The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-02-09
The Election Bill.

from the city papers. We devote good deal of our
space to it. because of its vital importance to the inter-
ests of the State. Some of its provisions are villain
ous placing in the hands Of the Radicals the entire
manipulation of the polls and the returns The object
is of course, to perpetuae the power this miserable
party in the State. We shall indulge the hope that
this Old Man of the Sea- made drunk with power and
pel, will ere long topple from his elevated position
May his neck be broken in the fall:
Sections l, 2, and 4 designate the first Monday in
November for the election of all State parish judicial
and legislative officers and members of Congress; the
election of members of the House of Representatives
and Senators of the General Assembly being fixed for
the first Monday in November of this year and every
two years thereafter the elections to be completed in
one day, between O'Clock, A. M, and O'Clock, PM
Section makes each ward in the city and each parish
an election precinct and empowers the Supervisor of
Registration in each parish to appoint the number and
location of polls therein By sections g. and the
Supervisors authorized to appoint three COM
missoners for each poll who alone are empowered to
receive and deposit ballots
Section 10 empowers commissioners to commit to
prison for the day any person who shall disturb the
election placing shers constabes and police officers
under their orders for that purpose.
Commissioners required to keep a numbered list
of the of voters, and to return the same with
the ballot box to the Parish Supervisor. They are au-
horzed to administer oaths and airmatons to voters
without limit as to sub ject form), touching their
right to vote, thus opening the door to mpertinence
partially and caprice. SECTIONS II and 12)
Section l3-Supervlsors of Registration, their assist
ants commissioners of election and officers aiding them
exempt from arrest not only election day but
during the time of the preceding registration.
Section 14-Commissioners are to be paid five dollars
per day from the State Treasury Other expenses are
to be charged to parishes. Section imposes fine of
800 for refusing to serve as Commissioner
Sections Is and l7-Every voter must be registered
and vote only in his own parish or precinct.
Certificates of registration are to be shown by all vo-
ters and marked with the word voted and the date
of voting Double tickets must be rejected, and all
voted for at any election must be on one ticket
Any voter may challenge another's right to vote,
when oath as to previous voting shall be administer
ed Such if taken falsely is made perjury and punish
able as such (Secton 49, An oath may be required
of voter that he is the person whose name is on the
list of registration and such lists shall be furnished to
the commissioners, who shall erase the name of each
person voting Ballot boxes to be furnished by po
lice juries and the Common Council of New Orleans
Penalties for violating the freedom and purity of cleo
tons to be posted up in conspicuous places Blanks
and instructions for commissioners to be printed by an
appolntee OF the Governor, at State printers prices
(Sections 90 and 27)
Section 81 authorizes and requires parish superv-
sors to conduct all city, town. parish or charter cleo
tons Section % permits persons absent State or
United States service to vote in the precinct where
they may be temporarily staying, and by section 90
the Governor IS required to commission all officers
elect, except members of the General Assembly.
Section 30 requires supervisors and commissioners
to report any riot, tumu violence intimidation bri-
berry corrupt influence which may occur during regis
traton or on the day of election and the effect the
may have had in preventing full free and fair
election, to be corroborated under oath by three re-
spectacle ctZen8
Judges of parish and district courts are forbidden to
interfere by mandamus, Injunction or otherwise with
supervisors commissioners under penalty of fine and
Imprisonment. Sections 81 and 32.)
Sections 80 to As direct the time and manner of elect
ing members of Congress, the filling of vacancies Pres
ldental elections, procedure in of ties, and the
manner of giving general and local notice of elections
Sections A. A and 45 require the closing of all
bar-rooms on election day, for which purpose consta-
bles sherfs and policemen, placed under the Or
ders of supervisors and commissioners with power to
seize and hold them and the liquors which they may
contain.
Section As exempts registered voters from being cba
enged to residence but compels naturazed voters
to exhibit their certificates of naturalization at the po
and have them stamped.
Sections II and As prescrbes the penalty for issuing
false cerhcates OF Naturalization and for using or at
tempting to use them.
By sections so and 81 the Metropolitan Police Com
mlssioners of Orleans and Jefferson are furnished with
the lists of registered voters and at once inquire
by means OF the police to the false, fraudulent or
improper registry of any voters in any precinct or
ward subdivision thereof and publish the names Of
such and the names published be stricken from
the lists unless the persons named appear and show
cause why it should not be done.
BY section 50 the Mayors of New Orleans and Jeer-
son are prohibited from holding any election aohatev"
and from appointing officers interfering in any way
with any election, under penalty of heavy fine and
imprisonment.
Jefferson and ST. Bernard from exercising any agency
IN conducting elections, doing any act towards
or preserving the peace election day.
under penalty of fine, Imprisonment and removal from
office. The whole of maintaining order ETC.. is
placed In the hands of the Metropolitan Police sub
ect to the orders of the Governor"
Sec. "a. Commissioners must send ballot boxes TO
supervisors, who must count the ballots and make re-
urns to the Governor.
Sections IS and Sc The Governor Lie utenant Gov
rnor Secretary OF State, and two Parish Judges, sum-
fha ratt-
'nder oath, IN ten days after election open can
ASS and compile returns and publish the results Re-
urns accompanied with statements of disturbance
tc, are reserved until the returns from undisputed
precincts have been compiled 1t is left to the dscre
ION OF the general returning officers determine the
xtent and effect of reported disturbances and after
xamlnlng into the of the same to accent or re-
ect the vote of the disturbed precincts or polls
Section 81. The returning officers having thus re-
eVed or rejected votes for members of the General
assembly at discretion the Secretary of State causes
he names of such elected by votes not excud-
d. to the Clerk of the House of Representatives and
ecretary OF the Senate and the latter must place their
atnes on the rolls of their respective Houses Men,
ers SO returned and recorded alone organize the
louise and Senate
Sections 50 to 68 prescribe penalties for interference
eectons by officers not qualified, for the obstruc-
on OF elections BY violence, threats, etc. for riots
lmults and armed disturbance for false registry buy
0ting twice, etc.
Section IS forbids the influencing of voters by dis
largng them from employment, Withholding wages Fl
prescription in business, and section SO prescrbes
e penalty for Withholding wages account of votes
wen.
Section 70 makes it felony to modest, disturb. inter-
with or threaten persons in charge of ballot boxes
unstable by fine of $500 and IMPRISONMENT for one
ear IN the pententiary. Section II makes it a mis-
emeanor to disturb, dspace conceal, destroy handle
touch ballots after they have been received BY the
The medding with ballotboxes bv
authorized persons is made felony by section r.
The use of bribery, threats and falsehood in influence
voters is made felony, and the vioators of the
'ohibtory provisions of this act in addition to other
'nalties, are made ineligible to any office.
section IS forbids the citizens from bearing arms
crety or openly on election day, except commission
s, supervisors, assistants and police officers. i
ne sale of liquor on election day prohibited and III
e lntormer shares the fine of $500. Fraudulent vot
g. double voting, bribery of higher wages, the abet
g OF illegal voting, dsordery conduct at the polls
d false answers to commissioners, are made misde,
eanors variously punishable.
The disturbance of political meetings is made punish.
lie by fine of fifty dollars. False oath or afirma
n Is declared perjury and subject to punishment
A NIECE OF LORD BYRoN's-THE MYSTERY Ex-
A1NED-Ihe New York Herald, commenting on the
cbapter of Mrs Stowes hook nakas | n,