The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-08-09
THE REGIS1RAIION Law.
70 the Editor of the N. @. Bulletin

To the Editor of the n. O. Bulletin:
In your late articles exposing some Of the
inlqultles OF the registration law, lately signed
and promulgated by w. r Kellogg. YOU have
called attention to the provisions OF section 20,
under which the foreign born citizen is re-
CURED not only to produce his nat 1ralization
papers but furnish such other testimony as
may be Ito the satisfaction OF the Supervisor
etc, before he is permitted to register Under
the operation of this provision, as YOU hay.,
demonstrated and again under the provision
OF Sc ton Il, authorizing the Registrar, after
| registration, to strike therefrom the names OF
persons upon certain testimony, the citizens
right OF suffrage Is entirely at the mercy. O..
| pleasure, or interest OF the Supervisor
Permit me to call your attention to another
section, which, though cutting the other way,
opens the door to frauds, which will alike be
| deprecated by the foreign-born citIz-n who
has cared his right to vote by residence and
good citizenship under the laws Of the coun-
try, as by the native born, to wit:
"SEC. 2G. Be it further enacted. etc. That
shout! the applicant Tor registry have been
born without the limits OF the United st ties,
and afterwards become a citizen thereof oiHe1
than ~ naturalization IN the cyuits, then he
slal make affidavit and set forth the cIrcnn,
stances whereby he became :. citizen suca as
the naturalization of his fither. or by his res
ldence in any State or Territory, when the
same was acquired by or coded to the Uni ed
States, or ia oay other manner whereby under |
the laws of the United States he would be-
come citizen thereof; provided, that atfida-
Wits authorized to be made by this act may be |
sworn to before the Supervisor or Assistant |
supervisor OF Registration, but in no case or /
under any circumstance shall the Supervisor
or Assistant Supervisor OF Registration make
any charge or demand any Zee under penalty
OF removal from office.
1 give the section i'll full that its differences
or drift may be larry drawn. You will see
that the illustrative instances OF right to citi
zenshlp cited, are those already provided for
by law, tor recognition and C. rtificate in the
courts. Regardless Of the restrictions which
the Congress OF the United STA rs and the
OF the several States have thought
wise ana prudent to incorporate in constitu-
tlon and Laws around the right, of citizen ship
the conscience OF the superv sor or assistant is
the sole and unappealaLIe forum to pass upon
The applicants right to vote. Not even re-
cord to be kept OF the grounds or wherefor
The right OF citizenship is to be 50 summarilv
md arbitrarily conterr, d or withheld Win
out discus ing the constitutional question in
'olved III the extraordinary power conferred by !
his section, its practical elormity is only sug-
sested now for consideration. The for :ioner
las only to go before the Supervisor OF Regis
ration, or his assistant, the day after hi. ar
lval, and satisfy him in order to be clothed
With the right OF suffrage
The consideration Of this matter comes not
with the question frequently
sked OF late, Why is it that the few political
lubs lstely organized in the Radical cause,
inside OF the negro element, are OF foreign
1t is well known that in the
cramble, few days since, for the Radical
oAvention, many OF the white voters were Of
le unnaturaGzed class. Can the inducement -
Z the apid, cheap and easy road to the Il
ghts OF citizens OFT red by section 26?
We trust that Mr. Kelg ,gg with due appre-
alton OF his powers under this act, and Of
Is serious and personal responsibility for the
e'sce OF this community, Will, in the appoint
ents OF registrars to be made by hun, take ar
re that his appointees, OF Whatever political
Try, will be men having, by their antece- II
nts and identification with the interests OF
,uisiana, the 1uu AMI entire confidence OF II
e people. CITIZEN,
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