526 



MARYLAND. 



Finally, a determination of the true constitu- 

 tion of Mars will be likely to lead, though more 

 slowly, to a knowledge of the physical peculi- 

 arities of the other planets ; and, it may be added 

 that, in his paper on Mars before the Eoyal So- 

 ciety, January, 1865, Prof. Phillips concluded 

 that, upon the whole, we may perhaps be al- 

 lowed to believe that Mars is habitable the 

 conclusion, as here put, of course implying, by 

 beings constituted not very differently from 

 ourselves. 



MARYLAim The General Assembly met 

 on the 4th of January, and continued in session 

 till the 24th of March. The most important 

 bill passed was one in accordance with the first 

 article of the new Constitution, which directed 

 that the General Assembly should provide by 

 law for a uniform registration of the names of 

 voters in the State, which registration should 

 be evidence of their qualification to vote at any 

 election thereafter held, after which no person 

 should vote unless his name appeared on the 

 register. According to this law, the following 

 classes were excluded from the right of suffrage : 



1st. Persons who are not white male citizens of the 

 United States. 



2d. Persons who are not twenty-one years of age. 



3d. Persons who have not resided one year in the 

 State and six months in the county. 



4th. Persons who have been in armed hostility to 

 Ihe United States, or in any manner in the service 

 of the so-called Confederate States. 



5th. Persons who have left the State of Maryland 

 and gone within the military lines of the so-called 

 Confederate States, with the intention to adhere 

 thereto. 



6th. Those persons who have given aid, comfort, 

 countenance, or support to those engaged in armed 

 hostility to the United States, or in any manner ad- 

 hered to the enemies of the United States. 



The persons included in the sixth class were 

 defined by the fourth section of the Constitu- 

 tion to be : 



1st. Those contributing to the enemies of the United 

 States, or unlawfully sending within the lines of such 

 enemies money, or goods, or letters, or information. 



2d. Those who have disloyally held communication 

 with the enemies of the United States. 



3d. Those who have advised any person to enter 

 Ihe service of the said enemies, or aided any person so 

 to enter. 



4th. Those who may have by any open deed or 

 word declared their adhesion to the cause of the ene- 

 mies of the United States. 



5th. Those persons who have declared a desire for 

 the triumph of said enemies over the arms of the 

 United States. 



At a State convocation of registers of voters 

 held at Baltimore for the purpose of securing 

 concert of action throughout the State, the fol- 

 lowing list of questions to persons applying for 

 registration, was agreed upon : 



1st. What is your full and true name? 



2d. Do you consider the oath just taken a's legally 

 and morally binding as if administered by a judge of 

 the court or a justice of the peace? 



3d. Are you perfectly aware that any false state- 

 ments made in said oath, or false answers given to 

 any question which may be propounded to you, ren- 

 ders you liable to indictment for perjury, and, if found 

 guilty, to confinement in the penitentiary not less 



than one nor more than eight years, and forever dis- 

 qualifies you from voting or holding office, in addition 

 to the moral turpitude and future punishment due 

 for false swearing ? 

 4th. What is your age ? 



5th. Where were you born ? 



6th. How long have you resided in this State, and 

 in this county, city, ward, or district? 



1th. If naturalized, where are your papers ? 



8th. Have you ever, since twenty-one years of age, 

 been convicted of larceny or any infamous crime, and 

 confined in the penitentiary and not pardoned out by 

 the Governor? 



9th. Have you at any time been in armed hostility 

 to the United States or the lawful authorities thereof? 



10th. Have you ever been in any manner in the 

 service of the so-called "Confederate States of 

 America" ? 



llth. Have you ever left this State and gone within 

 the military lines of the so-called " Confederate 

 States or armies " for the purpose of adhering to said 

 States or armies ? 



12th. Have you ever given any aid, countenance, 

 or support to those engaged in armed hostility to the 

 United States or the so-called " Confederate States 

 of America" ? 



13th. Have you ever, in any manner, adhered to the 

 enemies of the United States or the so-called " Con- 

 federate States or armies" ? 



14th. Have you ever contributed money, goods, 

 provisions, labor, or any such thing, to procure food, 

 clothing, implements of war, or any such thing for 

 the enemies of the United States or the so-called 

 " Confederate States or armies"? 



15th. Have you ever unlawfully sent within the 

 lines of such enemies money, goods, letters^ or infor- 

 mation ? 



16th. Have you ever, in any manner, disloyally held 

 communication with the enemies of the United States 

 or the so-called " Confederate States or armies " ? 



17th. Have you ever advised anv person to enter 

 the service of the enemies of the United States, or 

 the so-called "Confederate States or armies," or ad- 

 vised any one so to enter? 



18th. Have you ever, by any open word or deed, 

 declared your adhesion to the cause of the enemies 

 of the United States or the so-called " Confederate 

 States or armies " ? 



19th. Have you ever declared your desire for the 

 triumph of said enemies over the armies of the United 

 States ? 



20th. Have you ever been convicted of 'giving or 

 receiving bribes in elections, or of voting illegally, 

 or of using force, fraud, or violence to procure your- 

 self or any one else nominated for an office? 



21st. Have you ever deserted the military service 

 of the United States and not returned to the same, or 

 reported yourself to the proper authorities within the 

 time prescribed by the proclamations of the Presi- 

 dent of the United States and the Governor of this 

 State ? 



22d. Have you, on any occasion, expressed sym- 

 pathy with the Government of the United States? 



23d. Have you voted at every election held in the 

 State of Maryland since 1861, and if not, state your 

 reasons for not doing so? 



25th. During the rebellion, when the armies were 

 engaged in battle, did you wish the success of the 

 armies of the United States, or those of the rebels? 



26th. Have you, in taking this oath, or in answer- 

 ing any question propounded to you, held any men- 

 tal reservation or used any evasion whatever ? 



The effect of the law was the disfhun 

 ment of a very large number of citizens. It 

 was claimed to be unconstitutional ; much op- 

 position was manifested toward it, and in sotno 

 parts of the State resistance was threatened. 

 It was asserted that by its operation the doiui- 



