Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-12-02
The Bureau Of Suffrage.


According to the theory of our Govern
ment, every citizen Of the United States is
entitled to one rOte in certain things con-
cerning the Commonw ealth, be that citizen
native or an alien.
II has been suggested, says the Press, as
a measure of security to the franchise. that
there be created department Tor bureaul
of Suff age, the functions of which should
be to issue stately to appli,an temporary
tokens Of citizenship attesring the person
alton, age. residence, naturalization lin cas-
es of aliens) and the fulilment of all 9th
er requirements of the law. Th ase warrants
to be issued short time only prior to the
election, In numbers corresponding to the
, lists of taxable inhabitants or ordinances of
registration; to be procured from the off
! ces of the United States District Attorneys
and their deputies to be executed in the
/ highest style of the art of engraving, and
/ in one of the department buildings Of the
/ Capitol, under the most rigid supervision,
as is now enioined in the various depart
ments of the Treasury; to be signed and
{
| for the prevention of counterfeitlng and
/ forgery; an alien. latter conforming to the
naturalization laws, to be entitled to this to-
ken, warrant or certificate. After the votes
are thus cast the tokens are to be inanaedt-
dtely cancelled and at the close of the poll
to be returned TO the offices whence they
emanated, for filing away safely therein.
Naturalization being expressly declared a
constitutional function OF the National Gov
ernnttnt, it remains for it but to enact judi
cioss laws towards the fulfillment of that
inherent duty. The ordinance and rules on
this subject would naturally appertain to the
Department of Suffrage.
Registration, as sine qua non. must be
established by virtue of the National all
thority. throughout the Commonwealth and
equally belongs to the office we are consid
ering.
The issue of the suffrage tokens of citi
zenship being concurrent with the making
up of the registry lists, there will be but
very little, if any, chance of falsity in
either.
These measures of security being nation
allied, they will prove an efficient check up.
on any voting in the States, counties, and
municipalities for offices-rendering it IN
necessary for these latter to issue their own
tokens-adopting in blank those of the gen
eral Government for such purposes, refer
ence being always conveniently had to the
Offices of the National r Registry.
The apportionment OF members of Com
gress REQUIRES that census should be peri
odically taken OF the number of inhabitants
in the United States. Although the carry
ing out of this Obj CT has been heretofore
ths subject OF sp caI Legislation in Congress
there is no reason why it should not be Il
permanent branch of he functions Of thi>
proposed department, all sahject. OF course
10 any notifications which Congress may
from time to time deem advisable
The cost of creating, establishing. an
maintaining the Department of Suffrage
should be estimated with reference to the
benefits to flow therefrom; and these bene
fits should be considered chiefly at the pres
ent moment in respect to the evils which
the plan proposed i calculated to avert
The evils which threaten Us TO day arm
ed violence at the polls and organized fraud
in naturalization, in colonizing, in st uffi ng
the boxes and counting the votes, may be
summed up in one word-national death.
The matter of dollars or cents does not in
tervene when the life of the Republic is in
0 No that l,-, b.a,
even had it not been settled by the common
law of all nations even from time imme-
mortal
We throw out these undeveloped sugges-
tions by way Of general reflection on the
subject, rather than of advice-to stimulate
discussion and thought rather than to urge
any special plan. They are the burden of
many letters from correspondents, and re-
fleet popular desire evidenced by the voice
Of vast mass of exchanges As hints
they may call out more matured and care
fully considered propositions on the same
subject. If they do they have attained
their end.
Of one thing, however, we may rest as
sured. The right to vote for one man or
for all men means nothing if it can be nul
li6ed by fraud, violence, or intimidation
No constitutional amendment conferring
suffrage is worth the paper it is written on if
1t Is not secure from practical notification :
and 1t makes no matter whether that nul
icauon comes from the bowie knife on the
beDch-whether it is a seal of court or a
bullet which does the fatal work.
Burning of Lunatic Asylum.
Two weeks ago, the Lunatic Asylum, at