Year: 1863

The rebel Democratic candidates in this county
are terribly exercised in regard to the soldiers
vote, and originating all sorts of lies relative
thereto. Among other things they are enleav-
oring to make those unacquanted with the law
passed last winter believe that it provides tn {
the officers of the several military commands have
authority to cast the votes of the men under
their charge for such candidates as they may
desire to see elected For the purpose of en-
abling the people to see to what desperate lies
and folsdcatious these Copperheods resort for
the purpose of prejudicing the minds of voters
we give below few sections OF the law, passed
last winter, which authorizes the California vol.
unteers to vote


SEC 1. On the day fixed by law for holding
the State election for the year A. d., eighteen
hundred and sixty a ballot box or other
suitable receptacle for votes, shall be opened
and votes received from the electors whose names
are upon said list at each place where n regi-
ment, detachment of a regiment, battalion.
squadron, or battery of California soldiers in the
service of the United States may be on that day,
at which time aud place the electors whose
names are upon said list belonging to such regi.
ment, detachment, squadron, or battery shall he
entitled to vote for all officers for which, h1
reason of their residence in the several counties
of this State they are authorized to vote, AZ fully
as they would be entitled to vote Mt elections IN
the several counties aud districts in which they
reside, and the votes given by such electors
at such time and place, shall be considered,
TAKEN and held to have been given by them ia
the respective counties of which they are resi-
dents. Such ballot box or other receptacle for
votes, shall be opened aud such votes received
under the supervision aud charge OF the three
hiuhpqt NJ
regiment detachment, squadron, or battery, In
which shall be deposited by said electors ballots
for all officers for whom, under the provisions OF
this Act. they are entitled to vote, which ballots
shall have the name aud Office of the person
voted for, fairly written or printed on one piece
of paper The name of each elector voting as
D(pyaF9i9r she'll he he checked Nt the time OF voting
box as aforesaid upon the list furnished, and the
officers receiving said votes shall exercise due
care and diligence to prevent any soldier VotlnB
| by mistake for any officer except such as he IS
entitled to vote Tor but no olicer shall open or
! examine any ballot before the same shall be de-
| posted in the ballot box. Said box shall be
opened, if practicable, at nine o'clock ia the
morning of said day, or, II not then, ut such
hour in said day as may be agreed upon by inc
officers whose duty it Is to open the same, and
shall remain open Il sufficient length OF time TO
enable the electors belonging to said regiment,
detachment, battalion, squadron. or battery, to
vote, and one hours notice shall be publicly
given by the commanding officers before closing
said box /; and when said box shall have been
closed, the votes shall be, as soon as possible
thereafter counted by the officers having charge
Of said ballot box, or persons by them appointed.


SEC 8. When such shall have been counted,
all the ballots cast, together with the voting list,
checked as aforesaid, shall be sealed up by the
commanding officer, and be by him forthwith
transmitted, by mail or otherwise to the Secre-
tary Of State at Sacramento, and said command
ing officer shall also make out and certify dupli-
cate returns Of votes given, according to the
forms hereinafter prescribed seal up aud forth
with transmit the same by separate conyeyanees
to the Secretary of State at Sacramento.


SEQ T. Any commanding officer who shall
neglect or refuse to make such return of votes rs
is provided in the fifth aud sixth sections OF this
Act, or who shall make false or fraudulent re-
turn OF such votes, and any officer who shall, by
command threats or promises OF any advantage
or preferment, or in any other improper manner,
eudeayor to control or influence the vote OF any
soldier under his command or control, or in like
manner endeavor to prevent or induce any sol
dier TO refrain from voting for any particular
/ candidate or candidates for whom such soldier
has right to vote, as provided by this Act, such
officer shall forfeit, for every such oiense, the
sum Of two hundred dollars, one half to bin who
shall prosecute to effect, and the other half to the
Treasury OF the county in which prosecution for
said oftenSe shall be commenced, aud any act 80
committed shall be considered, taken, aud held
TO have been committed by such officer within
the jurisdiction of this State, and such ofe"r


shall be liable to be prosecuted for such oliense


before any Justice Of the Peace in any county ~


this State, at any time within one year after sucA


officer shall return to reside in this State; and
satisfactory evidence be presented to the Gover-
nor of this State that any officer has been gully
Of any of the offences specified in this Act IL
shall be the duty of the Governor immediately
to cause such evidence to be transmitted to the
! President OF the United States, with the most
urgent solicitation that the commission of such
officer be revoked, aud his name stricken from
the army roll.


Thus it will be seen that each volunteer will
have the right to cast his vote for any candidate,
as freely, aud without any dictation on tue part
Of the officers of his regiment or company, as he
would have, if he should cast his vote nj the
polls in any precinct in the county. Aud the re-
turn of his vote will be surely counted for the
candidates he voted for, as it would be were II
returned by any OF the officers OF election wi:hin
/ the county.