Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-08-04
THE GUILLOTINE.

The scallawag Legislature of West Vir-
ginia, that has been holding an extra session
for the professed purpose ofrevising the Code,
has found it necessary to make some changes
in the Registry Law, and has whctted that
instrument of torture to keener edge. The
Wheeling Register, in reviewing these changes
says, eve have so often commented on its
leading features, that it is hardly necessary at
this time to refer to their infamies The
amendments to sections six and twelve, pass
cd July 23d, 1868, are nevertheless worthy
of grave consideration.
The object of the registration law, as stated
by its advocates, is to carry into effect the
Constitutional Amendment excluding rebels
from voting. The amendments alluded to
give the law a wider scope, and provide for a
wrong still more outrageous than anything
heretofore attempted.
The sixth section directs each township
registrar to prepare by the third Monday of
September list of the voters in his town.
ship, {" containing, also, the names Of such
persons as are bona .fle residents h2reIn.'
x y; But 10 person IN
the military, naval or marine service Of the
United States shall be deemed resident of
this St1taj or of any county or township
thereof, by reason of his being stationed there
in, nor shall any person IN the employ Of any
Incorporated company be dcenae@ u resident
Of any county or topnshp Jy reason Of his
being cmp1QyedMercin."
The registrars, as is well known, are in
effect relieved of all responsibility to the
atty " of applicants were long ago made, by
the law, final. From their action there was
no appeal. They could disfranchise as they
chose for disloyalty, and no remedy was pro-
in rested with this absolute power over the
votes of persons whose loyalty" was ques-
toned, they are now given the additional
power to determine the question of residence
in manner different from that contemplated
by the Constitution. That instrument pro>
vidcs that if a man has resided in the State
one year and in his county thirty days, he
shall, unless otherwise disqualified, be entitled
to vote This new law allows the registrar
to determine, not whether the applicant is
resident within the meaning of the Constitu-
ton, but resident in the opinion of the
registrar. If a isborinG: man has resided
twelve months, within the State and thirty
days in the county the registrar may declare
that he is still not bona .fde resident,
because his occupation is such that he is liable
to remove at any time from the county or
township in which he offers to vote. If he
does not own the house in which he resides,
the registrar may declare that he is not per-
manently located, and therefore not bona
,fclc resident. If the applicant be clerk,
whose employer may discharge him and com-
pei him to look elsewhere for work, the tran
sicnt Dature of his employment may be held
by The registrar as incompatible with bona
Ji1c residence. Eocry man 'cho holds has
lone, his business or las employment at the
pleasure Of another oad ach0ne an evcry day
eccnt may send to another to,0nShip TO Seeh q
HCeiihoOd is EaJIc under this ld1y to he refused
registration for rant Of a bona tide residence
In short, tie lar places 1t ,cithin the po'cer of
the registrar TO dcmond u property 4naI;.fcd-
ton for Suffrage, anil to reject any aPplica"
lrho does not OIcn the house IN acAicA lie HUeS
or carry on Il permanent business at some
.frcd point.
It may very easily be stated that euch an
Interpretation Of the law would be contrary to
the Constitution and therefore the registrars
will not so construc it. The premise is cor
rect, but the conclusion does not follow. The
law gives the registrars power to determine
the question Of residence, and makes their de-
cision final. No matter how unjustly they
may use the discretion given them, there is
no appeal from heir decisions. The law
places wholesale disiranchisemeut within their
power, and our observation has not induce
US to conclude that they will abstain from
any step necessary to further the Interests q
the party for which they act.
This law provides that "no person in the
employ of any incorporated company shall be
deemed a resident of any county or township
by reason of his being employed therein"
and unless he has declared his intention to