Year: 1870

t. A1


county, delivered in the House of


Delegates, February I'd, 1870.


Mr.. SPEAKER Young as / am, mex
perienced as l may be in legislative
lde6ate, and unfavored as 1 may be in
the grace of defamation, yet / cannot
foIbear, even though it cost sacrifice
OF my feelings, seizing the present op-
portunity for the purpose Of expressing
my views generally upon our registra-
tion sy stem, believing however, that all
l may say will be pertinent to the sub
iect now under discussion, as well as to
tho bill introduced by my colleague,
Mr.. Lamb.


Sir, have always believed and have
zealously adhered to such belief, that
the success of every enterprise in which
the human mind or the human heart
engaged depended upon a superior pow
eryand not willing at this time to depart
from this established criterion of my
conduct, / would to day implore the
aid of that power TO assist in the dis
charge of the dRty have just assumed
"a duty imposed upon me by every
conviction of my reason aud judgment
and by the party whom l humbly repre-
sent on this floor, whose principles l am
free to confess are in perfect harmony
with my convictions. Sir, the commit.
tees bill now pending before this House,
providing for the necessary changes in
our registration law, being of infinitely
greater importance, in my estimation,
than any that can be or will be submit
ted for our legislation this session, |
think it imperatiyely necessary on our
parts that free, full and dispassiou ate
consultation upon its merits be INDUCED.


In point of interest none will deny
but that it supercedes all others, either
public or private, that can be presented
to the citizens of the State. l will
hazard the opinion, sir, that there Is not
single man within the limits of the
State, within whose breast dwel.s the
feeblest spark of sympathy for our in
stiUutions, and who contemplates with
pleasure the firm establishment and
advancement of eur young Common
wealth, but looks forward to the
final adjustment of our registra-
ton laws with profound anxiety. With
this view of the measure in controversy,
aud being deeply anxious to secure as
liberal terms as possible for our disfran-
chised brethren throughout the State,
have arisen to throw my opinion in IA
vor of the adoption of the original bill
proposed by my venerable colleague,
and against the substitute of the gen.
tleman from Upshur-into the scales of
the judgment of this House. l do so,
Mr. Speaker, solely actuated by a de-
sire to serve the best interests of this
my adopted State. And | would there
fore ask that my broken thoughts be
not given literal value, but give them
that indulgence due the honesty of my
convictions and sincere desire to pro.
mote the amelioration of the condition
of our State and the happiness of all
aye, every individual withia her limits.
But to the merits of the original bill. 1t
contemplates, it is true, many necessary
changes in the present law. That these
changes are necessary-furtber, that an
immediate and absolute repeal Of all re-
strictions which to our dis
credit stand upon orr statute
books is necessary, just and
equitable l shall assume TO argue.
And / desire to argue this question
with all due courtesy to the views of
every member of this body, or those
who will not suffer their bad passions
to get the better of their good sense,
and who are prepared to deal with the
question with that reasonable fairness
which a good conscience would exact
But, sir, in the outset-I wish to be
frankly understood that neither the
original bill of my colleague nor this sub
stitute of Mr.. FaTnswoTth's is such n
modification Of the registry law as |
desire or which would completely sat
isfy me. / am justified in DC
mauding more for these dis(rln-
chised people. These compromise
measures under discussion DO not
give all that of necessity should be
given by this Legislature to those peo-
pie of our State who contribute largely
to the support of the State Govern.
ment, but who are stripped of all thu
sacred immuuities which should belong
to them as American citizens. l can
not violate my conscience this morning
and say that We should gracously beg
of you loyalists the crumbs that it may
be your pleasure to let fall from your
well-filled tables. No, sir, Mr.. Speaker,
L wish to assert boldly my earnest
wishes for an unconditional and speedy
adjustment of the whole registry law
with all its obnoxious and unwarTanted
restraints | tremble not under the
fear of consequences in making such a
demand at the hands of this House, be-
cause it is based on justice, it is sus-
| tanned, even giving the utmost latitude
to the appTehensions of the Republi
cans, by the necessities of our State, and
far beyond these reasons, because such
magnanimity is taught within the
precapts of the Holy Nazarene who "eX-
tended amnesty from the cross to the
ruined world that slew him." And to-day
| woud appeal to the honor that is yet
left the Radical party, to your reason
which lies beneath desire for personal
interest and party ascendency, in the
hopes you may entertain of pardon for
your life long rebellien against your God,
not only for the rejection of this substi


tute before US, not only for the adoption
of the bill reported by the committee,
but for the re eRfranchisement Of our
people. Take from their necks the yoke
of disfranchisement. You can lose
nothing by such a course. Why you
to-day eat with those people whom you
so politically abhor; you drink and lodge
with them; you admit many of them to
your social board and visit theirs. You
consider it no breach of your religion to
partake of the divine sacrament with
them. In the name of high Heaven
what is that makes you SO reluctant to
give to them the remaining prerogative
of the BALLOT Itis the most sacred of all
his liberties, aye, it is the seasoning Of
all American prerogatiyes. Why, sir,
had l been q member of the Radical
party two years ago aud dts.rous of
preserving the ascendency Of that party
l should have gone TO these people thus
prescribed aud said: Brethren, it is
true you have warred against your coun-
try, that you have added to our SORROWS,
that you have inflicted sore wounds
upon the nation, but cannot forgee
that your lot, tso, is hard one; that
your punishment has been severe, but as
conqnerors, prompted by the forgiveness
| which enshIiued our Washington in all