South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1870-07-15
Governor Stevenson's Instruc-
tons to Registrars.


1t has been understood for some time that Gov.
ERSoR STEVENSON had issued private circular OF
instructions TO Registrars referring especially "a
the Fifteenth Amendment and the Congressional
Law to enforce the provisions that amendment.
Having come in possession Of the circular, we
herewith printit entire, for public information
STATE or WEST VIRGINIA.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
CHARLESTON, June 18th, 1870.
To he County Boards Of Registration and Tyten-
ship RegistrGrs:
Accompanying this communication will be
found printed copy of so much of Chapter IIr
OF NE Code OF West Virginia relates to the du-
ties oil your respective Offices The law in rela-
ton to the Registration of Votes is very plain
ana II II IS carefully examined by the members of
the County Boards and the Township Registrars
they can hardly fail to unders tand it
IL becomes my duty to inform you that the XIV
Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States has been ratified by the requisite number
OF States, and the official announcement of that
TACT mas been made by the United States au-
uoriues, and appropriate legislation by Con-
gress has been adopted to enforce il hence it is
now clearly the law of the land and must be o.
Deyed as such. Anything in the Constitution of
our State repugnant to the XIV Amendment is
null and void. This is manifest from Section 2
of Article VI of the Constitution of the United
States, which declares that the said Constitution
ana the laws made in pursuance thereof ''shall
be the supreme law of the land, anything in
Constitution and laws Of any State to the con-
trary Notwithstanding Besides this, the Con-
stitution of West Virginia provides in Section
OF Article that the Constitution of the United
States and the laws and treaties made in pursu-
ance thereof shall be the supreme law of the
land"
The lst section of the XIV Amendment afore
said, declares that 'The right of citizens of the
United States TO vote shall not be denied or n
bridged by the United States, or any State. on
account of race, color, or previous condition
servitude "
1t is clear from this Amendment, taken in con-
nection with Section | OF Article III of the Con-
stitution of West Virginia, that all the male cti-
Zens OF the State entitled TO register and vote
at all elections, except person who is minor or
OF unsound mind, or paper, or who is under
conviction Of treason, felony, or bribery in nm
election or who has not been resident of the
State for one year, and of the county in which
ne oilers to vote, for thirty days next preceding
such offer to vote, or who has since the first day
OF June, one thousand eight hundred and sixty
one. given voluntary aid or assistance 10 the re-
belllon against the United States, unless such
person has volunteered into the military or ra-
val service of the United States and has been, or
shall be honorably discharged thercfrom.
1t is the duty of the Board of Registration in
the several counties and Of the Regis in the
"HsulPs " eAeCuVc Ille law as they ma II, lear
lessly, yet strictly and impartially, not permit
ting themselves in any case TO be controlled by
prejudice or passion, to be influenced by in
terested persons or parties, nor iutimidated by
threats of violence
Ample power is given to the Board of Regis
tration to preserve order and enforce obedience
to the law. This power should be exercised with
discretion, and not upon any Slight provocation :;
butshould be used promptly and to the full ex-
tent when the necessities of the case demand it.
W. f.. STEVENSON,
Governor