The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-07-29

ago made, by the law, hnai. From their
action there was no appeal. They could
disfranchise as they chose for disloyal-
ty and no remedy WAS provided by the
law. Having heretofore been invested
with this absolute power over the votes
of persons whose "loyalty" was qnes'
toned, they are row given the addi-
tional power to determine the question
of residence, in manner different from
that contemplated by the Constitutions.
That instrument provides that if man
has resided in the State one year and
in his county thirty days he shall ,
unless otherwise disqualified, be cnti-
tied to vote. This new law allows the
registrar to determine, not whether the
applicant is resident within tho mean-
ing of the Constitution, but 4 resident
in the opinion OF the registrar. If
laboring man has resided twelve
months within the State and thirty
days in the county the registrar
may declare that he is still not a
bona .fde resident, because his occupa.
tion is such that he is liable to remove
at any time from the county or town.
ship in which he offers to vote. II he
does not own the house in which he
resides, the registrar may declare that
be is not permanently located, and
therefore not q bona fde resident. IT
the applicant be clerk, whose
employer may discharge him and
compel him to look elsewhere for
work, the transient nature of his
employment may be held by the regis
trar as incompatible with bona yfde
residence. Erery man who holds his home,
his business or his employment at tie pleas
urc of another and Thom an erery day erent
may send to another township TO seek lire.
lihood is liable under this law 10 be refused
registration for rdnt Of bona fde resi-
dencC. In short, The lac places it within
the porr Of the registrar 10 demand a
property qualification for suffrage, and 10
rGcct any applicant who docs not o~n the
house IN mhich he Hres, or carry on a per
maRcnt JRSiaess at some fired point.
1t may very easily be stated that
such an Interpretation of the law would
be contrary to the Constitution and
therefore the registrars will not so con-
strue it. The premise is correct, but
the conclusion does not fellow. The
law gives the registrars power to de-
termine the question of residence, and
makes their decision final. No matter
how nnjustly they may use the discrc-
ton given them, there is no appeal
from their decisions. The law places
wholesale disiranchisement within their
power, and our observation has not in
duccd us to conclude that they will ab-
stain from any step necessary to fur
ther the interests Of the party for
which they act.
This law provides that "no per-
son in the employ of any incorpora-
ted company shall he deemed resident
of any county Or township by reason of
his being employed thorein," and unless
he has declared his intention to change
his residence, he shall be deemed resi-
dent of the place which he left to enter
the service of the company. This pro-
vision allows the registrars to distran-
chise the employees of incorporated COM
panics.
They are, as we have said, su-
peri.r to all Courts, and their decisions
cannot be questioned. Suppose the reg
istrars of Ohio county decide that the
employees of our rolling mills are here
simply because they are employed here,
and are therefore to be deemed nom
residents in the meaning of the law,
where is the remedy for tho injustice Of
this decisien' Suppose the registrars
declare that the men who work upon
our railroads, being in the service Of
incorporated companies, are not resi-.
dents in the meaning of the law, where
shall the injured parties seek redress I
The purpose of this law evidently is
to register just such men of the classes
indicated Us will vote the Radical tick
ct. Whether the registrars will dare
enforce it, is another question. 1t is a
question that the voters interested are
to decide. If the thousands of Demo-
Gratis in this State, who work upon pub
lie improvements and in manufacturing
establishments, are willing to accept
disfranchisement, they will be dis
franchised. On the the other hand,
if they determine to submit to no such
wrong, they will be registered. Cor
rupt men are always towards, and if the
mon whose rights are thas put at haz-
ard, determine that, while obeying the
laws themselves, a gang of corruption
lists shall rot in violation of law rob
them of their liberties, they have moth
ing to fear. We call upon laboring men
everywhere to guard against this out
rage upon their manhood, threatened by
the reckless and usurping demagogues
now in power IN West Virginia,
Woct VIRGINIA T,eDislatl1re.