Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-10-25
The Registry Law.

The Registry Law.
The bill to beintroduced by Mr.. Prout
in the lower House of the Legislature Of
Vermont concerning the registration of
voters having excited considerable dis
cussiou among our Democratic neigh
bors, we have determined in order TO
set all parties right, to publish the bill
entire, and would add that in our opin-
ion the law is just what has been needed
in the larger cities and towns of the
State for long time. 1t has no Obiec-
tionable clauses to loyal men, and if there
are any disloyGl men in the State, we do
not think they have any right to the
use of the elective franchise. Mr. Prout
is deserving of much credit for his efforts
to maintain the purity Of the ballot box,
and he will no doubt be seconded by all
lovers of law and justice in the sections
to which his bill has particular refer
ence. We give it below:
AN ACT in relation to the qualification
Of Voters.
1t is hereby enacted By tie General ASseia.
| BIZ of the State Of Vermont, as fol!OwS..
SECTION !. On petition therefor in
writing, signed by not less than twenty
| freeholders who are legal voters in any
city or town in this State the board of
Aldermen in such city, or the SeleCtmen
of such town shall, at least thirty days
before any annual city, town or free
mems meeting, make an alphabetical
list of the names of all persons legally
qualified to vote in said city or town for
the several officers to be elected at such
meeting or meetings, and shall imme.
| diately thereafter cause copy or copies
| thereof to be posted in three or more
| public places in such city or town, and
a copy to be fled in the office of the
Clerk thereof.
SEC. 2. The Mayor and Aldermen of
such city, and the board Of civil author
| ity of such town, shall hold a meeting at
some convenient place therein within
ten days of such annual city, town and
| freemen's meeting, and shall be in ses.
sion reasonable time to hear and de-
termine all alterations to be made in
| such list, and may examine upon oath
| all persons claiming the right to vote,
and all witnesses testifying in relation
| thereto, and they may require the pro-
| duction Of the naturalization papers of
| all persons claiming to be naturalzed
| citizens. And it shall be their duty to
insert upon said list the name of every
legal voter omitted and erase theretrom
the name OF every person not legally en-
| titled to vote, and notice of the time and
place of their meeting shall be given by
said Aldermen and Selectmen, by at,
| taching such notice to the copies of said
| list or lists by them posted and lodged
| in the Clerks Office as aforesaid.
SEC. 3. The Mayor and Aldermen OF
said city and the board of civil author
| ity Of said town, at their meeting to be
held as aforesaid, shall erase from said
| list or lists of voters the name of every
person who it shall be made to appear
| by evidence as aforesaid willfully de-
serted the military or naval service of
the United States, in the late war for the
suppression OF the rebellion in the
Southern States and who did not return
to said service within the time limited
| by the Proclamation of the President of
the United States notifying deserters to
return within sixty days, as well as the
names of all persons enrolled and who
departed the jurisdiction of the district
in which he was so enrolled, with the
| intent to avoid any draft into the mill
tary or naval service of the United States
aforesaid; and shall also erase the name
of any person who voluntarily engaged
in the military, naval or civil service of
the Confederate States during said war.
SEC 4. A certified copy Of said list of
voters as corrected at said meeting shall
be lodged with the clerk of said city or
town previous to the hour at which said
city, town, or freemen's meeting is
called, and no alteration shall thereafter
be made therein, except TO add thereto
the names of such persons as shall at
such meeting become qualified to vote
therein; and no person shall be allowed
to vote at such city, town or freemen's
meeting whose name is not upon said
list when corrected, and the vote of no
person whose name is upon said list
shall be rejected; Provided, that persons
not residents Of such city or town may
vote for State and county officers, when
residents and legal voters of the same
county and may vote the State ticket if
resident in this State, upon making oath
before the board of civil authority that
he is legal voter in the town in which
he resides, when list Of such voters
shall be made and kept by the town
clerk.
SEC. 5. 1t shall be the duty of the
clerk of such city or town, or in his alb
sence of any one of the Aldermen or Sc
lectmen, to check upon said list the
names of all persons voting at said city,
town and freemen's meeting, and also in
like manner to check said list when said