The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-10-21
RegistratiO of Voters.

General Randall in reference to the duty of
Registering Officers on the two last days, the
3lst inst. and LIST of November. when the
boards hold their final meeting. The Attor-
ney General gives it as his opinion that the
law don't authorize the Registering Officers
to enter on the lists any names not heretofore
entered hence those who neglected to re-
port themselves formerly, and all who have
been held ''under advisement," are by this
decision ruled out. y
ANNAPOLIS, Oct. 10Th, 1865
For His Ercellency, 4. ". Bradford,
Gorernor of Maryland:
SIR In compliance with your request of
to day | have examined the act of the last
session relating to the registration of the
State, in order to ascertain what duties are
thereby required to be perforated by the
Registers during the last two days of their
sessions, and now proceed to give you my
opinions:
These duties are set forth in that part of
the eleventh section which declares that the
Registers shall give Notice for all persons
interested to appear before them al the place
and during the hours of registration on the
Tuesday after the first Monday of Novem-
Der, to show any omissions or other errors
in the said list, at which time the list of
qualified voters shall be corrected and finally
closed"
These words do not authorize. in my opin-
ION, the Registers to hear and admit any new
applicants for registration who had neglected
or failed to appear before them during the
many days specially set apart by former
section for that purpose, and thus to make
dddtt,onS OF other names TO the lists Of reg
istered voters-but they merely authorize
omissions or other errors to be shown in these
lists for the purpose of having them ''cor.
rscted md finally cioSea" These words as
sumo that the lists are made. though there
may be "e1rors' in them-that they are
closed though not "Gnaiy closed" The
ninth section had previously set apart
days to the Registers for the purpose of dis
charging their duties as Officers OF Rcgstra.
ton according to the provisions of this act,
after which the alphabetical list of registered
voters is to be made, printed and published
before the meetings Of the Registers in these
last two days. If the names of other voters
could be registered on these lists during
these last two days. then the public could
have no such notice of their. registration as
this section evidently intended should be
furnished before these last two days.
This view is confirmed also by the differ
ent language used in the fourteenth section,
which does make provision for the ''correc-
ton of said lists of qualified votcrS after the
first general election by the addition Of the
names and persons having come to age, ac.
CURED legal residence. been naturalized. or
otherwise" &c. This fourteenth section
evidently contemplated that new applications
for registration were to be entertained and
other voters registered and hence the Ian
guagc Of this section refers to the correction
of these lists. not Of "any omissions or other
errors hut "by the addition of names and
rersons' thereto. This duty of correcting
the errors in these lists also. il appears to
me, authorizes the Registers to strike of
from these printed and published lists during
the last two sessions the names of any per-
sons who may then appear to them to have
been illegally registered as qualified voters.
The preparation. printing and publishing OF
these lists are for the purpose of informing
the public OF the persons whose names are
thereon. and all persons interested are
notified to appear before the REGISTERS dur.
ing these last days Of their session to show
my omissions or other errors therein. that
the same may be corrected and the lists
finally c!osed-al of which would be useless
If the information thus elected could not be
used to correct the lists by the exclusion
therctrom Of disqualified voters.
This duty of the Registers carefully to ax-
clude from being registered all disqualified
persons is prominently set forth in the Con.
stiulion. MS well as in this law. and these
are the last sessions when ali he information
is supposed to be before the Registers and
they are required to finally conclude their
duties.
From these views conclude that the Re.
g'sters at their last two sessions have no au.
thorty to do more than correct omissions or
other errors in the said lists and finally close
them.
Respectfully, am, your oL't serv't.,
A. RANDALL.
ATTORNEY General of MARYLAND.