The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-11-19
Registration Laws.

Registration Laws.
We have frequently invited attention to the
fact that the Constitution of this State was i'm
perative in directing the Legislature "to provide
from time to time, for the registration of all
lelectors,p and during the last four years, we
have urged the General Assembly to comply
with the plain provisions of the Constitution,
which would give assurance to the world that
paace, good order, fairness and justice might
be relied upon in the conduct of elections in
this State. These appeals have been entirely
disregarded, and the organic law of the land
openly and shamefully violated by this neglect
or refusal to obey one of its plainest COM
mands. In the memorial to the Legislature
on behalf of the taxpayers, it was again for
chilly urged upon that body to discharge this
imperative duty, and thereby prevent the dis
graceful frauds at the ballot-box which were
only too familiar to the members of the Legls-
lature. 1t was truthfully declared that there
could be no honorable excuse in permitting
this opportunity for illegal voting to continue
any longer, and the General Assembly was re-
spectfuly but earnestly urged to the proper
enforcement of this duty. The House OF Rep.
resentatives seemed TO recognize the force OF
the argument, and directed the committee on
privileges aud elections to prepare a bill to
provide for the manner of conducting the
general elections, which would include the
registration of all voters, in accordance with
the provisions of the State Constitution. But
here the matter ended, for it was not the policy
of the Radical majority to adopt this just and
equitable safeguard against illegal voting.
The election was conducted under the former
law, and as q necessary result we have reports
from every section of the State that glaring
and outrageous frauds were perpetrated by
managers and voters. The ballot-box was
stuffed in Laurens with the names of pretend
ed voters, while there is much complaint that
repeating was extensively practiced in Barn.
WE'LL and similar frauds committed in many
sections. It is simply impossible, under the
present laws, to prevent illegal voting! Take,
for example, the situation of affairs at this
election precinct, where three boxes are estab-
lished. 1t would be easy enough to vote under
one name at any of the boxes, and assume
another name at the next box. The most in
telligent and best informed managers cannot
possibly know the names of all the voters, and
especially the true name of colored voters re-
siding at a distance from the town, whose ap-
plication to vote they dare not refuse, when
the applicant takes the prescribed oath.-
Neither is there any check upon voting in the
country, and then visiting another precinct for
the same purpose. All that is needed to secure
fraudulent votes is to find willing tools, for the
opportunity is not wanting to practice the
fraud.
The election of Mr.. Chamberlain is not at
tended with the enormous abuses of the elec-
tive franchise which characterized the re-elec-
ton of Gov Scott in 1870, but we are satisfied
that his majority has been considerably in
creased by the fraudulent practices OF bis
supporters in certain localities 1t is time to
end these disgraceful evils by compelling an
impartial registration of all the voters, and
we would accept the active agency OF Mr.
Chamberlain in procuring the necessary legls-
lation as strong indication that he meant to
redeem the solemn pledges of the campaign.
His influence in support of this measure, aided
by the increased strength of the conservative
members, could not fail to secure an equitable
and satisfactory law to protect the purity OF
the ballot box.