New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-10-01

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST NATURAIlZED CITIZENS
Section II provides that the Parish Supervl-
sors shall cause all qualified electors III their re-
spectve parishes to be registered without expense
to the eleco and the Supervisors are authorized TO
go from place to place to secure this end. This Is
well enough, but the Supervisors turn the require
ments to party purposes by opening offices Wherever
the negroes are found in large numbers ana leaving
the white people to look out for themselves. Inc
Goth section throws many obstacles as possible IN
the way of naturalzed citizens, it being well under
stood that voters of this class are as
rule anti-Administraton. A man of foreign birth
is required not only to prove his naturaliza-
ton by. q certificate under seal of the
court in which the naturalization took place, and
his identity by the affidavit of two citizens, but the
Supervisor is authorized to catechise him under
oath much as he may see tit. and unless the
be in all respects satisfactory to the iDquisi
tor he is allowed to reject the claim to regstra-
ton and from this decision of single man, now
ever arbitrarily formed there is no appeal GER
tiicate of naturalization, properly attested ana
accompanied by afidavits proving the identity ana
residence of the applicant, ought to be sufficient,
aud in the opinion of eminent lawyers the addi-
tonal requirements subject to the caprice or preJu-
dice of Supervisor, are in conflict with Federal
statutes Under this section great injustice has
been done to naturalzed citizens and hundreds OF
honest voters have been deprived of their rights.
ABSOLUTE POWER OF TIE SUPERVISORS OVER TIE
REGISTRATION LISTS.
The 21st ton goes still further, 1t confers upon
the Parish Supervisor the power to examine the reg
istration books and to strike therefrOm the name OF
any person whom he may deem not qualified to vote
In the country parishes this extraordinary provision
is subject to the single restriction that voters
name shall not be stricken oil in his absence without
the testimony of two citizens against him ltestl-
mony very easily secured from ignorant negroes IN
his absence); but in the City OF New-Orieans with
amazing unairness, and apparently willful cncour-
agement to fraud, this restriction Is removed.
The Supervisor of each ward is allowed to revise his
books and to strike therefr0m, without testimony,
and without notice to the voters involved, the name
of every man whom he considers disqualified; and
"the books of registration corrected by the Su-
pervisor of Registration, Assistant SUPERVISOR as
aforesaid shall constitute the registry Of citizens
qualified to vote in the said parish or ward at the
next election" Nor is this all to make the matter
doubly sure, another section reiterafes that the
said books of registration shall be the only evidence
that persons whose names found therein have
resided for tea days Immediately preceding the said
election in said parish or ward"
The Gath section prescrbes the form of oath to be
taken by an applicant for registration and although
this oath is very stringent Its beng taken does not
prevent the all-powerful Supervisor from hearing
other evidence as to the right of the applicant to
register. and upon that evidence making his de-
cision. There is nothing to prohibit such evidence
from being taken in the absence of the applicant
and without notice to him, SO that he may go away
under the impression that he is registered and not
discover his mistake until he comes to the polls to
vote and is refused the privilege because his name
is stricken from the registry.
THE DECISION OF A SINGLE SUPERVISOR FINAL
Section 20 leaves wide opening for frauds under
the system of issuing duplicates OF lost certificates
IF REGISTRATION. The law authorizes the issue of a
dunlicate certificate upon the affidavit of any regis
tered voter that his original certificate has been
lost or destroyed. As many as "a duplicates nave
been found in the possession OF one negro; on
these lie could vote at as many polling places as
be has certificates The buying and selling OF
these certificates has become business with GER
tain keepers of grog-shops and ward politicians,
and the price ranges from 25 cents to 81 so apiece
II is well known that several candidates have
agents who are buying up certificates more
inoenious mask for repeating could hardly be de-
ysed. INSTRUMENTATION,
Bnt the 3lst section is after all the GROWING glory
of the omnipotent supervisors and the most mon
strous provision of the law. 1t prescrlbes that
the decision of any supervisor or assistant super
ygor of registration all questions OF erasure from
or addition to the registry and all questions rela-
tive TO the registry of voters shall be final. No
parish or district Judge shall interfere by writ OF
Injunction or mandamus or other order of court, to
compel any supervisor or assistant supervisor of
reostration to register or prohibit him from regis
tering any person. Any judge SO interfering shall,
npon conviction thereof be subject to
fine of not less than $500, and impris-
onment for not less than six months. and shall be
liable to Impeachment and removal from office; pro-
,ded that nothing herein contained shall be so con-
srued as to deprive any of any right OF action
he NAV lawfully have against any supervisor or
assistant supervisor of registration for any illegal or
wrongful refusal to register such person." Here the
partsan supervisor who is in nearly every case an
ofcehoder interested in the result of the election
is boldly and explicitly put above even the judiciary
Of the State and the Judge who dares to interfere is
subjected to fine and imprisonment. supervisor
NAV register or not as he pleases or may strike OIL
half the names on the registry and there can be no
appeaI from his decision. 1t is true that right OF
action is provided to tho citizen, but of what avail
ia that after the election is even II o, judge
could be found to hear tie case; but already citi
zen whose application had been arbitrarily refused
having applied to Judge Hawkins OF the
Superjor District Court for redress was repelled
by q decision that the Registration act expressly
prohibits the courts to interfere Any creature OF
Kellogg who happens to be supervisor, be he
plantation hand in Iberville or ward hummer In
Orleans is thus placed above all other author
ities of the State and by few strokes of his pen
can fasten the usurpation upon the people for two
or four years.
A LAW DEVOID OF A SINGLE REDEEMING FEATURE