The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1874-08-07
THE REGISTRATION LAW.

STATE OF LOUISIANA,
Executive Department,
Now Orleans. July C9th- 1874.

EcecNtite DtapQ2IMSNt, {
Now Orleans, July 29th, 1874.
To the Editor Of the Picovume:
Sir-In au editorial in this mornings
Picayune, commenting upon the regis
tration law recently promulgated, 1t is
not to sign the law. Like other pledges
| this has been violated" pass over
the latter sentence with the simple re-
mark that whenever you are able to
point to n specific pledge publicly
made, which have failed to keep, 7
will hold myself in readiness to dis.
prove the charge or confess the fact. 1
have never in any manner, directly or
indirectly, in public or in private,
pledged myself not to sign this regis
tration law. On the contrary, have
repeatedly and openly declared my in
tention to sign the bill when the proper
time came, and more than one of the
New Orleans papers have recently
probably have confused the new regis
tration law with the election bill, which
was in controversy last winter. 1 gave
public notice that j would not sign that
bill. I have not done so, and do not
intend to do so.
I announced at that time that there
was bill in my possession providing
for an entirely new registration
throughout the State, which bill said
it was my intention to sign.
I believe you are equally mistaken
as to the character and object of this
new registration law. An entirely new
registration is an absolute necessity.
The thousands of fraudulent certificates
extant which were notoriously used in
1872, and might be used in the coming
a1a0fi0n an6 tho firrthnr that in,
the city of New Orleans alone there are
at least one-fourth more names upon
the registry than there are legal voters,
would alone justify the ordering of
new registration. The law, 1 admit, is
open to some objections. You refer to
one, namely, the prohibition OF inter-
ference by the judiciary. This was in
the old law, and has been re-enacted
in this bill but as the courts have
themselves decided the clause to be in
operative, its retention can have no
very injurious effect. The advisability,
or otherwise, of placing the appoint
ment of Supervisor of Registration in
the hands of the Governor, or placing
it in a source where there is less accoun-
liability to the public, is a question 1
do not now care to discuss. 1t is true
the Supervisor is responsible to the
Executive, and may be removed by
hinr; but he cannot improperly strike
a name from the roll or refuse to regis
ter a legal voter without suhjecting
himself to heavy penalties. 1 believe
any fair minded man who will read
this new law through carefully will
agree with me, that it is calculated up
on the whole to secure a lair and equi-
table registration. 1t is an improve
ment upon the old law, which must
have remained in force unless had
signed this bill, in many respects
Amongst other reforms, it provides that
no registrar or his clerk shall be eligible
as a candidate for Office, which was one
of tho great evils of the old law. 1t
affords additional facilities tor registra-
ton, provided proper men are appoint
ed, which shall be my aim and object.
So far as I am concerned, I am deter
mined, by all means in my power, to
afford every facility possible to every
citizen to secure by registration the
right to vote. Very respectfully,
WIN. p. KELLOGG.