The Placer herald., 1869-11-20
WORK FOR THE LEGISLATURE.

venes on the 9th Of next month will bave
some important work to perform, which
should be taken bold Of 10 the true spirit
and quickly and well done. Among the
work that should claim its early and earn
est attention should be first, the repeal Of
the Act known as the Registry Law. This
law was conceived in sin and brought forth
in inquity; its auth ors only asking, what
shall we do to retain powel! 1t enforced
onerous and odious distinctions between the
native and na,uralized citizen unwarranted
10y either the letter or spirit of the State
Constitution, but its concoc;ors felt secure
in ito enforcement by partisan Judges. Coun-
ty, District and Supreme. The Constitution
of the State defines in the cearest and
most positive manner the rights and quail
ficstions of the voters. and neither gives nor
grants to the Legislature power to obstruct
or qualify these rights in any case whatever
Here is what the Constitution declares to
| be the qualifications Of a voter:
ARTICLE II.-Sec l. Every nhite male cit
zen of the United States. and every white male
citizen OF Mexico, who shall have elected to be-
come q citizen of the United States under tn e
treaty of peace exchanged and ratified at Qnerc
taro, on the 30th day of May. lS4s, OF the age Of
ftcenty-one years, rho shall hare been resi-
dent Of the State sir months nert preceding the
election, and the county or district az Uhich he
claims has vote thirty days, snail be enfHfed to
pote at all elections ,chicd are n0tC or hereafter
may be authorized By laV.
There is d authority here for Legislative
action, but to provide for the times and pla-
ces Of holding elections and the officers to
be voted for. To assume that the legsla-
ture can, under this clause of the Consttu
ton, say to the voter you must 60 10 the
County Seat, and first register your name,
though it may be ten or fifty miles distant,
before you can vote, is an assumption so
mons'rous and antagonistic TO the clear let
ter Of the Constitution as to require no far
ther argument from any one. No unprej-
udced or honest Judge of ordinary cspa-
city would hesitate moment to declare all
such legislation unconstitutional and void
Aside from the unconstitutiooaliy Of the
Registry law, it bas been a curse to the vo-
ter, the tax payer and the enrolling officer.
1t has net cost the voters Of the State, since
1t has been in existence, in procuring their
registration, papers, and transfers 10 personal
expense and loss Of time, dime less than
million Of dollars. 1t has cost the tax
payers for enrolling by assessor and county
Clerks in printing the law, blanks, blue
books, great register, and Ia ad litcn al ex-
penses of election boards, every cent of
half million more; and it has cost nine
tenths of the Assessors and registration
boards plain. black pei ljurv, for the partial,
partisan and perjurous manner Of its execu'
tion.
There is not one redeemiug quality in the
for its enactment or continued existence upon
the statutes of the State. Then blot it
from our statutes, which it has too long
disgracel That member or Senator who
first introduces bill for its unconditional
repeal will enite bimsef TO the good will
and lasting friendship of all good men in
the State.
There are sins of omission as well as sins
of commission, and every member who
swears to support the Cons litution will be
guilty of a high crime if be fails to exer,
himself for the removal of this Act which
seeks to prevent and render null one of the
plsinest and most sacred provisions of our
State Constitution.
THE SECRET BALLOT.
Under this beading We may again briefly
refer to the right of the voter to the secret
ballot, though We discussed this question
quite fully two years ago, and again few
weeks since. Sec. 6, Article 2, Of the Con
sttuton reads as follows:
"All elections by the people shall be by bal.
| lots"
This is all the Constitution says upon the
subject, and though brief, it is definite and
positive, under the definition Of the word
"ballot," and binds the Legislator to pro-
tect, by law, the voter 10 the use Of secret
vote. 10 these days Of corporate, associa-
ted and extreme individual wealth, the right
of suffrage is a wicked and ridiculous farce,
unless the poor and dependent voter is pro-
tected, by the strongest aud most positive
criminal enac,ments, in the use Of the Sc
cret ballot. Such law we have never bad,
and 1t will be the plain and sworn duty Of
every member of the coming Legislature to
see that the Constitutional mandate in this
regard is enforced.
We incline to favor the use of the sealed
envelope, TO be furnished by the State, and
all Of precisely the same pattern and color,
n which every ballot must be inc'osed be-
fore it is offered at The polls. This, with