The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1871-04-20
TO the citizens Of Mason County.

Geatlemsa:
IL few days you viii by the Law of the
land. by your own feelings Of fairness, and
by the to be hoped increasing prosperity
Of the State, be called on to vote for or
against the ratification of tho amendment
to the Constitution commonly called the
"Flick Amendment" and it is to be ho'
ped that every one will spare an hour or
two to perform that duty Let crery CHI
zen Of the county go and vote. No one
will be prevented from voting unless tho
person challenging vote will mako the
challenge in writing and set down in wri-
ting the particular acts of aid and assist
auce to the rebellion. To say that he al
ded the rebellion won't do. The time Of
the aid. The particular manner of the
aid, and the place the aid was rendered
must all be set forth previously, and then
these facts mus. be sworn to, aud then the
precise charges as made must be proved as
is alleged in the affidavit.
Think that there is not a man in tue
county however bitter his feelings may
have been in the past that will have so
"nurscd his wrath 10 keep it warm" that
will SO far show his bitter feelings as to
prepare himself with written charges and
swear to them to challenge vote,
and if there be one such he cannot find
two men in the county SO lost to oil the
amenities of life as to be his voluntary
witnesses for SO unworthy purpose, or if
there be such men in the county compel
them 10 show their hands,
Totutse who are dissatisfied with the
"Flick Amendment and do not wish to
vote for it, all can or will say is that if
they cannot vote for it, they are not bound
to vote against it. To do so it seems to
me is not only folly but the worst of folly.
The bitterest enemy to the cnfranchise-
ment of the DISTINGUISHED can only do that
and DO they wish to occupy that status?
Do they wish TO keep their brcthercn from
tho rightto vote? Do they wish thus to
play into the hands Of the proscriptionists
against whom they have been SO long po.
lilically battling? Have they only been
battling for the DISTINGUISHED because of
the political capital that it has afforded
them and to keep themselves prominently
before tue public for Office or notOricty and
when the battle is about to be successful
mar all by defeating it so far as their votes
will effect that end aud thus give the lie
to all their past professions on the subject?
The proscriptionists will not thank them
for their aid and the prescribed ;~iH' no
doubt resent their puny efforts to keep
them longer in thrall! Then let every
man in the county, who is not a prOscrip
zionist at heart at once determine that if
he cannot vote "for ratification" that he
will not vote against it, in order that We
may know how many real bitter, malignant
'proscriptionists there are in each township
in this county, and the people in the neigh
borhoCd where any procriptive votes arc
cast will soon be able to point out'thc per-
sous that cast proscriptivo votes. Fellow
citizens the danger is that the friends of
ratification" will not fully turn out to
vote as they should do, for this election
may have consequences for veal or woe,
that many Of you perhaps, have not thought
OF!
Arouse then! citizens and give
two hours time to relieve your degraded
fellow citizens from their political bondage.
Arouse then, and give two hours to the
political and material prosperity of your
young State! Arouse then, and give two
hours to the support aud maintenance oil
human rights, aud human equality aud
political justice! Arouse then, and give
two hours time to redeem your State from
the stain of oppression that now disfgurcs
her, and the charge of continuing sys'
TEN of which she is the last one in the
Union to cling tO-ull the others having
cast the foul political leprosy from them.
Yours &C., Respectfully,
ARISTIDES.