The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-07-14
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS.

| 1t Is clear tlat sec, y QL tue IAGt 10 gu"
force the 18th Amendment, requires reg.
Iistration officers to register any person
W0ualifcd by law 10 vote" Who
ne "uualihed by law to vote" In our Slater
Art. III, Sec. Of the Constitution Of our
Estate and the Amendment thetet0 =f0und
ON page 1876, Acts Of 1885, defnesRho are
louaiiied or entitled ito vote, except that
the word "awhfte'l oisupfac tically stricken
out. Tho made citizens Arel entitled to
vote, except minots9p auperap erSonS ofun.
sound mind, persons conhc tedI II treason,
felony, bribery in an election, those who
hEYe n0ta resided init the State one year,
| and, in The county thirty days previous to
the ldAyOof election, and persons who
since the 1st.day Of June, 1851, have given
voluntary, aid and assistance to the rebel
lion against the Emitted States, and WHO
lave not since been hOnOrably discharged
from tho militarFsOF- naval service Of the
United States! 81 This LAW lis plain and no
registration officer need get himself into
trouble aboutit,
II registration officers refuse TO register
my pefsoA entitled under the Constltu-
ton to vote, they are liable to civil &C.
ton for $500 damages, and to criminal
prosecution for $500-fne or impFison.
inent, or both, at the discretion Of the
Court, and the, United States Courts have
Jurisdiction Of these cases. II tho regis.
tration officers register persons not epti.
tied to vote they are liable TO prosecution
In the State Courts. ~ L, -'.'i'i' N'l>',
How are registration officers to. deter
mine whether q person Is entitled to voteS
The registration law, chapter III Of the
7 Code ii west Vifgifiia, does much oaid
them in this important matter Section
90 OF that chapter provides that the regis
trar must prepare aregister for his town.
ship or ward containing the names OF
all persons who were upon the register OF
his township or ward as made out aud
approved, by the Board Of Registration
for the last preceding election, except the
names Of such persons Us have since died,
and such as have, in any way since their
registration become disqualified to vote
therein, and containing also, the names OF
all other persons who Qrc iona .tide resi-
dents in his township or ward known by
him to be qualified voters therein, or VIII
become such 1.-THE first election occurring
after tho completion Of his register" u
the registrar knows OF qualified voters in
his township or ward he must register
them. whether they apply. 70 lin toE. reg
istrati0n or not.
Asfor those persons who apply for reg
istration the duty Of the registrar is made
plain II he knows the applicant TO be a
qualified voter under the Constitution, he
must ct once register his name, If he does
not know this hemAy administer the oath
found in Sec 81, and he may examine
the applicant ON oath touching his right
to vote. II the applicant takes the oath
and makes it appear by his examination
TINT he is qualified vOter-that Is that
he has not given voluntary aid and assist.
anCG TO the rebellion since the first day Of
June 1851, and Is not under any other
disability imposed by Art. III, Sec, l.
Of the Constitution, then tho registrar
must registcrhim. This Is all that the re-
istrar Is required to do, and Il he refuses
10 register q person who by the above
mentioned examination makes it appear
that he Is qualified under The ConstitI'
ton To vote, he is liable to civil action
and criminal prosecution in the United
States Courts. '-'. 'a' '.s" y 81
But persons who have been stricken
from the register Of voters, must apply to
the Board Of Registration on the first
Monday in October, [sec lust clause Of
Sec, 81, Of the registration law. Then
what Is the duty ofthe Board Of Registra'
ton? They must hear, try and dc.
ternihe all appeals from the decisions
Of registrars, also hear, try and determine
tho cases OF nil persons upon whom
notice" has been served, and receive, act
upon ind decide original applications for
registration in cases where the applicant
shows good cause for not having made
such application to theregistrar. Section
IS of tho registration law defines how the
Bord shall discharge their duties. They
may examine any party before them for
registration on oath, and may PROFOUND
such questions as they may deem neces'
sary to enable them TO determine the right
OF such person to vote underth constitu-
tion. They may also examine such wit
nesGes as they may deem proper, or the
party interested may produce for the same
purpose and If the Board have gFGSon to
believe that any such party has In any
way since the first day Of June, 1861, par
tiCipated. or given voluntary aid orcasslst-
anCc to the, late, rebellion against the
United States, they may refuse to enter
his name upon the register OF voters, or to
permit 1t 70 remain thereon unless he shall
take and subscribe the oath required by
Sec. 81 Of the registration law. # upon
the consideration Of such examination,
evidence and OATH, the Board shall be
satisfied that the party appealing or APP
plying for registration is qualified voter
under the constitution, they shall cause
his name 10 be entered upon the register
Of voters Of the proper township or ward,
but It they arc not 50 satisfied his
appeal or application shall be denied.
Such is Section-35 Of the INV, and
II appears TINT the proof of . negative"
and "the proof, Of loyalty" about which
Democratic Fourth 81 July orators make
so much noise, is not required. ~ "a
! II from tue examination Of the party
and the evidence Of witnesses, ff there are
any PRODUCED, It appears that lie Is quail.
fled under the Constitution To vote, and
the Board refuse 10 register his name, the
members Of the Board will be liable to
civil action md to criminal prosecution in
the United States Courts. Tic rcgistra-
ton law Is plain and If the registration
officcrs,will study It and faithfully carry
out It's provisions, they will DC In no dan.
ger from tho United States Courts, but II
| they arc frightened into registering per-
sons who aided and assisted the rebellion
against the United States, they will fall
into the hands Of the State Courts and Il
| they refuse to register citizens entitled
under the Constitution, because Of igno.