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ment upon a constitutional basis. Men who, sought to foster agitation and perpetuate fueds between the section's, hoped to find in him a willing instrument to ."accmplish! their pur- poses, because they imagined, he "ad old jealousies to gratify, and old indignities which he had suffered in the fury of the strife to resent. Time has proved their mistake, and the Course of the President proves that peace as well as war can develop the highest forma of patriotism and statesmanship. He has devoted his energies to the restoration of the States to their former position in the Union, and, as the fundmentals principle of American liberty, lie has aimed to place the administiation of the 'local State Governments in the hands 'of the people of the States, giving to the citizens of the Southern States their political rights. Accordingly we find , he has pardoned many individuals who took a prominent . part in the-late rebellion, and James L. Orr only a year ago in the so-called Confederate Senate, is now the Governor of the State of:' South Carolina, and holds the most friendly relations with the Federal Government and the constituted au- thorities. Numerous other cases might be cited analogous 'in i principle. ' Does not the course of the President towards the Southern States' teach i a lesson to our legislators in Maryland which patriotism,: a love of civil liberty, and a regard lor the fund- emental principles of republican liberty, should admonish 'them to heed? . ' ";! A constitution was framed in the midst of the commotions of 'civil war, which not only disfranchises those who were in actual hostility to the United States, but deprives men of their political rights for even the expression of desires or opin- ions. Men who have occupied the highest positions in the State, who, during the war have borne the burdens of taxa- tion, and discharged every obligation to the State, and who : are called upon now to bear all the burdens of government, find themselves with no voice in the conduct of the State or ' Federal Government. Such sweeping clauses of disqualification never should have been inserted in the Constitution. Even- during the existence of the war there was no 'State necessity for such enactments in the Organic law. But the citizens of' the State are not only disfranchised by the "existing- Constitution: By the .action of the Officers, of 'Registration appointed to register the voters of the State, 'the disqualification-to vote, and the loss of political rights, .have been extended even beyond the intent and objects sought "'by the Constitution. Men have 'been. excluded from the ex- ercise of their political rights, in-many cases, from partisan motives—in others from mere personal hatred and pre- judice. Not only those who are disqualified by the Consti- |
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Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1866
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