The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-06-18
REGISTRATION COMMENCED IL
RICHMOND AND HENRICO.
THE PROCESS OF MAKING VOTERS.
Number Registered, DC. &c.


day in the Third Ward Of this city. Our
reporter was present at an early hour, and
as our citizens seem to desire full particu-
lars Of the plan adopted to make voters,
we devote considerable space to the de-
tails Of the process.
The office of registration for Monroe
Ward is in the store formerly occupied by
Brander s. Cooke, on the corner of Second
and Grace streets, which has been neatly
fitted up for the purpose. The en-
trance is on Second street. After
entering a small vestibule, two doors are
before the applicant for registration. Over
one is painted sign-board with the in
scription "For white persons" and the
other is similarly labeled "For colored
persons" A crowd of men al each en-
trance patiently wait their turn for admis-
sion. Every four or five minutes the doors
are cautiously opened by a policeman
standing inside, and one man admitted as
one of the same color goes out on Grace
street. Thus confusion is generally avoid
ed, although the colored men are some
times rather noisy in urging their respec-
tive claims for priority Of admission.
HOW VOTERS ARE MADE.
Entering the office, as two voters Of each
color are always at the desk, the applicant
has time to look around while his neighbor
is registering. Behind the desk are seated
Captain Thomas L. Rose, President Of the
Board, Captain B. G. Cook, register at
large for Richmond, and Mr.. Alexander
Duval, register for the Third Ward. Cap
tain Cook. registers the freedmen, and
Captain Rose the white men, while Mr..
Duval enrOUs the names on four separate
lists, black and white, challenged and un-
challenged, each being allowed separate
list.
The following questions are first pro-
pounded to the applicant "What is your
name! Where were you bornl What is
your occupation? What is your age -
The answers to each satisfactory, are duly
recorded on the top of sheet upon which
is printed the oath prescribed by section
one Of the act of Congress passed March
23d, 1867. This oath is then subscribed to
and the Bible kissed, and the man is en-
franchised. If the applicant cannot write,
as was the case with nine-tenths Of the
colored men who presented themselves on
yesterday, the blanks are filed by Captain
Cook and the voter places the tips Of his
fingers on the pen while "his mark" is
made.
Three colored challengers were early in
attendance, but some hours elapsed before
any white men could be procured, al
though Captain Cook was dilligent in his
efforts to secure persons for the duty.
Finally, Mr.. John A. Hicks seated himself
for the purpose. 1t would be well could
competent men be posted at the office
hereafter, and we trust that some may be
found.
Not more than six applicants were chal-
lepged, the number OF whites and blacks
being about equally divided. The ground
of challenge was generally non-residence
in the ward.
The first man who registered yesterday
was William Q. Mansfield, native OF
England, who has resided in Virginia for
about two years. For the first two or
three hours, about the same. number OF
white and colored men presented them
selves before the Board, but afterwards
the latter were rather more numerous, but
when the books were closed for the day,
at o'clock 2. NJ, the list stood thus:
w nlte Observation-Disclosures. 100
Colored. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. IN
Majority of whites. Observation-Disclosures. IL
Quite a number of well-known citizens
registered early in the morning, while
many others came toward later in the day.
A large crowd was gathered around the
doors of the office and in the street when
the polls closed; and, indeed, nearly all
day there was fine turnout of freedmen.
No disturbance whatever occurred, and
the registering officers received many
enconiums for polite and gentlemanly de-
pertinent.
REGISTRATION IN THE COUNTY.
The registers for the second magisterial
district opened their Office at the county
court house at about 10 o'clock yesterday
morning. The officers were patiently
seated at the table for six hours, but at
the hour appointed to close the books only
four persons had applied to be registered.
These were all white men.
No challengers, white or black, present
ed themselves, and the quiet aspect Of the
office was in striking contrast with the
scene on the corner of Second and Grace
streets.
The singular apathy of the citizens of
this district can scarcely be accounted for,
unless it be attributed to their ignorance
of the time and place appointed for the
work.
The Second District, it may be well
to state, is bounded on the north by the
Mechanicsville turnpike, south by the
Williamsburg stage road, and west by the
new line of the corporation. only one
week is allowed to complete the registra-
ton.
DISTRICT NUMBER 4.
This district, in which registration will
commence on the 9th instant, at Bellevue
Hospital, includes that portion Of the
suburbs which is included in the newly
acquired territory of the city, beginning
at the river in Rockets, or Port Mayo, and
running around the present limits of the
city to a point between Seventeenth street
and the poor-house, where the proposed
line strikes the present one. All persons
included therein will be entitled to regis.
ter at the point named above.
DISTRICT NUMBER
includes the like portion of territory in.
cluded between the present and the pro,
posed line of the city running from neal
the poor-house in the northern portion ol
the city to where the present line touches
the river.
The reason for making separate district:
of this portion of the county is in conse'
uuence of the recent action of a portion o
the residents, protesting against its incor'
poration into the city. By this means the
books of registration can be used by either
the county or city authorities, as may be