The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1870-09-05

enccs operate, upon hin, that moment k he
ceases 10 ::be worthy iof guarding and
protecting penonak xightO, and BECOMES
;raadya instrument Of oppression and
misfulsE We have been led to these
reflections BY reason, Of Iarecent decision
of the Hon :! Hugh L. Bond, in Chambers,
at Martiusbuig, West virginia, in the
matter Of John H. McIlwee, q Registrar
Of Berkeley County who had been arrested
forna violation 'of TIC act of Congress.
approved May s1st 1870. 5aE 'y'1sq
Judge Bond decided that tho ease d
McIlwee did lot como within the pnrvieW
Of the statute in question, ,'snd' that 'Be
was not iaanswerablss in aetihap tihasp 0odasof tht
United States. I'VE expected Just such /.
decision from Judge Bond, who ha.
recently been appointed 10 this position
fsrtho reason that kcI WIS Tic most extreme
andSiolsnt Of all Tho radicals who desired
theplacc. Bond first came into notoriety as
the head manager and protector 'of the
plug ugliss" ot Baltimore, More recently
he became 50 violent that be gave 6Hance
to bis oT1Iesssfabid brethren. HisdevotioI
to tho "paras' Of the nation v was SO great
that he allowed them to ,pack'the primary
meetings Of bis party Ete7e they were
permitted BY yISlaS'ttoo Vote, and a. Martins.
burg,ho yindicated the He1alted reputation
which secured bis appointment and tcoin>
ftmation. BY The most singular md un.
tcnablc' decision wItc9 haye ever met,Nith
I. wasin3 q case Of baboas corpus, IL
which personal liberty Was concerned. III
is singular that'ho Should have nsds ,
decision a. oil, isithe'casa' was not before
him ; for tits known that The prisoner hat
been previously discharged BY Judge
Jackson. So anxious vas be to serve tht
radical committee 81 Berkeley, that he
committed tho disgraeeful judicial tarot
Fof tdeciding 4 Y case not befop.r him; .ani
which .at.ihe time. lime did moi exist, and pub
fishing ihesame 10 The world as q rdal ant
+Joaa lid "h.beas . corpus" case iulwbict
ssi,izen was deprived of his liberty.afAl
soon as this decision vas M rendered; Judge
Bond was 90 shocked At Tho Grim iio,lity
Of tho aei,,asfat'hee wrote ib :. and published
to hsafaitH HfaIfollOxcirss is'i IN Baltimore, thai
Ihs @hsd Withdrawn from politics; and
honceforlh be Would wear" vear the jusicia,
rOIesin purity s.F', 'Dy,,,'4 rr
''wchsse said that Judge JaaKsonyhst
released the prisoper before Judge iiBoht
iente, Cd Lis vacant Ordcr! i1li il ease ibot be-
fore him. What otler motive sould .hel
have prompted lin 10 render the decision
except to serve his party, at whose bid
ding he came. .h','s'''oaa 20 haa Jia2i'
'Jaago Bond 81 aodtght@ hit@1,s'5lE 10 know .,.his mi
lawyer ever maintained ,bat .lie' act o
ICongress created voters. disq qdaliied 10,
other Causes than that u race race or color ant
Tint ninc:teniGs' II al tLeS yrrOfes. ion ehti
,lcdIto respect, c6ncar c6onncaaI;ii in lie opinion .ha
any citizen entitled to vote, whcthe,
.xhitc Of black, have .rrigLi. secured iby
this act Of Congress Which ,heC Courts O.
tic United staicssi lave coaIii ccoogaIniizanco.,gGl
? aTho first sesliOn 0f ldec act provides tha
'an citiztbs" 81 liz United States shal
be entitled and "uiloped"' 10 vote, exccp
they are laborihg Under disabilities otlcl
ftlian tho disability of color. If color is III
thesay IT is is Wiped Wiped out BY this ac..O
Congress. AL! citizens, therefore, Other.
wise qualified 10 vote, ss sro I, entitled to th,
cqdal protection Il tho Law, under ,,h,
Fourteenth Amendment Of theoUnitet
States Constitution, and this not.pr6vide,
iot its enforcement, snsl 4O,q ', .. ~, .4a11
" lHf.eug Jl' lqI .s21
The second section declares that it sbal
be the duty Of s,rJ State, officer, TO gin
TO all citizens Of the. United States, ii,
same opportunity to, register and il, any
State officer shall srsfnse Or knowingl,
omit" to give full effect to the provisions
Of this section, they shall forfeit $500, L
The person saggrievpd, and be guilty Of
misdemeanor md be fnods $500 i i
clearly the duty of registrar, says Judg'
Bond, to enquire into, tho qualification 9
an applicant. for registration under tn
laws Of the State. aud if he find him qual
fled, hc is -Lould TO ,Iogister him unde
the penalties Of The net Of Congress re
ferrcd to. This isprcciscly shat tuy'
Bond says. Now supPoss 4 corrupt reg
istrar refuses 70 register as a voter cit
izen nndcniably qualified ID yote accord