The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-03-04
AMENDMENTS CONQUERED ~.


An act to incorporate the NIninger and
81. Peter Railroad Company, a. amended
by the Senate, was conenrred ID by the
House.
An act, authorizing loan Of $3.50 900
having been amended by the Senate, and the
amendment no,concurred In by the House
a committee Of conference was appointed
and the report Of the committee having
been unanimously 10 favor Of the Senate
amendment, the House concurred therein.
and the bill was - returned 10 the Senate,
THE REoIsTRATrox LAW.
Mr.. OTIS, from the judiciary Commit
tee, submitted the following majority report:
To the Honorable the House Of Representatives.
Of the State Of Minnesota
Tho C0mmittee 70 whom was referred House
Bill No. 10, ~ bill requiring the registry Of ~
legal voters before elections, have had the
same under consideration, and majority there
Of submit tho following report;
The bill provides for the registration ~ the
voters Of each election precinct in the State. ~
the Judges 81 election Of the several precincts (;
and section provides that Ut oil elections, no
vote shall DO received by the Judges Of election
until the name Of the person Offering the nafse
shall have been found upon the registry list, ~
corrected At the last session Of the Judges OF
election, and by them checked as directed In
section D. A majority Of your COMMITTEES think
that this part OF section q, which In vital TO the
bill, and absolutely necessary 10 give u the 81
feet desired by this advocates Of u registry law
ID In conflict with the organic law Of tbis State.
Section ] Of Article 7 Of the Consultation, pro.
yides " that every male person Of the ago Of
twenty one years of upwards, belonging to
either Of the following classes, who shall have
resided In the United States one year, aud In
this state for four months nnSt proceeding any
election, shall be entitled 10 vote ~ such cleo
tion, In the election district Of which he shall at
tho time have been ten days u resident, for all
officers that now are, or hereafter may be elect
I've by the people"
II viii be seen from thIs Section that the con.
ytitution IL impsSatips. Every male person
having the enumerated qualifications, "shnA b.
entitled Ia cote
There Ia no doubt. power Ia the Legislature
to prescribe thu manner and form 81 conduct
ing elections, they may define the duties of the
Judges, aud prescribe the time and place Of
holding election they may require th0ss Judges
10 make lists of voters and TO cheek on there
from the names of those who vote, OF do and
discharge any other duties that they may Ia
their wisdom deem iii and pertinent To the Of
ice of Judge OF Election, but can they require
anything more Of the oonstitutionally qualified
time aud place and IN the maaaer required by
law, TO the Judges Of Election, whose duty i
then becomes 10 deposit In the ballot box. And
II tho voter, having thrs. constitutional gnaiiii.
cations, demands that his yote be received at
such election, can IL be rejected II IL the
opinion OF u majority VI your Committee, that
IL cannot. lie " clothed with the qualifications
Of voter, and the Constitution provides that
every person clothed with these qualifications
shall be entitled 10 vote.
How then can the Judges Of Election refuse
his vote II rendered In the same manner, Ut the
same time. aud with all the formalties WITH
which other qualified voters, whosn votes have
been received, have rendered theirs. II he IL
"entitled 10 vote, the Judges OF Election must
receive his vote, and any law, authorizing them
10 reject II, IA direct violation OF the letter aud
spirit Of that provision Of the organic law Of this
state which secures 10 oil persons having the
enumerated pualiiic atons, tho rights aud piyi
leges of the elective franchise,
II ~ claimed on behalf the advoc atea Of this
law, that other states have Adopted Registry
Laws 81 similar paspest. " Is eae that y few
OF the States have done 40. but II IL the opinisn
of u majority Of your Committee, that Ia all
these cases, the Consultations of those States
have been less liberal than our own In their pro.
visions relating 10 the elective franchise. else
the power 10 pass such laws has been expressly
delegated by those Constitutions To the Legis.
lature. No such power has been expressly del
cga,ed by our Constitution "a this Legislature,
but On the cont AIRY The exercise Of such pow.
or would be ia a direct conflict with its plain
letter, spirit and inteut.
Hut our objections 10 this bill are not based
seirfs upon hs conflict with Off organic law .~-~
Other aud strong reasons lie against it. u the
restrictions Of Registry Law could be endured
ia any free government based like ours upon
universal suffrage, IL would be In an old aud
thokly populated community, where the limits
of election districts are well defined, narrowly
oiroumsoribed IN extent, where tho places oi
elections aud OF registry are alike easy of az.
cess 10 all, aud where the citizen need not ira
vel many miles, perhaps entirely out Of the
usual course az his business, over nackless
wilderness, or unfrequented by Ways, to insure
the insertion OF bis name upon the Registry lists
and protect himself against the rareics-pess. or
perhaps the wilfnl omission OF partixan judges.
Whatever good effects might come from such a
Law IN the older states, II would certainly work
q hardship and tend eneetualiy to disfrauchis
many citizens IN the sparsely populated coun
ties Of new State like our own.
The purity OF the ballot box can be sufficient
ly protected, by laws requiring vigilance and
efficiency on the part Of those who conduct
elections, and by Imposing and enforcing pen.
a't,es Commensurate 80 the offence, upon all
those who abuse the sacred trusts connected
with the exercise Of the elective franchise.
Your COMMITTEE, therefore, believing the bill
under consideration TO be both unconstitutional
aud inexpedtent. respeetfnily report the same
back 10 the House with the roeonme ndation
that u be indefinitely postponed
All Of which Il respectfully submitted.
+. p,sscs. Msicrir ' OF Com.
III EAaes.
Mr. BEARCE. the minority OF the com