Year: 1867

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Our attention has been called to an edito-
rial of the Sentinel of the 14th inst, which
is such monstrous perversion Of the Regis
tration laws of Congress as to demand no.
tice. The article shows itselfto be the stud
led contrivance of one who is no friend to
the reconstruction measures, and who
would rejoice TO see the purposes of Congress
in the passage of these laws defeated, Union
men excluded from the polls, and the con-
troll of the .ballot-box given to the enemies of
the government.


As stated by the Sentinel, much the largest
class excluded from voting by the Registra-
tion laws, are those who "before the war
held executive and Judicial offices of the
Statep and qfteraoards engaged in insurrec-
ton or rebellion against the United States
or gave aid and comfort to the enemies there
Of" And by the last amendment of Con-
gress to these laws, executive and judicial
offices of the State are construed to "in-
clude all civil offices created by law for the
administration of the general laws of the
State, or for the administration of justice,
whether the incumbent took an oath of Of
fee or not"


The Sentinel then asks:


But what is engaging in rebellion, or
| giving aid and comfort? 1t seems generally
| admitted that this embraces only such per-
| sons as rendered voluntary assistance The
law does not say so. but the Attorney Gener-
al so construed it, and his construction seems
| not to have been doubted ON this point
| Hence, the general idea is. that man who
| paid his taxes, or was forced, by conscrip-
| tion, into the army, rendered Involuntary as
| sistance only, and is not disfranchised for
| such assistance"


Here is an admission by the Sentinel that
the exclusion of the party from voting de-
pends on the intent with which the aid was
rendered to the rebellion.


But before closing the foregoing paragraph,
that paper says: mo man can register who,
after holding any of the above offices before
the war, and during the war sought any of
fee to escape the hazards of the war;" This
is not true, if intended to be applied to
Union men. Congress intended no such
thing. 1t is an attempt by the Sentinel to
deter from registering large and influential
class of Union men.
These Editors we'll know that thousands
of Union men sought and accepted office du-
ring the war to save themselves from being
forced into traitorous rebellion to fight
against the Union which was the idol of
their hearts, and the object of their affections.
Yes, thousands of the best Union men the
country accepted such Offices as Justice of
the Peace, Constables, Clerks of Courts, &C.,
&C., not to aid the rebellion but to SAGE them
selres from conscription J; and they did good
service is restraining rebel lawessness and
giving protection to Union men and poor
| defenceless families whose natural protectors
had been forced into the rebellion. Every
man knows, and every honest seccssionist of
any intelligence will admit that Congress did
not intend by the Registration law to dis
franchise Union men of this class.


Toproperly understand the intent of this
law and to carry it into effect according to
| its spirit and meaning, we must look to the
condition of the country and the object of
its passage.


The government of the United States had
| just got through war which had been
waged by traitors and disloyal men four long
years for its destruction. At a cost of thou
sands of millions of dollars and hundreds of
thousands of lives the rebellion was sup
pressed and the Union saved. Congress then
enacted these reconstruction measures to
exclude the enemies Of the Union from ooting
and from all poaoer and control in the gopern-
ment, and to secure the support and preserva-
tion of the Union to its true friends only
the Union men, and not to its enemies who
might engage in another conspiracy to
destroy it.
| Such being the intent of the law which is
the true key to its Interpretation, it becomes
the duty of the Registers who are required to
be good Union men to carry that intent into
effect In fact, the late amendment to the
Registration law enjoins it on the Registers
to give the act liberal construction so as te
carry into effect the intent and the purposes o.
Congress in the passage Of the law.


Therefore, Registers must look to the IN
tent Of the party who may have aided the re


bellion, to ascertain whether he is entitled tc
register or not.
All admit. even the Sentinel itself, that O
conscript who fought on the rebel side is moi
excluded. Why2 Because he was forced to
enter the army, while the disunionist who
volunteered to kill Yankees is excluded
They both fought against the Union!--
Wherefore this diffefence2 Because the
law, common sense and justice look to the
maotiUes and intent OF each. The one was
4 forced to take up arms against the Union
while the other voluntarily did the same
thing, but with the intent to aid in its de.
struction. s5


The Sentinel also admits that one who fur
nished food and clothing to soldier, be.
cause he was naked and starving, is moi
thereby excluded; while another who did
only the same thing, but did it wiM the intent
to aid the rebellion, is excluded. So of the
Onion man who accepted office during the
war to save himself from CONSUMPTION, to aid
in saving Others from the army, and who
stood ready to restore peace and the Union.