The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-01-10

savagely opposed to the "Let up" and
therefore a most particularly proper
candidate.
Registrntion in West virginia aud
| PeuncyIvnnia.
The registration law of West Vlr-
ginia has some peculiar features. Its
agents are irresponsible, and their de-
crees are final. Its provisions for Sc
curing the registration of lawful voters,
are grossly inadequate. Under it ille-
gal voters may be enrolled and legal
voters disfrancbised, at the caprice OF
the registrars aud with entire impu-
nifty. 1t does not consult the conyen'
ieuce of the voters. They may be COM
PEELED to travel many miles many timos,
to procure first enrolment. They may
be forced to attend the sessions of
the county Board, dag after day,
as often as summoned, TO answer
charges, real or fcticioHs it matters
not. The charges they are not allowed
to see. They are not confronted by
prosecuting witnesses. They are held
bound to establish their innocence Of
charges of which they know nothing,
and, if they succeed in this, may still
be disfranchised, and there is no rem
edy. Failing to be stricken off at one
sessions, they may be summoned for
new trial at another. Their right to
vote may be put in jeopardy twice or an
hundred times for the same otfense, or
for no offense. Aud if, after all. they
make a clear case bsfore the Board, the
omission Of their names by clerical er-
ror in copying the lists is just a, fatal
to their right of suffrage as if they had
been legally convicted Of treason.
The registry law of Pennsylvania, in
all its leading provisions, contrasts
strangely with ours. The assessors are
required to copy from the transcript
furnished by the county commissioners
full list of the voters, exclusive of the
names of such as have died or removed.
This done, the assessor is required "to
visit every dwelling house house in his
District" and make dIligent inquiries
with a view TO perfeoting his lists by
adding the names Of new voters and
taking therefrom the names OF such
as have died or removed. A copy
of the list thus prepared is posted at the
place of voting in each election district
by the first Of August, more than tive
months before the election. A similar
list is retained by the assessor, free to
public inspection, and it is his duty to
add, from time to time, the name Of any
unregistered qualified voter who may
apply to him.
On tho day of the election any pers on
claiming the right to vote may furnish
proof Of his qualification to the officers
Of election, in which event they are
compelled to receive his vote.
Heavy penalties are annexed to the
failure of the assessor to discharge his
duty. For refusing to enroll legal voter
or for enrolling an illegal vote, he shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor in office,
and on conviction thereof be punished
by fue or imprisonment and also be
subject to an action for damages by the
party aggrievsd. For frsudently alter
ing, dsfacing or destroying the list of
voters, the penalty is imprisonment for
not more than two years, or fine not sI-
ceedipg five hundred dollars, and the
Court in its discre tion may impose both
penalties for the same offsnse.
In the city of Philadelphia a Board
of canvas,ers review the lists as furnish
cd by the assessors, and may strike off
such names as they find illegally regis
tered, "but the name of no person shall
be stricken from any transcript in his
absence, except upoI the testimony of
at least two respectable citizens, quail
fed electors Of the division, whose
names appear on the transcript under
the head of private houselders,' to be
given under oath or affirmation, that
such person is not q resident of the di-
vision or il, other wise disqualified by
law from voting at the said election"
Other provisions might be quoted to
show how much more carefully the
rights of the voter in Pennsylvania are
guarded than those of the voter
here, even under law SO
rigidly partisan as that frsm
which We have been quoting.
Enough has been reproduced, however,
to show that in the Keystone State it is
not customary, even for partisan pur-
poses, to place the rights of voters COM
pletely at the mercy Of the registrars.
In West Virginia the idea has somehow
obtained possession of the minds of the
dominant party that downright rascal
ity is necessary to Republican success.
They evidently don't believe they could
carry an election under just laws, fairly
administered. They risk nothing upon
honesty.
We are Inclined to believe, however,
that the masses of the Republican party
have no hearty sympathy with the par.
tisan enOrmities that have been perps-
trated in this State under the pretexi
Of registration. The American people
generally are fond Of fair play aud the
lpoonla nj v1eaf VirU;c;a 80 ~, ss-~-~..