New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1855-12-04
A RgGTsTRY Law.

We notice in many Of our exchanges, vol
vrittsn articles advocating the passage Of q
Registry Law for the city Of New Orleans by
the next Legislature. The opinion obtains,
quite generally, that the Legislature will pass
such law. $500.
Although there can be no doubt Of the duty
u our Senators and Representatives in the
premises; although their solemn obligation is
as clear % array Of sunlight on July day
although the mandate Of the constitution, which
each member has to take an oath to obey and
support before he can accept his seat, is unmis-
taxable; we have little hopes Of the passage Of
such Registry Law IS will st all come up to
the spirit and intent Of the trainers Of that in
STANDARDIZATION was to prevent illegal and
fraudulent voting. Indeed, we should not be
surprised if no Registry Law was adopted.
Tho next Legislature may choose to do what
past Legislatures have done, and ignore the
18th article Of the Constitution altogether. The
past affords m accumulation Of mournful pre-
cedsnt, showing woful lack Of conception Of
duty on the part Of those who should have had
clear consciences and clean hands, for none
other are fis for tie exalted posts Of lawmakers
We would fain believe differently. but we
have seen so much Of the recklessness Of par
tisans that we must be excused for want Of
confidence that the next Legislature will be
much superior to its predecessors. With all our
heart We trust We may be disappointed; that
We may have the pleasure Of copfessing that we
have done injustice to the regularly constituted
Legislators Of the commonwealth. Nothing
would afford US more unslloyed satisfaction.
But the realities Of the past are too wildly
before US to be removed by hopeful anticipations.
Nothing but . realization will suffice.
That . strict Registry Law, sufficiently prao-
tcal and stringent in its details, to prevent the
possibility Of fraudulent voting, would be .
priceless blessing to New Orleans. no candid and
intelligent man will dispute. Such Q law would
keep the ballot box pure; would prevent it from
becoming IN engine to further corrupt purpo-
ses; would do away with all the turbulence at
the polls would obyiate all dangers from riots
and would sfeotually shield the ballot boxes
from being molestsd, much less broken and de-
streyed. Why, and how it may beasked. For
the simple reason that al Illegal and fraudulent
votes would be kept out of the ballot box--that
double, treble and quadruple voting would be
impossible that then every body would be
| satisfied, because there would be no ground for
dissatisfaction with purely legal vote,
But, Registry Law, to be worth . copper,
must be stringent and invariable in its opera
ton. All registration should be gotten through
with at least sixty days before election, and the
registers should be open four months previous to
their closing, This would give every legal vo-
ter ample time to register and identify himself.
And the process Of Identification, embracing
district, locality, street, residence, etc., should
be complete and certain--so that any person at
tempting to vote illegally, or more than once,
could be prosecuted to conviction and punish
ment without fail.
Any other act would be worthless and in
convenient farce, and we trust none will receive
the sanction Of the Legislature unless it is calcu-
lated to carry ont the plain import Of the 18th
article Of the Constitution.