The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-06-20
who are Entitled 10 Vote, and How
/, 10 Obtain Registration.

the fourth thursday OF UctODer ileA',
we desire to advise them how, and
when, aud where they may he regis
tered:
WHO ARE ENTITLED TO VOTE.
The Constitution, Art 3, Section |,
saws "the white male citizens OF the
State shall be entitled TO vote at all
elections held within the election dis
tricts in which they respectively reside.
To this rule, however, the same instru-
ment makes the following exceptions:
First, minors; second, persons of un-
sound mind; third, paupers; fourth,
those who are under conviction OF trea-
son, felony or bribery in an election;
fifth, those who have not resided one
year in the State and thirty days in the
county where they propose to vote;
sixth, those who aided the rebellion.
All persons included in these classes are
held to be disqualified and will be de
MED registration. As to the five classes
first named, there can be no question
Parties thus disqualified are generally
aware of their disqualification and sci
dom seek to exercise the elective fran
chise. The only question Of Importance
in this connection then is, what cOnsti-
tutes aid to the rebellion In general
terms it may be said that every man
who can conscientiously take the oath
prescribed in Section 81 of the Regis
tration Law" is "loyal" within the
meaning of its makers and therefore
entitled to be enrolled. Every man
who can swear that he did not volun-
tarily bear arms in behalf of the rebel
lion, that he did not hold or try to hold
any Office under rebel authority, that he
did not advise any person TO aid the re-
bellion and that he himself never aided
the rebellion by contributing money,
arms or material to he used IN support ?t
the C6atederacH has right to be regis
tered. Contributions Of money, food,
clothing, &c, to relieve the personal
necessities of friends or relatives con-
nccted with the rebellion do not consti-
tute laid to the rebellion Charity is
not treason. He who ministered to the
immediate physical wants OF rebel
soldier, not from sympathy with his
cause, but from purely humane motives,
is not thereby disqualified. Any other
view would disfranchise the member Of
a Sanitary or Christian Commission
who gave cup of water 10 n dying
Confederate.
now ARE QUALIFIED VOTERS TO OBTAIN
REGISTRATION
BY applying on the first Monday in
August to the registrars OF the town
ships in which they respectively reside
This is the day appointed by law for the
commencement Of registration. The
registrar is required to give notice OF
the time and place Of his sitting, five
DAYS previous to that time, by notices
posted in at least five public places in
his township If possible all applica-
tons should be made upon the first day.
But if from any cause, voters fail TO ap-
ply upon the first Monday in August,
the law provides for subsequent enrol
ment. Section % requires the registrar
to return his books to the clerk Of the
county ION or before the first Monday
in September" and it provides that the
registrar shall, upon application, reg
lister thename of any qualified voter in
his township or ward, or of any person
who will become such as aforesaid, at
ny time before returning his register to
the clerk of the board of registration
and no such register shall be returned BE-
fore tie tcs,tich day Of Aug,lst IN any
year' This then gives the voter from
the first Monday in August TO the
twentieth day Of August for registration
by the township registrar and if that
officer does not return his books upon
the twentieth, then thevoter can be reg
istered upon any day prior to such re-
turn, which may, if the registrar so
elect, be DELAYED until the first Monday |.
in September. This is the law, but as
delays are proverbially dangerous the
voters first duty is to secure registration
upon the day on which the books are
opened Section 81 makes it part of
the duty of county boards at their |
on the first Monday in October |
TO receive, act upon and decide original f.
for registration in cases /
where the applicant shows good cause
for not having made such application to !
the registrar OF his township or ward.
Illness or unavoidable absence while .
the township registrar is completing his |
lists is about the only good cause that
can be at all relied upon to support an
original application before the county
boards. Even then there is risk TO be
run. We would advise all who can, TO
secure enrolment before the township
registrar
When the township registrar refuses
to enrol a voter, the fact should at once
4 Il |. III.