The Van Buren press., 1872-10-08
Instructions to Registrars.

the STATE Will enaDIe you 10 alsChaTpe Tue
functions of your office in accordance
with the law, and to the satisfaction OF
all right minded men.
While do not deem it within my prov
ince to dictate to you your duty, for that
YOU well understand is to register all per
sons applying for registration in your
county, who are entitled to vote under
the law. and reject those who are not, |
do consider that there is no improprlety
for me tn call your attention TO the fact
that, in order to arrive at itfst acd equita-
ble conclusions in all cases, it will be nee.
essary to adopt rule OF action in the
details of your labors that will be alike
just to all parties.
The privilege of the ballot is held very
dear by every American citizen, and ii Is
a high and important trust given to reg
istrars when called on to decide who are
and who arc not entitled to this privil
eye, and the decision should he made up.
on the evidence presented on the person
al knowledge of the registrar as cou;em
plated in the law, withd political preju.
dice or vices Of any kind, but as sworn
officers, whose duty 1t IS to execute the
laws fairly and impartially rs it stands
upol the statute books without fear or
favor, In most cases, you will have but
little difficulty in arriving at correct con
Cll.iOns II, however, n reasonable
doubt arises in your mind in any given
ease as to the distrancmscment Of an ap-
plicant, that doubt should evidently be
construed in favor OF the applicant, upon
the principle that tnorc should he the
greatest liberty exercised by the citizen
consistent with the provisions OF the
law
As it has been claimed by some that
the late act Of congress, entitled "An act
to remove political disabilities imposed
bv the fourteenth article of the amend
ment Of the constitution of the United
States, annuls certain portions OF the
franchise clauses of the constitution Of
the state of Arkansas, the opinion of the
attorney general Of the state has been OBJ
tanned upon that subject, and is hereto
prefxed This opinion is clear and con
elusive, making your duty plain upon
that point.
Section seven Of the act Of July 10,
1868, prescribes the attendance of reg
istrar at such election precinct, district
or ward in the county, for not less than
one nor more that three days, for the pur-
pose Of receiving appllcatlong for regis
tratIon. 1t is evident that an attendance
Of one day does not practically furnish,
even in the smallest precincts, n sufficient
opportunity to enable all qualified clcc-
tors to procure registration, while the
period allowed for the session Of the
board Of review is limited, and the in
convenience to the citizen of making ap.
plication to the county seat, III most
cases, considerable Tie en'ne time
therefore, between the receipt of these
instructions and the date fixed for the
meeting Of the board ought to be occu-
pied by the registrars in each county IN
atfording the citizens of each precinct
the opportunity of registration. Two
DAYS at least should be allowed each pre-
cinct, and where an attendance OF but
one day has alrcady'occn given, an add
tional one should be designated for the
completion of the work When the at
tendance OF the president of the board
for this length Of time ut each precinct
in the county, would be Impractical he
should, without fail procure, in accord
ance with the provisions of section seven
above referred t., the services OF one or
more Of the remaining registrars in the
order as their names appear in their com
missions as numbered.
Presidents OF the respective county
boards will please, Immediately upon re
rcpt Of these instructions, proceed to
publish the notices required by section
three Of the registration act, 50 rs to
comply herewith, in all cases where II
has rot already been done, and forward
to me without delay, certified statement
of the times and places OF the appoint
ments made, and an immediate notliica-
ton as soon as each appointment shall
have been duly held so rs to enable this
department to have full knowledge as to
whether the registration is being made III
accordance with the law, AMI no duties
omitted by the registrars
The duties Of the board OF review
should in all cases be performed in the
following order:
|. All objections or challenges against
any person to whom 4 certificate OF reg
istraton has been issued by the registrar,
whether such objections arise upon the
motion Of q member Of the board, or OF
any other challenger, should in order
that due notice may be afforded to the
party challenged, be submitted during
the first two days Of the session of the
board, and no challenge or objection
should in any case be received after that
time. AT the close Of the second day s
session, two plainly written lists OF the
parties so challenged with the ground OF
challenge briefly stated (it might be an
act Of Justice to insert also the name OF
the chalenger), will be posted upon the
door Of the court house, and be there
maintained till after the election.
2. Upon the second day of the session
of the board at latest, and until the close
ofthe same, all persons who have been
rejected by the registrar should be per
mittcd to appear III person or ny altor
ney, and defend their claims to registra-
ton, the board requiring such amount OF
testimony as it shall deem necessary to
the equitable determination of the qnes.
ton.
At all times during the session Of the
board, such persons rs may have been
sick, absent or unable to attend, at the