Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-10-11

Duty # R'yistrors,
At the August term (1SG9) of the Cfrceis
Court Tor Wayne county Judge James ii.
Ferguson in his charge to the Grand jury,
referred to the registration law aud its admin
istratiOn, as follows:
There is great deal Of complaint about
the neglect Of registration officers by which
men who ought Of right to be voters are not
upon the list and cannot vote. The rcgistra-
ton law should be administered AS carefully
and cUnscientOu$ly as any other law. aud with
the rights and interests q: all parties i'll view.
1t is d mistake to suppose tie registration
law was framed only to protect the interests
of political party. The rights of citizcus
are guarded, and penalties provided for officers
who, by acts of omission or of commission de-
prve qualified citizen of his right to vote.
The law is 50 framed TO protect both the
officer who administers the law, aud the citizen
who claims the right to vote under it. Tho
voter who is wruuged has his remedy under
the law Us much Us he has remedy for any
wrong under any law. The township regis
trars aud the members of the county boards
of registration can be made to do their duty.
Any wilfull neglect by the township registrars
in the performance of the duties of office, by
which citizens suffer in the rights of fran
chisc, is indictablc aud punishable under the
law.
Another mistaken idea which has become
common is, that in the registration of voters
whose loyalty is questioned the burhen OF
proof is by law forced the applicant Tor
registration. Some county Boards of regis
tration have been i'll the hU1it Of telling mcu
whose names they do not want,upon the list !;
'.Sir, we say you aided the rebellion" This
is what their action amounts to if they do not
say it in these very words No man can be
required to prove by others what 1t Is I'M
possible to prove. 1t is hard to prove mega
| tive. None of us can prove that VIC did not
aid the rebellion.
The Constitution and laws provide that
every white male citizen, twenty -onc years of
| age, not a pauper of sound mind, not under
| conviction of treason or of bribery at an cleo
ton, NC, vino has been resident of the State
! one year, and of the county one month, aud
did not aid the rebellion, shall be entitled to
vote. Now when the claimant to the right to
vote appears before the township registrar, he
must satisfy the registrar that nc is entitled
to vote according to the provisions just men
toned And he has ri ght to show by his
own evidence, and it must be such as will
satisfy any reasonable, unprej judcGd mind
| A respectable mans statement, under oath, Is
GENERALLY considered evidence that should
satisfy any reasonable mind, not prejudIced.
Then if a County Board of Registration
notify him to appear and show cause why he
should not be permitted to vote, it amounts to
the assertion that he is not qualified to vote.
Those acko aRcgc that he is disqualified aust
proye II themselves. If they charge that he is
! disqualified by reason of having aided in the
rebellion, they must prove it before they have
any right to take his name from the list
The County Board of Registration has no
right to strike mans name from the list
merely because charges have been made
against him. He is to be considered innocent
until proven guilty Of the charge.
The law itself makes it the duty of the
Judges OF the circuit courts to give the law
specially in charge to the grand juriCs. 1t is
not supposed you will have any case under
that law before you now; but 1 think 1t proper
to make these remarks that you may all be
prepared by full understanding of what will
be your duty as Jurors whenever case may
come before you, and that people generally
| NAV know that the law is not to be triticd with
by men under the control of ambitious ottice
seekers. If you know of any violations Oi
this law hereafter, or know of any abuse OF Its
provisions, you may remember that it shoH1o
be administered for the good of ;he people, a:
any law should be, and you just know what l:
your duty.