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Show jiox jx Tin-: sorr. Wk moikn run Rox. It's a down right shame. See how super-humanly super-humanly hard he has worked for the coveted lloeordcrship. Then in the eleventh hour to have the leading lawyers of Ihe Territory come out and declare he is not eligible to hold ollice. It is a blasted shame; il is! But this should teach Profiler Box a lesson. Don't he too anxious; anxi-ous; too fast; too previous. While thousands of your friends, relatives and brethren arc anxiously awaiting await-ing the opening of the barred gate which will restore to them their lost franchise, don't, pray, ivy to sneak over the wall ail hy yourself your-self and secure those privileges in advance of your fellow sufferers. That looks selfish, to say the least. The President hasn't the keys to those doors. Congress bolted them and they alone possess the power to withdraw the bars. The joyful clinking of the locks and the welcome creaking of the hinges which will foretell the swinging of freedom's doors to all, by act of Congress, will be hailed with pleasure by every good man in this Territory. Rut any act which will permit bigots or ambitious am-bitious men to squeeze in "by secret passages ahead of the long-suffering long-suffering crowd without, arc unfair, partisan anil only worthy of ridicule ridi-cule and contempt. Even though the President of these groat United Stales could, (but he cannot,) pick out a few favorites from this vast army of tired, anxious watchers and boost (hem over (he wall ahead of the rest, the act would bo unjust, wrongful and an insult to every man who stood there an angered and discouraged witness of this partisan act. If the President has the power to restore the franchise to one man he has the power lo restore it bl all. But these pri vi leges we-e taken away by Congress and must be given back by the same body. Before these rights e:wi be restored, the oath that every voter and office holder in (his Territory is compelled to lake must ho repealed. re-pealed. People who have been granted amnesty or given a p.irdon by the President are treading on dangerous danger-ous ground when they essay to take those lest oaths or any part of them.- Ten of the foremost lawyers of the Territory say: "The qualifications qualifica-tions of voters and eligibility to hold office are determined by act of Congress, and cannot bo changed by the Prei ident." |