The Shasta courier., 1868-01-11
The Registry Law.


1t is earnestly to be hoped that at some
time during tae present session of the Legis-
lature, some action will be taken which will
lead to the unconditional repeal of that blot
upon our Statutes known as the Registry
Law. No law ever enacted since the forma-
ton of the State Government has met with
such general disapproval as the Act common
ly known as lIawes' Registry Law. 1t is
pamphlet known as the Citizens Hand
Book, has been published, with view of
explaining its provisions. it has been stated
| that IIawes himself has been compelled to
admit that neither he nor any man living can
make sense of, or plain some of its sections.
Then, too, the expense of holding elections
has been greatly increased under the require
ments Of this law and as to the question of
preventing illegal voting, we are of the opin-
ion that far less..of this has been done here.
toforc than is generally supposed ; and even
if all the evils ever alleged in that particular
were true. the maintainance of the present
Registry Law would certainly be decidedly
expensive way of preventing or correcting
such abuse.
Another objection to the law is the incon
venience to which it subjects voters in many
portions of the State. In addition to being
compelled to have their names enrolled on
the Great Register, voters are required to
ole 11ol Al, LII
lists of the precincts where they reside, in
order to entitle them to vote /; and voter
going from one county to another is compell-
ed to 60 to the trouble of second registra
tion and enrolment. In many election pre-
cincts voters reside from ten to twenty five
miles from the place where the polls are
held, and are consequently put to the trou.
BILE and expense of travelling this distance,
often over mountains and rivers, to secure
legal enrolment of their names previous to
the day of election.
Another great objection to the law is its
unjust discrimination between the native and
adopted citizen in the matter of registration
While the native born citizen is permitted to
give his name to the County Assessor for
enrolment on the Great Register, the natu-
rallied citizen is compelled to visit the
county seat and present his certificate of nat
uralization to Board composed of the County
Judge and County Clerk, before his name
can be placed upon the Great Register. In
Shasta, Siskiyou, Lassen, and other counties,
naturalized citizens are compelled to travel
from seyenty-iive to one hundred and fifty
miles to have their names registered, or SUBJ
NIT to disfranchisement, and thereby have no
voice in the selection of public officers, or in
the determination of questions of Govern.
mental and State policy.
The law is open to other objections than
those mentioned, and we think should be
stricken from the statute books of the State
without delay.
While we admit that plain, simple, and
easily understood Registry Law might prove
advantageous in an oder and more populour
State, we contend that no law of this charac-
ter is needed in this State As the present
law was originated and passed by Union
Legislature, and greatly contributed to the
defeat of the Union party in the late cam
paign, we hope some Union member Of tie
present Legislature will carry out the actual
desire of majority of the Union voters of the
State, by speedily introducing bill for its
unconditional repeal.