Year: 1866

|


Registration Law was ordered to its
| engrossment, was reconsidered.


The clause "and if the evidence
brought to his knowlege shall satisfy
him thai the applicant for registration
has committed any of the acts enume-
rated in such affidavit, or that he is
in any way disqualified as a voter he
shall register his name, and report the
facts to the county board of registra-
ton, which shall examine such facts,
and if they are of opinion that such
person should not be registered, shall
strike his name from the list" was
amended so as to read and if the evi-
dence brought to his knowledge shall
satisfy him that the applicant for regis


tration has committed any of the acts !
enumerated in such affidavit, or that he
is in any way disqualified as voter, he
shall not register his name, but carefully
exclude it, Notwithstanding he may
have takenIthe affidavit aforesaid"


The bill was further amended by stri.
king out the clause disfranchising per
sons who fed from the State to avoid
military duty in the service of the
United States or this State; and ordered
to its third reading


The rules were suspended and the bill
placed upon its passage


ar Johnson, of Tyler, said as this
was a question not only tor the present
but for the future, he arose to speak
against the.Bill. Was the Bill in accord
ance with the spirit OF our institutions
the Constitution Of the State, the Con
stitution Of the United States, the pres.
ent policy of the Federal Government or
in accordance with the spirit of Christi.
anity. No. The Bill was an attempt TO
subvert the liberties of the people. Free
government is instituted upon the will
Of the governed; despotisms are sustain
ed upon the will of the governor What
is proposed by this billl The Legisla-
ture does not leave the question to the
Judisiary it proposes to alienate!a large
number of the people of this State.


The duty of the Legislature was to
make laws, not TO accuse or pass judg
ment This bill arraigns every citizen
of this State, except only those who
have served in the army; and reversing
the old maxim that every man is pre-
sumed to be innocent until he is proven
guilty, it presumes that he is guilty of
treason and compels him to purge him
self Of the charge We here overstep
even the power of the Judiciary, and in
defiance of law and the Constitution
presume to declal these men guilty of
crime.


We profess to have republican gov
ernment, we profess to be the guardians
of the liberties of the people During
the rebellion he had often thought he
would prefer to see a monarchy erected
within our borders, than to see the re
bellion succeed. The war had ended in
a glorious success for the Union, and he
had no fears of a monarchy unless it
was to be erected in this State This
tendency was to that end; a fauatical
spirit was driving the State to ruin We
should act with caution and prudence
Freemen would never submit to tyran-
ny. Shall it prove true that repu bic
cannot sustain the shock of a civil war.


The Constitution OF the State clearly
defined who were voters and this law
was in direct conflict with that instru.
ment One of the leading Judges of the
State, in rendering his decision upon a
similar law, had declared it null and
void. Would this Legislature, in the
face of that decision, pass such Bill as
the one5now under consideration. The
Bill was retrospective in its effect, and
clearly an cr post tdcto law. 1t deprived
the citizen of one of his dearest and most
sacred rights; and presumed TO punish
men for offences committed in years
gone by.


The proclamations ofamnesty declared
that all persons assuming the amnesty
oath should be protected in all their
rights and privileges. Many Of the men |
who had taken this oath were now re.
siding within the borders of this State.
Were we, by eDacting such laws as tho
la U now before the House, in good faith
keeping the pledge given TO those men
This law does not In any particular re-
spect the pledge given the men who had
riven up their cause The constitution |
provided that the life of no man should |
be twice placed in jeopardy for the same
offence The men who would be affected |
by this bill had been pardoned by the
Presidents amnesty proclamation, and
that settled the question. The laws OF
the United States were the supreme laws
of the land, and no State could arraign |
man for an offence for which he had |
been pardoned by the Chief Executive |
Of the nation.


1t should be the object of the legisla-
tors to harmonic and conciliate the |
masses to legislate in a manner calcu- |
lated to unite our people in the bonds of
friendship and love. 1t was claimed by |
some that the men affected by this bill |
would get possession of the State if the
law was not passed He believed that
a majority of the people within the linn
its of the State would prove loyal TO its
interests II our legislation was of
proper and concil iatory nature, we need |
have no fears Of our masters-the people |
of the Commonwealth.


Did the Sacred Scriptures iuculcate |
such a spirit as the one prominent in this |
bill We were taught TO pray forgive |
us our trespasses as we forgive those who |
trespas5 against us He had heard |
ministers of the gospel in that hall utter
these words in prayer, and had often
wondered whether they really desired |
its fulflment and what would be their
condition if the only forgiveness they
obtained was such as they accorded TO
their fellow men.


II has been said that unless this bill Is /
passed, the present members Of this |
House will not be returned TO their seats |
| do not think the interests Of the |
State would suffer if such men were not |
returned. | would warn the members Of
l l. Il