Saint Mary's beacon., 1873-09-18

REGrsrRArloS.-The following sugses-
tions in regard to the subject Of regis,ra-
tion are taken from the Baltimore County
Herald Of a recent date and are deserving
Of the serious attention of our Registers.
1t is their duty to register all who COM
ply with the provisions Of the law, and
who have lived the proper time in the
State and county. and who have been nat
uralized. etc.; in other words, its their
duty to register all who. under the Con-
stitution of the United States, aud the laws
of this State. are entitled to vote, and it
is equally their duty not to register those
who. for any reason recognized by law.
are not entitled to vote. no matter if thew
do apply for registration, and no matter
how hard they are riNing to srear and
get others to s~ear for them.
1t is also the duty of the register care
fully to revise the list Of voters and to
strike from that list the names of those
who hare died. or who hare remored from,
the election district.
The duty Of register is therefore q
very delicate one. and prudence, justice,
care and strict attention are necessary so
to perform it, as on the one hand not to
exclude from registration thosaentiiled TO
vote, and on the other not Is 5permit per,
sops to register who are not entitled to
vote, and not to permit names of persons
who are dead. or who have removed from
the election district, to remain upon the
list Of qualified voters; for if this is not
done many persons may come to the polls
who are unknown to the judges, may rep.
resent they are persons whose names are
on the list, and as it may not be possible
to disprove such assertions. the persons
asking them may thus fraudulently and
illegally obtain vote.
We knop that there are now upon our
list OF registered voters. the names of per-
sons not entitled to vote, and we doubt
not that efforts will be made BY persons to
register who do not live in the county.
aud who have no right to vote here =
Only last autumn four colorcd men went
to the register of certain district in this
county, took the requisite oath, etc. The
register entered their names upon the list
Of voters. and afterwards it turned out.
upon inquiry. that the gentleman with
whom or on whose place they said they
were living, had not single colored man
in his employment or living on his place
This game will doubtless be tried again
this autumn. aud an attempt made to COL
onize voters with q view to influence the
election for county officers and members
Of the Legislature. and it is only right and
proper that means should be tried to de-
fea, those wicked and fraudulent attempts
to pollase the purity ofthe ballot-box. and
to clo;he with the sanction of registering,
men who have no right to vote.
We do not mean TO imply that the whole
radical party would encourage such az
tempts, or even to wink at them. or pal
late them. We know such is not the
,ase, but bad men are to be found in eve.
y party, who will do anything to gain
their ends, and our registers ought to be
xa,chful and wary and careful no, to per-
nit such efforts to succeed. Persons ought |
10 aid the registers in their efforts to dis |
,over and defeat any such fraudulent at
empts to register. and the Law gives the
registers power to commit for perjury any |
Who swear to what is not true in their ef- |
'orss to be registered; and the grand jury |
n such case would indics upon proper
,roof, and our courts would punish those
Who have violated the Law, if convicted BY
he peti, jury.
All good citizens ought to assist in pre-
renting imposition or fraud from being
,raetised upon the registers. while the
esis,ers themselves ought to be thorough
y satisfied that the person applying is en-
tiled to be registered before his name is
ut on the list. and ought carefully to
,rike of the lis, Of voters the name of ev-
ry person who is dead. who has removed
rom the State or Election District. or who
5 registered in another Election District,
o as TO prevent. as far a. lies in their
'ower. al illegal voting. We commend
he matter 10 the registers. and ask them
0 be fearless and careful in the discharge