The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-01-25


will sign it tomorrow. The bill is as follows:
Whereas, The people Of Virginia have framed
and adopted a constitution Of state government
which is republican; and whereas, the Leglsia-
ture of Virginia, elected under said constitution
have ratided the Fourteenth amend nent 10 tne
Constitution of the United States and whereas,
the performance OF these several acts In good
faith, was condition precedent to representa-
tion Of the State in Congress; therefore, ~.
Be it enacted, DC, That the said state OF Nlr-
gnSa be entitled to representation in the Congress
OfSIe United States, provided that before any
member Of the Legislature OF the said state shaI
take or resume his seat, or any oiHcer OF saiu
Stste shall enter upon the duties OF MS oftce, ne
shall take and subscribe and file In the onlce OF
the Secretary OF State Of Virginia, for permanent
preservation, an oath in the form following; 81,
-, do Solemnly swear that have never ia
ken an oath as member Of Congress, or rs an
officer OF the United States, or as member OF any
State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial
eer Of any stae to s1pP}9rr tne
) in tLsurrection or rebellion against the same,
or given aid and comfort to the enemies there
OF. SO help me Cod" Or such person shall IN IKE
manner take subscribe and file the following
oath /: 81, do solemnly swear that. l have,
by act Of Congress of the United States, been
relieved from the disabilities imposed upon me oy
the Fourteenth Amendment OF the Constitution
OF the United States. So help me God:'' which
oath shall be taken before and certified By any
officer, lawfully authorized to administer oaths;
and any person who shall knowingly swear ia1se e
~
guilty of perjury, and shall be punished therefor
by Imprisonment not less than one year ana not
more than ten years, and shall be hned not less
than $1,000 and not more than $4,000; anil IN all
trials for any violation OF this act the certncate
Of the taking Of either of said oaths with PROOF OF
the signature OF either party accused, snaIl oe
taken and held as conclusive evidence tlat Sucn
oath was lawfully and regularly administered by
competent authority.
And provided further, That every such person
who shall neglect for the period OF thirty days
-f0ffo fha
scribe and file such oath as aforesaid, snail oe
deemed and taken to all intents and purposes 10
have vacated his office.
And provided further, That the State OF Nlr-
gina Is admitted to representation In Congress
upon the following fundamental conditions: That
the Constitution OF Virginia shall never be SO
class OF citizens Of the United States Of the right
to vote, who are entitled to vote by the constlu.
tion herein recognized except as o punlSnHent
for such crimes as are now felonies az common
laK. whereof they shall have been duly convlcted
unHer laws equally applicable to all the ln1aoi-
tants of said State; provided that any alteration
of said constitution prospective In Its elects may
be made in regard to the time and place Of resi-.
dence Of voters that 1t shall never be lawful for
the same State to deprive any citizen OF the Uni
tea States, on account OF his race, color, or pre-,
rlous condition OF Servitude, OF the right TO hold
office under the constitution and laws OF SAID
State, or upon any such ground to require OF MIN
any other qualification for of1lce than such re-
quired OF all other citizens; that the constitution
OF Virginia shall never be so amended or changed
as to deprive any citizen or class OF citizens OF
the United States OF the school rights and PRIV.
leges secured by the constitution OF the United
States.
The administration sent dispatches to General
Terry to-day, fully endorsing all he had done.
General Terry has submitted to the administra-
tlon, for instructions, two questions in regard to
the qualification of members Of the Legislature.
The first is, whether he, as military commander,
has authority to determine upon the qualifca-
tions Of members, after they have taken the oath
prescribed by law, If in his judgment they were
not capable OF properly taking that oath; second,
whether, when person who has certificate Of
election is denied admission to his seat as being
ineligible under the Fourteenth amendment, the
person having the next highest number Of votes
should be admitted in his stead. Terry holds the
affirmative of both propositions
The Acknowledgement has considered the ques-
tion, and the President instructs Terry to admin.
lister the law as he understands 1t. This makes
General Terry the sole Judge Of the qualifications
Of sae members of the Georgia Legislature. The
whole game is now in his hands,