The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-11-30
THE ELECTION AND REGISTRATION
LAW MAY BE AMENDED,

you permit me to say a few words in re-
gard to these laws, which appear to me
defective towards the convenience of the
people, very expensive in execution, and
fail, in some respects, tOprOtect the bal
lOt-bOx from the little tricks so common
Of late in elections?
| propose that all Justices of the Peace
be made Registrars, in the country, as
well as in the towns and city of New
Orleans. They are presumed to know,
or can find out at little trouble and ex-
pense, the names, residences and bust
ness of all persons in their wards or jul
risdictiOn. With this fact in view, it
should be made their duty, at a small
remuneration, to set aside (3) three days
in each az four months, for the Regis
tratiOn of all voters of legal age-from
eachone, upon his appearance, he should
require his name, residence, occupation,
color and number of children capable of
attending school, from 6 to 10 years, and
their sex. The object in obtaining an
swers to the above questions, is to OBJ
tain a full list of all persons fit for mill
tia duty, for tax list, road-seryice, and
in order to apportion the school fund in
a more just and equitable manner than
has heretofore been done. The Justice
shall set down each PERSONS name, al
phabetically, on blanks properly made
out and furnished by the parish, with
the above items, each in it's proper col
umn-when this is done, he should give
the voter a printed certificate, in simple
form, with his name, age, occupation
and residence upon it. This should be
signed by the Justice. He shall make
out three of these lists, one to be sent to
the proper State officer, a second to the
P~residentof the Police Jury, and third
shall be retained by the Justice himself
for future reference" He shall also furn-
ish Il simple list of the names only, of
h evoters, sOregistered, copied carefully
and alphabetically from the original, to
each poll in his ward, which shall be re-
tanned by the commissioners for veriti-
cation of voters during elections. On
the day of the election, the vote rpresents
himself, shows his certificate, it is veri-
fed, if necessary, his name is put down
and he votes. If he has lost his c%ertifi-
cate, his name being upon the list is suf-
ficient proof of his right to vote. To
expedite business in voting, [ propose
that each poll befurnished with asimple
stamp with date, ETC., thus: (St. Landry,
La, Ward /, Nov. d., 18I2)-something
like the post-Office stamps now in use.
Many country commissioners being slow
with the pen much time is lost, andtlese
stamps would greatly aid the business.
In order to insure a full registry of all
voters, a fine and costs of prosecution
should be held over any one who refuses
%orneglects to register, all citizens should
be made to register, Ii they do not vote,
This should be imperative for many
reasons of social and military policy,
1t was enforced byancient governments
for purposes of taxation and recruiting
of armies, before the birth of Christ,
To pay the Justices for their trouble
they should exact a small fee (say q
cents) from each voter, and the parish
should pay S. for each list of voters
furnished. The Justice himself should
be punished for neglecting or refusing
to make out such lists in q proper man.
mel. Any one who can read and WHIT
deceiyes another in the ticket which the
latter wishes to vote shall be, on cOnvic,
ton thereof, fined etc, costs etc,
Mr.. Editor, I think that this plan, o.
something like it, would eRsHreta full
and fair registration without the expense
and cumbersome inconvenience OF thu
present old plan-the people wQuldhayt
the officer always near them-his ofic'
would be open, you might say, all thu
year round and no excuse could be made
for not registering.
OBSERVER,