been
resident of the State for one year and of the
county in which he offers to vote, for thirty
DAYS, next preceding such offer shall be per
mitted to vote while such disability continues.
No person who, since the first day Of June,
1851, has given or shall give voluntary aid
or assistance to the rebellion against the
United States, shall be citizen of this State
or be allowed to vote ut 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 there.
from. But the Legislature may by vote of
two-thrds Of each House remove such dis
ability
The amendment of Mr.. Sturgiss was re-
jected.
The original amendment of Mr.. Flick was
then ordered to enSrossment, by large ma
jority, no division being called.
THURSDAY, February "a.
SENATE,
The following message was received from
the Governor
STATE OF WEsI VIRGINIA,
Executive DEPARTMENT,
WHEELING, February d. 1870.
Hon. D. D. T. Fdrnss5orth, President Of the
Senate:
SIR II have just received from His Ex-
cellency Gilbert G. Walker, Governor of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, communication
enclosing copy of an Act entitled can Act
for the adjustment of the public debt of the
State of West Virginia" passed by the Cen
eral Assembly of Virginia and approved on
the 18th inst, and requesting me to submit
the sane to the Legislature with a rocommen.
dation that similar law be enacted by it, to