The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-31
Registration.

INV registration bill which requires tho
voter to pay fee to any officer or any per
son for having registered his name. Such
y provision in the law would draw down
upon the heads Of the delegates them
selves, and upon the Conservative party ~
responsible for their action, the condcmna-
ton of nine-tcnths of the people or 'irs'-
mia. The fact that the Constitution makes
raurers voters is evidence enough, II any
were wanting. that it was never contem-
plated hv the trainers Of that instrument
ina. the voter should he required to pay
direct tax either Cor the privilege Of voting
or for that Of being registered. lnae'u' i
is, to say the least, questionable whether
such requirement would not he POSITIVE
y;,,a.:on of the Constitution. The salary
Of one of the Governors clerks Is f1ed oy
Law at - 900. For n salary OF the same
amount. clerk can he hired tor whole
,cor "a record the names Of the voters
and vet one Of the bills before the General
Assembly proposes TO allow the city AND
ccunty clerks twenty-five cents Tor eacl
yoicr rc.istcrcd-:ha is to say, S5,'oo loi
registering the names Of the voters OF thi>
city alone. But that is not all, nor tie
wors, OF it. The same bill proposes thai
registration shall he done anywhere ana
cyorywhcre, and by justices ana notafles
public. These latter are private lndlTiaua'S'
~, nurlic officers. and will Of course cA-
meet q fee from every man whose name
,hcy register. l. the Genera! Assembly
prepared to levy such tax o. thus "o"i"
neces.itats npon every voter in Virginia -
say one io!lar;o the notary and twenty tive
,ca,s,to the clerk, or $l7 $50 for this city by
;fgclf2 VIC will not believe it. Indeed
NC oY.prchcnd that we arc doing injustice
II the General Assembly certainly 10
the members from Richmond-in even ex-
pressing a fear az to what their action
would be upon such bill.
There is no mystery, no difficulty, sur
rounding the subject OF registration. IL
has been done for years in New York c'ty,
where thcre are 81 many voters within tue
limits .: two hundred square miles as there
NE within tie limits Of Nirginia's forty
thousand square mills. Registration must
be free to every voter. 1t must Il" easily
done. Il must he commenced and COM
Dle;cl within reasonable time. NO man
must be but 70 unnecessary trouble. II the
registrar know the applicant to be voter,
i: we're absurd 10 require the fact to be
rro.c.i bv two witnesses, az the bill we arc
sl.eaniu- Of requires. o. even ~ one VIII
rc.s. The registration for this city need
40, cost five hunlrcl dollars-much less
need il cost :1-.%5O. But let the cost be
much or little. ii will have to come out OF
tic General fund. The Legislature has not
The power 10 require 4 voter 20 pay his
taxes even before he votes. o. course,
,lcn, it cannot 10 indirectly what the Con
stitution prevents j, from doing directly.
We are for carrying out the provisions Of
our new Constitution III good faith, ana 10Y
COMPLYING with all our engagements VIII
Congress. Wcadvocatcd the passage OF th'
law recurring officers 10 take the fourteenth
amcn,hncn, oath. If the Legislature ha'
failed 10 require that oath, ELLTs"N an'
his new Council would have been pro
rcIurci unrcconstructcd rebels and as
qualified deloyalists hy the men who arr
!.ow bowling for their places. We sustain
~ enabling act because the Legislature
hed the powcr to pass it, and III their "lS
don! decided that It's passage was necessary
10 are ready 10 do anything that we cal
10 promote the interests OF our people an'
restore the prosperity OF our state. Du
we cannot believe that the Legislature hal
the right 10 pass an act taxing any man
white or black, for the privilege OF regis
terinc his name ~ u voter, nor, il 1t ha'
the power, that il would be wise to exercise
il. Let lis have pe,ce what we car
never have 70 Ion. as we fail to recognize
the fact that with fcw exceptions ereTy "s"'
IA virginia has the right to vote.
General Candy reports to Congress tha
II. 3. BuRSuAM, 7. ii. STANTON, GAKElct
MALLEKY, s. 4. PORTER, ii. Is. HENDEH
sMulT, ". 4. ELDERKIN, 4. Is. THOMPSON
4. J. McNErT, and A. L. DRAKE, are tn
only military officers who, in Virginia, re
ccived pay as State officers and also Ii
Federal officers. General LOGAN, referring
to General CA>BY's report, said i'll til
House Of Representatives OH Tuesday:
l-.-. Ia A. ,...-.,. .a..l L.