Year: 1867

represented by scoundrel and thief,
the author of the bin has provided an
oath to be taken by the citizen who do
sires to vote. The applicant for regis
tration is required by the sixth section
Of the proposed act to swear that he
will make full, true, and perfect an
swers to all such questions as may be
asked him touching his right to vote. It
appears to have been forgotten however
that conviction of felony constitutes
disqualification for the right of suffrage,
and that tho registrar may ask the ap-
plicant whether he has ever stolen .
carpet bag or an overcoat or hog or
horse, or anything else coming within
the legal definition Of grand larceny.
1t is to be presumed, however, that the
aft and proper" persons appointed by
the Governor will have some knowledge
of the manner in which the applicant
for registration intends to vote and will
refrain from asking questions which it
might trouble some Of the members Of
the present Legislature to answer salts
factorily. Accordingly certain ques-
tions are prescribed which the regis
trars are directed to ask.


Among these questions the sixth is,
"Have you at any time since that Pc
riod June 1st., 1867 and during the
late rebellion, by your conduct or con-
versstion, opposed the policy of or the
means used by the government of the
United States in suppressing said re-
bellionr Every man who questioned
the wisdom of tho emancipation pro-
elaInation; every man who opposed the
arbitrary arrest of citizens and tho sup
preston Of newspapers; overy man who
did not yield an unquestioning support
to all the measures of Mr.. LINCoLN's
administration, even though those
measures may have since been
pronounced illegal by the highest court
in the land, is by this clause in the
oath, forever prevented from voting in
West Virginia. Every one of the more
than ten thousand men who in this State
in 1854 voted for General McCLELLAH
to be President Of the United States
and, by that act, proclaimed their dis
approval Of the policy which had been
pursued by the government Of the
United States for the suppression of the
late rebellion, is forever disfranchised
by the terms of the proposed law.


Nor is this all. 1t is favorite dogma
with the radicals that the rebellion still
exists. 1t is their fondly cherished be-
lief that the war has not yet ended and
that all the powers claimed for and ex-
ercised by Congress during the last five
years are still entitled to full force and
effect. II this be true, then no person
who opposes the means used by the
present chief Executive of the nation
for the pacifcation of the country and
the restoration of peace and tranquility
throughout all our borders can be per-
mitted to deposit his ballot in West
Virginia. Both conservative men and
radicals being thus excluded from vot-
ing, is not the proposed act precisely
what we have defined it to be, can Act
to Abolish Electionsp


That the Legislature now sitting in
this city will pass this act we have
every reasou to believe. Let US enter q
strong protest against its passage by
the municipal election to be held in this
city to-day, and let us be prepared to
assert our rights, and prevent the con-
summation of this contemplated vii
lainy by whatever other means GoD has
placed in our power. There is q limit
beyond which endurance ceases to be q
virtue.