Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1852-03-18
HERALD OF THE TIMES.
THURSDAY March l8'h 1852.
DIRECTIONS TO VOTERS.

that al the approaching Aprl e'ec"o"
they will vote, for the FIRST time, under
the new Law, which is lamilnrly known
as the "Secret Ballet Law" As the
mode of voting is entirely new, aud as
the provisions OF the Law arc such that
many, Notwithstanding the greatest pre-
caution, will be very liable to lose their
votes, We feel it our duIy TO safe, as
briefly ms possible, and We, comPrehen-
sive!y, the prominent provisions oi the
law. aud what will be required Of The
electors. We have already expressed
our dislike to the Law, as Il childish,
foolish and embarrassing affair; yet,
while il remains in force, il is the duty
Of every good ciIIzen strictly to comply
with il.
The Town Council will appoint two
suitable persons to take charge Of and
deliver the envelopes; these persons
must be at the place OF voting when the
Polls open, and must remain there until
they close. Every voter must apply TO
one Of them, in person, for an envelope,
and these men can only deliver one Of
each kind OF envelopes to such persons
as they know to be voters, by an exami-
nation Of the Registry, and as they deliv-
er the envelopes, they must check the
names on the Registry list. The .enve.-
ope in which you will place your ticket
for State officers, will have the coat-of-
arms ol the State upon it; and that in
which you place your ticket Tor Mem
bers OF the Assembly, will have upon ii
the arms Of the State, and also the words
"for Senator and Representatives"
Having obtained these, you place
your tickets in their respective envel-
opcs, and then we, the gum and press
the envelope together so as to seal it
but you must be careful not to write
your name on the ticket, as the law has
heretofore required, because, il you do,
the ticket will be destroyed without be-
ing counted, when the polls are closed ;
ifyou accidentally place two tickets OF
the same kind in the same envelope
your ticket will be lost, as it is the duty
Of the Moderator to destroy all such il
the envelope "bears any impression or
device or color, designed TO distinguish
such envelope from others OF the same
kind" il Is the duty Of the Moderator 10
'reject it with all its contents"
Having prepared your envelopes, AS
you 90 up to the ballot box, you call
out your name distinctly, a the
Moderator repeats it aloud, and then
causes the same TO be checked on the
Registry; you then hold up the enrcl-
ope so that the Moderator can distinctly
see that you have but one in your hand,
and also that il bears no mark or device
by which it may be distinguished from
the others. Having gone through will,
all this ceremony, you will then dcposi'e
your envelope in the opening Oh The top
OF the ballot box.
All voters must be careful in prcpari g
their ballots, not to soil them or make
any impression upon them, by which
they may be distinguished, because al!
such votes will be lost.
We are thus particular in stating, at
briefly as possible, ,he main features o
the new law, because We presume thai
the majority of voters will not take the
trouble to read the law carefully through
and thoroughly understand what they
have 10 do. The law is ridiculous, and
the sooner il is repealed, the better il
will be for all concerned. Ii affords nc
security in elections which did not pre-
viously exist; the perplexilcs of I'll s
system are innumerable, and the chan
ces Of many persons losing their votes
although they may have deposited them
in the ballot box in good faith, are very
great. The above directions must II
all cases be strictly complied with, BY
every voter.