The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-07-25
TRUTH AT LAST;
REGISTER 4 REGISTEhi
OUR POSITION. INDICATED
white Men TO the Front

fl7rf;:Whitc Men to the Front M.
From the Wheeling ln!clligcncer. 'i'
TMS ENFORCEMENT AcT-DRMocsATIc A0-'
cEprAXcE oY rls SITUATION i;
Thus afforded US some amusement ITO
wsteL tic course Of a portion OfthoiDeu,-
ocratic press in regard to the act oti Con-.
grcss to enforce tllo right Of thes citizens
Of tile United States to vote in tho several,
States At. first blush tho uot,wus re,
eoiyed with the bittercst dcnunciations as
nothing short Of an outrage. Ono Dem.
ocratic paper which aspifes to giyo tone
to is party iu tho State denounced Us an,
;u.urp,,ion Of State poxer,,D as ''OfIor-g
iaag heavy premiums on negro perjury
an ''ini.mous bill for giving lfucgroesI
control of white employers" andsas revo:
lu!ioniring the Republic to secureanegrO-
sui. macy. Another, which makes sou'c.
modest pretcn.tiolnss,s declared that the nc.
W WEas .ile most shameless invasion of the
| Eliber.ie. Nth. ppeospls" yet committed by
the; Radical party, "an infamous BILL"
%sn Outrage on the States aud people"
The same paper, however, makes a sup
posed discovery before getting through
With the article. from which we quote,
and at once Il, j turns turns around, and declares
Chat ,he bill clearly admits to the ballot
every citizen qualified under the 18th ind
18th Amendments to- the Constitution,
without regard to regard to race, color.
Or previous conditisn,o owho complies with
fthe quiicmenss Of the law" and calls
"spsn every white man inathe State2l
yesrs Of sgeJ,Nho is not disfranclised un-
der Che 14.h and 18th Amendments to
the Federal Constitution, !" to assert his
right aud register. This view Of the act
would give the ballot to all those now
disfranclised for rebellion, land in that
aspect Of the Law could not have been
such fearful "outrago" after all. from
from the Democratic standpoint rsi5I
The cue thus given vas taken up gem
ersl j BY the small fly Democratic papers
aud seems 10 be held by SOME Of them
yet, though others lave modified their
views to something nearer thc'trath. !.
After some discussion Of the mattct iii our
colunis, the Register corrected itself aud
accepted tile Istelligenecr'so position that
nobody was eutitlcd to vote under this
act, wlo was not entitled to vote under
the State laws without it, it being de-
, signed only to enforce existing rights.
Now we have a letter from an inte!li.
gent Democrat at Weston, published in
the Weston DEAocnAr Of tho 11th inst.
which puts the matter clcnrly and with
entire eandor. It is so fair q statement
from that side Of tho house that VIC copy
litentirc, for the Information Of Demo.
cratic readers WHO might not bc willing
to accept thc same things II stated by us:
A question Answered. 81,
eii ira y Fn' WESTON, July s, 1870.
u. ". GorrlxptS, ESQ:
II You ask me, "As Governor Stevenson
has sen. ou. published instructions to bis
! : Registrars, to give you my construction
(. Of the recent act Of Congress to enforce
7 the right Of the citizens Of the United
, States to vote in tic seYerul States OF Til.
:. Union"
: Tie Democratic lawyer does not con
= tend tha. .lis net Of Congress creates any
. new righs Of suffrage, but 1t simply en-
4 forces rights which exist, aud enables th'
: suffrugun 10 vote when he is entitled to d
o 10 under our State Constitution. Til
Racs Of Congress, ns I understand it, J
ic einphhtically Oh enforcement act, aud wa
VI passed to enforce existing tights An
!, here It Is but proper to state that man
ilSf6ur Democratic friends fall into errO
III sappo,ing participants in rebellion ca !.
tt vote. This is not the case. Those onl
y can vote who, before the passage Of TIL
act. we're entitled to do so. Tliis law doe
A not cnlatso ror change the right Of ii
.is Iv6ltr in any respect. 1t leaves him q
~ ass,ly. tas y his risls. to r0te) where