The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-03-29

person would be regarded as pe.tifoccer or
an IDIOT who should deny thar tic challenge
is legal, and that the rejection Of the vote,
i: the oath j. not taken, Is equally legal.
and that the punishment for false swearing.
Is equally legal also. And ye, If the right
be Of such an absolute nature that the Lee
glslature may not prescribe the evidence
b. which it, like othec rights, may be a.
certainci, then i, follows that the act Of
ls5l j. void for want Of Constitutional au-
tlority.
That act merely provides one kind Or de-
scriptIon Of evidence upon which to decide
the question whether the right in fact exists.
Il leaves the voter 10 furnish his arm eri-
dence upon his own oath. In other words,
il makes him the final juisa aud conclusive
witness in his own case power which it
Is easy to see may be and very cften is
grossly abused, - such q power always i ;
for human nature wa never found = be
strong enough and pure enough 10 resist,
the dominaing influence Of selfinterest or
passion.
Now the registry act simply creates auo-
;htr and further test ofthis right Itrequircs
tie elector to have his name registered in a
book which the law provides for tha: pur
pose, and does not leave it exclusively to
his unsupported oath, whether be i, voter
or rot. His registration is written affirna-
ton, assuring his cO-clect0rs in tie town
sap or ward that be has resided there FIR
at least ten days, and that be possesses the
other constitutional qualifications; and the
Law thus ceased to be satisfied Of this i'm,
rortant fact upon his mere personal oath
taken in tue confusion Of an election l.
Is ia fact merely written preliminary eyi-
dcnce that be is such resident and Possesses
such qualifications; or rather it is his writ
ten assurance Of that fact
But the object of the law is not limited
solely TO this written affirmation 1t goes
further. 1t preserves the right Of challenge
as At present existing, ana it enables the
challenging party to consult the book Of
registration, before the election takes place,
to ascertain whether A. B C. or H. X in
truth a resident OF the ward or township.
claiming the right to vote and to take IL
formation trcm any uther sources, whc,her
n fact they possess the constitutional right.
Thus it prevents the false voter from TIan-
t;sing a surprise upon tLe Boali Il !ns;"r.
tors, and from defrauding the 'suc voter t.:
bis just share Of influence in chcoSia- he
persons who are to make -nd .imiri-'er
tie laws Thus, in short, 1t tends, "t 10 J..e.
serve the purity Of eisctio:~ I'd aH-fi
against abuse, Of the elective franchise"
And to say that such an ac.--aE az,
which BY no means assuncs 70 add H. cr
de.ract from the constitutional quail ijcs,i u
Of q voter--Is void, for uncoGSt:;u;ioLa!.ty.
ia in the same breath to assert that the act
of 1871, and indeed every other act passed
to protect the same right, and TO punish In
fractions Of it, are void for the same rea-
ronc. w ha-o feat, however, that the
Courts of the State will ever adopt such an
absurd principle, and fstter ourselves that
whenever these Democratic Committee
men shall bring their actions at law against
the Inspectors Of election for refusing t,
receive their vote on the ground that their
names are not registered, they will wslS
out of Court with the valuable privilege o
taking nothing by their motion end pay
ing their own costs; that i to say. wit!
their geudy feathers somewhat droop NJ -
At all events. feel benevolent anxiety
to have them try the experiment, and trn,
that our Republican friend, VII interp"5
30 obstacle to the course they contemplate
say unto them, go II.