The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-03-13

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corrupt associates registry officers and having doae
this II would not difficult. by the entry OF fictitious
other ingenious ana wicked devices 70 commit even great
er rauos than could be IN the absence
convenient machinery Is wei known that some Of the
have been accomplished with registry law In full opera
ton, and by IT'S aid The undersigned therefore, una
bic 10 recommend the bill under Consideration pre-
ventve fraud: the contrary ne enertans lin the
Language of Gov Seward concerning the registry Of
1840), the firm belief thai the registry proposed would
dappont all the expectations INDUCED and lead TO frauds
and We xations Of suhfage
TIE proposed registry would not only be unconstu-
tional and useless in preventing fraud prove
positive and ntolerabe then upon the people, which
they would not long endure.
The expense Of It's execution the shape of increased
taxes caused by the fees " officers aud other expenses
would rot be nconsderabe would be sensbly felt by
the already over burthened tar OF every town IN
the State Tue present time to increase taxation.
Reform should run in the opposite direction
But the inconvenience and loss OF time inflicted upon
the electors in procuring registration will impose
upon them heavier than that levied by the hand
or the tax gatherer In the language OF Gov Seward,
concerning the bill of 1640:-
The bill confederation would subject
difficulties hndrance and exposure preparatory the
those to bear them The time lost by the poor man
traction from the Comforts OF bis family "
ncannot be doubted that the eec. Of this BILL and in
deed OF toe registry law would be 10 deprive many cleo
tors OF the exercseof the right of suffrage The obsta
Clss which 1t would ntorpose the way votiug-or
Gov Seward called them, tie "vexatons Of suffrage
would prevent many constitutional from depostng
Their ballots On this point the language Of Seward
concerning the registry law OF 1910 is emphatic and ap
ptopriate. BE saio'-
II ~ yo pos sd THAT will egs the
compsh that not so much Sv preyens Illegal T aa
as by hnderDg legal voters regard the exclusion of
one who unqualified.
The experiment Of registry law for the city OF New
York was tried In $780, while Governor Seward occupied
The gubeIDatoral chair. Its wo kings uusatsfac
tory and became od,ous that repealed the
very next session Of the LEGISLATURE Governor Seward
mi cd rrc
(vol 2, page 379) mat he at first determined to veto it,
and actually prepared veto message, which, it is stated
In the volume referred 10, was suppressed at the We
henent solicitations OF Governor Stewards friends in the
CITY OF New York, in opposition to his Judgment"
quotations have already been given from this sun
pressed veto message OF Mr. Sewiris views; but his
inguage not ony IN opposition 10 that particular bill but
pirate emphatic that several passages are here cub
joined in the hope that they may have influence with his
in this Senate and out of it III leading them the
adoption OF 70 md views. M Seward said
NJ oecono 10 those provisions which direct registry
voers MY opinions coaceIning the rncpe Of reslty
the capital to solicit the ADOPTION sh
ann measure lhs THE Of the bill msnests legislative
be Iemeded be oitcues q access
S %sn ps Sd v s
While iii u aH soa ssi
dssston wcsd subject voters to hn
Ss,y ,ps ces you'd
family p''A'p' " Satisfaction from the
constitution upoa the basis Of free uacoa.
pde ana b and atoms
mil the convention Of 1871 ard then mper
Of The .is1i LEFT in The coasatlon removed By
the rights of citizen been safely enjoyed and the
an as
See exclusive suffrage for portion of those nirated with
OF asiyer1 Isl suffrage the attention OF the
the e G s 81 ss
nll & on demand OF any other citizen at the
minaIy registry ponosea in lieu Of that time Sae
hat . rss e xoa t. as TAR
ne anc mat enacueos for snch pufpose would
ihsa could not sfs
IoR a Ro o or
for ay and would have been basis
exposure We can now have sued aids and checks.
wns!sy s other results be acpaa certainly
r ns S votes poled K the city Of New York and
illegal voting as by hiaderins legal voters regd the
Slsr 81 sn Sge than admission
ger from the broadcast extension the franchise Universal
eTtsno tat acausscenSse and loyalty
oyrown oher lorna In retnrnas Se
b shon my approval 90 5, under firm belief the
duged snd lead to frauds aud vexaons Suffrage which
come Law.
Are these views of Governor Seward less sound now
than they were in lS4os Viii the friends of that gentle
man PASS registry law 'n opposition his judg
ment they did 1910? Ought they not to uo6t and
learn wisdom from that unfortunate experiment.
The objections Of the undersigned the proposed regis
Try law may be recapitulaed US follows
The proposed registry law would be violation of the
constitution OF the State as would demand OF elector
QUALIFICATIONS without the possession OF which the cons
tuition has declared he shall be entitled to VOTE,
The proposed law would not prevent frauds upon the
suffrage but rather furnish machinery which would faci
tate their commits sion.
g. In the rural districts such law is entirely unneces
sary and In the large cities would utterly tail to answer
the purpose Of its enactment
The proposed registry law would largely increase the
expenses and consequently the taxation every town in
the State.
g. The proposed law would place additional burthens
upon the electors subectng them to Inconvenience and
taxing their time in complying with its provisions
The proposed registry law by its obstacles In the
way Of the exercise OF the right OF suffrage would pre-
vent many legal voters from depostng their ballots
T. The law proposed, in addition to the objections AREA
dy would annoying and become odious
to the peopespecaly OF the rural districts where its
useesspess, expensveness Inconvenience would be
very appsrenand Its early repeal will follow its enact
ment IN other words and in the language of Governor
Seward, the registry proposed would disappoin all
pectations INDUCED, and lead frauds of
suffrage which would elrly period induce repeal
If II should become a law"
All Of which is respectfully submitted.
JOHN c. MATHER
Multiplying the Fugitive Slave Law.
Mr. Spencer the Assembly, cited the statistics of the