South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1870-07-01
Who are Entitled to Vote, and
How to Obtain Registration.


State whose names do not appear upon the re-
gistration lists. Some Of these have never appli-
cd for registration others have applied and
have been illegally refused, while another large
class have been legally enrolled, but, illegally
stricken from the lists. In order to aid all Of
those persons TO acquire the right to deposit their
votes on the fourth Thursday Of October next,
we desire to advise them how, and when and
where they may be registered
WHO ARE ENTITLED TO VOTE
The Constitution, Art. 3, Section /, says
1.-THE white male citizens Of the State shall
be entitled to vote at all elections held
within the election districts in which they
respectively reside" To this rule, how
ever, the same instrument makes the fol-
lowing exceptions First, minors; second,
| persons of unsound mind third, paupers
fourth, those who are under conviction of
treason, 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 in
cluded in these classes are held to be dis
! qualified and will be denied registration. AS
to the five classes first named, there can be
no question. Parties thus disqualified are
generally aware of their disqualification and
seldom seek TO exercise the elective fran
chlse. The only question of importance in
this connection then is, what constitutes
aid to the rebellion? In general terms it
may be said that every man who can con-
scientiously take the oath prescribed in
Section u of "tho Registration Law is
''loyaP' within the meaning of its makers
and therefore entitled TO be enrolled. Eve
ry man who can swear that he did not vol
UNFAIRLY bear arms in behalf of the REBEL.
ion, that he did not hold or try to bold a.
ny office under rebel authority, that he did
not advise any person TO aid the rebellion
aud that he himself never aided the REBEL
ion by contributing money, arms or materi-
al to be used az support Of he C0RIedera-
81, has right to be registered. Contri-
buttons of money, food, clothing, &c, to re-
!ievo the personal necessities Of friends or
relatives connected with the rebellion do
not constitute laid to the rebellion Char
ity 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 Sanitary or
Christian Commission who gave cup Of
water to a dying Confederate.
HOW ARE QUALIFIED VOTERS TO OBTAIN
REGISTRATION
BY applying on the first Monday in Au.
gust to the registrars of the townships in
which they respectively reside. This is
the day appointed by law for the commence
ment of registration. The registrar is re-
quircd to give notice Of the time and place
of his sitting, five days previous to that
time, by notices posted in at least five pub
lie places in his township. Ifpossible all
applications should be made upon the first
day. But if from any cause, voters fail to
apply upon the first Monday in August,
the law provides for subsequent enrolment.
Section % requires the registrar to return
his books to the clerk Of the county ''on
or before the first Monday in September
and it provides that the registrar "shall,
upon application, register the name Of any
qualified voter in his township or ward, or
of any person who will become such as
aforesaid, at any time 6etore rcfipning his
register to the clerk of the board of registra
ton; and no such register shuHLe return
81 bctore he t,centieh day Of August IN
any gear" This then gives tho voter
from the first Monday in August to tie
twentieth day of August for registration by
the township registrar, and if that officer
does not return his books upon the TWEEN
tioth, then the voter can be registered up.
on any day prior to such return, which
may, if the registrar 50 elect, be DELAYED
until the first Monday in September. This
is the law, but as delays are proycrbialIy
dangerous the voters first duty is TO SO.
cure registration upon the day on which
the books arc opened Section So makes
| IL part Of the duty Of county boards at their
meeting on the first Monday in October "to
receive, act upon and decide original app'i.
cations 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 una
yoidable absence while the township regis
trar is completing bis lists is about the on
Iy "good cause" that can be at all relied
upon to support an original application be-
fore the county boards Even then there
is risk to be run We would advise ali
who can, TO secure enrolment before The
township registrar
When the township registrar refuses to
enrol voter tho fact should at once be
brought to the attention Of the proper au-
thorites, and the registrar be placed under
arrest under the Congressional enforcement
bill
y voter heretofore stricken from the
lists bas The right to apply to The county
board at It's October session for registration
This Is the obvious meaning Of tho last
paragraph in Section 81, and The board j,
required 20 consider the claim Of The ar
PHclntas upon original application. Should