Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1906-10-30
Record Of Geo. G. Sturgiss on the
Flick Amendment.

FllCk hmcHofhSHts
Section /. Article of the State Con-
stitution contained the following
No perso who since the FIRST day OF
June, 1861, has given or shall give volun-
tary aid or assistance to the rebellion
against the United States, shall be a
citizen of this State, or be allowed to vote
at any election therein. unless he has vol
unteered into the military or naval ser
vice Of the United States. and has been or
shall be honorably discharged therefrom. "
Mr.. Flick himself, brave Union SOL
der. proposed to restore the right OF
citizenship to his ex-confederate fellow
citizens by amending the Constitution to
the extent of eliminating the above re-
ferred to clause.
The following excerpts in relation to
the progress of this amendment in tho
House of Dele gates are taken from the
file of the Wheeling Daily Register for
February 1870.
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
MONDAY. JANUARY 81, 1870.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
RESOLUTIONS AND PETITIONS.
By Mr.. Flick-House Joint Resolution
No. 5. proposing and amendment to the
Constitution of the State. Laid upon the
table and ordered to be printed and made
the special order for Tuesday, February
s; 1870. Ordered second reading with
out objection.
WEDNESDAY FEB 20, 1870.
House Joint Resolution No. s and the
substitute therefor came up as unfinished
business. The question required on the
original resolution of Mr.. Flick.
Mr.. Sturgiss moved to amend Mr.
Flick's amendment so as to make it read
as follows
1.-The male citizens of the State shall
be entitled to vote in all elections held il
the election districts in which they res
pectively reside. but no person who is {
minor or person of unsound mind, OF
pauper. or who is under conviction Of
treason. felony or bribery in an election
or who has not been a resident of thu
State for one year and of the county il
which he offers to vote for thirty days
next preceding such offer, shall be per
mitted to vote while such disability con
| +,,,,ae No ,arco,, ,rho cinca the Hrc
day of June. 1861. has given or shall Civ
voluntary aid or assistance to the re
bellion against the United States. shal
be citizen of the state or be allowed t
vote at any election therein. unless h
has volunteered into the Military or Ma
val service of the United States and ha
been honorably discharged therefrom
But the Legislature by a vote of ! of eac
house may remove such disability.
The amendment of Mr.. Sturgiss wa
rejected by the following vote:
The Yeas were Messrs. Baker. Carper
ter. Chambers, Collins, Donehoo, Evan:
Fisher, Golf, Hill. Pierpont, Price, Re,
road. Sturgiss and Wheat "a.
The Nays were Messrs. Welsh (Speal
cry, Agnew, Ballard of Monroe, Ballar
of Logan, Beltzhoover, Bowyer, Brar
non, Burgess. Cracraft, Davis. Davissof
Ferris, Fransworth. Flanagan, Flicl
Gandee, Guthrie. Hervey. Howard
Howe, Jackson, Judy, Lamb, Lamoi
Lynch, Maxwell, Meadows, Mile
Medley. Pownall, RAIDER. Ropp, Scot
Smith Summers. Teter. Thomas. Wei
and Wilkinson--3o.
The original anne ndment of Mr.. File
was then ordered to engrossment by
large majority, no division being callet
THURSDAY. FEB "a, 1870.
| On motion of Mr.. Welsh. the Capit
Bill and substitute were tabl ed and tt
House Joint Resolution taken up an
read third time under suspension of ii
rules.
| Mr.. Sturgiss said he could understan
why Democrats supported this amen,
ment. but he could not understand VIII
men looking to the future of the Repul
lican party or the good of the Stat
could so vote.
| Under the laws of God and men, II
rebels had forfeited all political privilege
and this was naked proposition to col
fer the ballot upon them, to give thel
the rights they had forfeited to be use
for the overthrow of the government
How the member from Pendleton On
Flick could support it, he could not I'll
derstand unless he desired to make unit
himself friends from the mammon of III
righteousness.
Mr., Flick said that he was ready I
compare records with the member froi
Monongalia. He understood that Ii
Republicanism of that gentlemen onl
dated from the ratification of the Cor
stltutional Amendment of 1866, and thu
while he was at the front facing th
rebel bullets, that gentlemen was pull
fishing what was known as copperhea
paper. Only when the success of III
Government and the Republican part
was assured, did that gentlemen becom
Republican.
Trespass notices, for posting land
for sale at the SPIRIT office.
r
The Presbyterian Synod of Virgini