Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-07-14
THE REGISTRY LAW.

| The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania,
after an exhaustive examination, on Wed
nesday last, pronounced the Registry Law
actment. 1t wilt oe remembered that, a
few weeks ago, Judge SharSwood, in the
Court at Nisi Ptims decided the law uncon
stitutional. The opinion in banc was read
by Judge Agnew-
Judge Sharswood's position. seconded
now by Chief Justice Thompson, was that
the law prevents an equal election. His ar
gument was therefore neces sariy a mere
begging of the question, and gained its
strength from the discrepancies pointed out
between the local and general law. The
unconstitutionality of the whole act was in
terential and not intrinsic True, defects
IN the local law were pointed out, but no
one of them was declared sufficient to in
validate 1t, except as it bore upon the as
sumption of discrepancy The argument
was ingenious, but far-fetched 1t steered
clear of the main question, and was no
doubt all that the case would admit of in
that direction. 1t was very plain from its
tenor that no registry law, however mani
fest its merits, would be pronounced con-
stitutional The argument was one directly
in the interests of the politicians, and lost
sight of the common veal as well as the
legislative privilege.
Judge Agnew completely undermines this
logic. He strips the law of every partisan
| orI "a. Ii
public good the highest object of Legislative
| attention.
That equality that sounded so pretty on
the lips of Judge Sharswood does not exist
where part of the community, differently
situated and subject to adverse circumstan-
ces, is liable to be imposed upon by unprin-
cipled and designing scamps As we'll
might it be argued that the law sufficient
for quiet rural village are in every respect
| ample for populous and wicked city The
object of the constitution and the law is to
protect the citizen in his highest right.
Shall the good-the greater number-be
injured in their right, rather than few of
the bad-the lesser number-be injured,
perchance, in theirs? What madness this
| would be; yet this is the strongest phase of
the Sharswood logic. The equality he in
sists upon is purely fictitious. 1t never has
| existed and never can exist, until crime of
every kind is. licensed. As long as dis
elimination against the wrong doer is con-
stitutional, his Fictitious equality can have
no existence.
We shall not follow Judge Agnew through
his mastery refutation by facts of the ar
guments in the lower court Every appeal
ne makes is home-thrust; and if precedent,
practice, history, evidence, even the law
and the constitution themselves, be of any
avail, his position is more than vindicated.
The ground has been all gone over before,
and the conclusions have always been uni
form, that the greatest good of the greatest
number was to be consulted in preference to
the least good of the least number.
Under Sharswoods argument no law is
equal that does not apply to all parts of the
Commonwealth alike. Under Agnew's ar
gument, only the law is equal which protects
all the citizens alike. According to Shars-
wood S logic man may vote as often as he
pleases without detection According to
Agnew's logic man may vote but once.
Under Sharswood's construction the good
man becomes the victim of the scounirel,
the ballot box stuffer, and the hummer.
Under Agnew 5 construction the bad man is
only prevented from practicing his rascality.
Then, 1t Is plain that, in sustaining the con
stitutionality oc the law, the honest man
is only protected in his legal privileges.
whilst the criminal is discounted. Certain
ly no sane man will object to this propo>
sition.
LII Is unnecessary to pursue the minor
points of the decision. They all hinge upon
this leading and impregnable feature. We
feel truly thankful for this clear exposition.
1t Is timely removal of great legal ques-
ton from the arena of politics into the
higher regions of legislative duty and alb
stract rights. We shall, of course, hear the
customary howl from groveling and bigoted
men. The brawler will have his moments
OF indignation. The corner politician will |
lament the loss of his power to carry pre-
eincts by fraud and intimidation. But these |
things will prove the righteousness of the |
decision, for sin quakes most when most |
hereely attacked. Justice never gained
serene triumph.
Then, let the new law be strictly carried
into effect, by the various officers named |
therein, and the ballot box will be freed from
the corrupting influences by which it has
been surrounded for years past As it is no
partisan act, so let. its administration be in |
no partisan spirit, but with such fairness as
to dsarm all its enemies and vindicate the |
wisdom of its timely passage.
DEMOCRATIC friendship for the rights
and interests of the laboring man. was
Yaunted at Cnlnmhus the othar dau b, q