The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-28
HOW :

We have alluded. to some of the mscra
hle provisions OF that abomination of aborn
lnatIons-that curse of all curses--the Con
stitution of Virginia. 1t is bad enough, ir
all conscience; but-will our readers be
| iievc it-some Of its outrageous provision:
have been rendered more abominable BY
! the laws passed by the Legislature. VIZ
propose brief allusion to some Of them
The lirst is that in regard to the registration
| laws. Tue Constitution provides that every
voter shall be registered in the township il
ahich lie resides and proposes to vote
This is well enough. The law provides
that there be a registrar at every voting
| place in the State, VINO shall keep the regis
tralion books open for nine days previous
to EVERY ELECTION.
There are nineteen yoting-places in the
county Of Rockingham. The registrars re.
ceive 50 day for their services. Accord
ing TO this calculation, the cost of registra.
| lion at each precinct is S27 for each elec.
| ton. There are at least Two elections q
year. Thus the registration cost S54a year
The registration expenses Of Rockingham,
| according to this calculation, will reach
the snug little sum of $l,026 year
Now, at the last election in Rockingham,
at one of the voting g-places, the registrar
had his book open for nine days, and regis.
j
| tv paws S2T. An exchange suggests that,
according to the best information on the
subject, the registration expenses of Fir-
gina last year will reach perhaps SO, 900.
Euery cent Of this is perfectly useless
e1penditure! The registering of votes can
be as well accomplished without costing
the people one cent! And how? Why, by
abolishinc the office Of registrar entirely,
| and in lieu thereof make it part of the
duty of the superintendent Of election to
register any qualified voter who may pre-
sent himself to them on the day of election.
There is no yotiug-place in Virginia that
this cannot be as wei attended by the
judges Of election on election day as by O
registrar at any other time. 1t is true this
mode of managing registration will yacate
good many offices, but it will save the
people good sum Of money. .a
Surely 'the wind is in the east y. in
HalTisonburg. ...--
Next we shall introduce the Valley Vlr-
q.man. That paper, which seems instinc-
lively to take the right tack $50 seldom is it
wrong. has the following excellent arti-
Gle, which expresses our views better than
we could do it ourselves: ...,
We are convinced that there is a neceS-
Slty Tor SCaLe COuFeHtlou. Aue uuty
which that Convention will have to per-
form is to lay down the basis of the action
and organization Of the party in the fsll
elections, and to indicate the issues that
should be made. The press in some por-
tions of the State is agitating questions
which, II persisted In, will prove the over
throw of the Conservative party of the
State and the advancement TO power OF q
set of mGn whose aim will be TO swiud.e
and bankrupt the Commonwealth. The
difficulty is, and VIC fear will be, to lodge
In the minds OF o few editors and pretended
leaders a comprehensive idea of the immj-
nent peril which threatens the Conserva-
tive party of the State--to bring them un to
the importance Of close thought and a tho
rough digestion Of the true and only policy
to be adopted, and the essentially Of eda-
eating the popular mind TO- an enlarged ap-
probation OF the. honor and future pros
perity OF, the State. The advocacy OF ephe-
neral expedients-the adoption OF q rot
ten, unsutstantlal policy, in whose womb
lie hiddenthe fruits of bad faith and dishon-
or, shouldrreceiye the stern and, indignant
protest of the Representative body of the.
people OF Virginia, II we are TO have