New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-03-07
NEW REGIsTRY BILI.

Mr.. BrOckwSy of OswcgO has submitted to the
Assembly IeS Registry bill which is very simple
and Straightforward in it, provisions and seems to
be- in the main, generally acceptable. It's defects,
ss they occur to us on hasty reading, are as
follows:
/. > requires the registering officers TO enter
on the registry "the couHtJyof BIRTH Of each y0tsT
registered We 30 not ,ee how this can do tny
GOOD, and As i. will certainly be used to excite pre-
iudice sg,inst the set among Adopted Citizens, We
hope it may be omitted.
! .. The same section requires The Inspectors i'm
perstiyely TO complete the register on the day of
{" their firstl meeting aforesaid' We believe
this may generally be done; bat where the number
Of voters to be registered exceeds three huIared,
we think they should be allowed two days. At all
events some one should be SLOWED and paid for
the time necessary 10 make the required copies.
3. requires the Inspectors, in revising the
Registry, one week before Election, TO "erase
"therefrom the names of all persons not known TO
them, from satisfactory evidence, to be legally
qualified voters Of said district. '-COnsderng
that no names are Cor ough to be entered originally
on said Registry except upon knowledge of their
right 10 be there, we do not Ike this provision.
We think name once entered on the list should be
challenged, some public inquiry made concerning
it, and only erased upon evidence that he who bears
it is not legsl voter. II other words, we hold
that no person should be placed on the Register ex
cept on the positive testimony of one that such
person is voter; and then no name should be
erased except on public inquest and positive EVIL
dence that he never was or has ceased to be SUCH
A. II seems TO US that either the Register or an
official record Of the proceedings of the Bosrd
should show on who're motion each name borne on
said Register wes placed there. For cOntem.
plates the placing of names on the Register at the
time OF revision upon the strength Of the knowledge
Of single Inspector that they are the names of
legal voters. What if said Inspector should be
mistaken in the premis.s' Such registering on
L ere knowledge would do at the primary register
ing leaving the LIST subject to subsequent scrutiny
and revision; but we think no name should be in-
scrbed at the time of revision except on the re-
corded oath Of some legal voter that he knows the
person so inscribed 70 be an elector Otherwise,
the names of unknown persons Of questionable
hight will be kept back at the primary registering
to be slipped on at revision when they cannot sub
sequently be challenged.
5. This ! forbds the registering Of any not
personally present, except such as "are unabie
q from sickness or disability to attend in person."
We most strenuously object to this. Let the Reg
istrv be made no further troublesome than is abso-
ntely necessary. And what can be the use of re-
Guirii the personal attendance Of that large ma
iority of the citizens in rural township whom
every member of the Board knows to be legal
voters! II might 10 TO admit 40 new voters at
revision who are not personally present; but at the
primary registering, we insist that half dozen
persons only need be n attendance, and that re-
auirirg the attendance of all the voters would be
grave waste of time
&. allows persons not registered to vote
without even swearing provided leach member
of the Board is satisfied that such person is eg,
voter" That is to SAY: The three Inspectors
fall Democrats at our Five Points, Corlser's
Hook, Mackerelvile &c, may let in unregistered
votes at their sheer discretion. Mr.. c. S.
Spencer was quite right in saying that this would
substantially DuTlily the at 1t must De set rgat.
We are opposed to allowing any one who is not
registered 10 vote at al; bat, If the Legislature
will not agree to this, We insist that it should
REQUIRE the positive oath OF the voter and OF two
REGISTERED electors-al these esths to be placed on
record-to admit the vote Of an unregistered
person. And DO such persen should be allowed to
vote while registered electos j, ready and waiting
opportunity 10 do so.
:. This section concludes b. prescribing that
any person whose name is on the registry may
be challenged, and the same oaths shall be put
are row prescribed By law" Why so ? The
essence, the purpose Of Registry is, scrutiny
and determination Of every mans right TO vote,
apart from the noise and excitement, the turmoil
and hurry, of election dsy. mans name has
been placed on the register, aud has there been
,crutinired At leisure by every one VINO chose.
Each has lad his full srd fsr opportunity 70 chal
euge at the revision Why renew this st the
Election To wha. end but 10 obstruct the poll
ing and excite i'll blood We protest against any
challenge at the election except on the point Of
identity; and even then il should no. be enter.
ts:ned if the Inspectors 81 know the voter to be
/ the person he PROCESSES TO be. Malicious, ve1a-
tious challenges ought to be discOunenancei law;
they are fruitful source Of anger and bitterness.
:. 10 properly provides that the regis
"ters shan at all tunes be open to public inspec-
- e fha sathOfitias having th.rn