Wilmington journal., 1874-02-06
THE ELECTION LAW.
4 Suggestion TO the Legislature.

We desire to call the attention Of
the members Of the General Assembly
to a radical defect in the Election Law,
or in its Interpretation, which amounts
to the same thing, SO far as the evil
effects are concerned. We refer to
the question of residence. Voters are
now required by law to vote in the
townships in which they reside This
provision is a wise one, and was in
tended to prevent non residents of the
county end State from voting contrary
to law. But it fails of its purpose in
all the large negro counties in the
eastern part of the State, especially in
those counties in which there are large
towns and cities.
Negroes are very migratory, living
wherever they can get work, and even
changing from one employer to anoth-
er, apparently for no better reason than
from love of change. A negro man,
unknown to the poll-holders, presents
himself at the registrars and after
wards at the ballot-box and offers to
vote. Upon challenge he swears he
lives within the township or ward, and
is allowed to register and vote. Nobody
knows hin. and without furthe r examina-
ton he casts his vote. At one election
we have seen several negroes vote at
one of the boxes in this city, each
swearing that he lived at "dance
house" ON the wharf, in which there
was not a single bed, and was only a
house for dancing, drinking and eat
ing. Yet challenges were without
avail, as each swore to his residence,
and their naked oaths outweighed any
and all other testimony. Protests were
unheeded, as the poll-holders ruled
that they could not go behind the oath.
We believe we do not over estimate
the number in saying that, at every
election, several hundred illegal votes
are cast in Wilmington, just in this
way. What is true of our city is true
of Newbern, Raleigh, Fayetteville,
Charlotte, Goldsbcro', Tarboro', War
renton, Weldon, and in the large ne
gro townships in the counties in which
these towns are situated
We desire that some remedy shall
be applied to this crying evil. When
voter is unknown to the poll-hold-
ers, he should be compelled to prove
his residence by some man of charac-
ter who is known to them. Every
man, however humble, who is a bona
fde resident of a township or ward, is
known by some other resident who
can identify him. Non-residents who
Illegally vote are beyond the reach of
the law, because they leave immedi-
ately, or cannot be identified. We
have seen at every election hundreds
of negroes vote, who are unknown to
any one about the polls, and cannot be
identified afterwards, even if they re-
main IN the city for q day after the
election
The remedy that We propose is that
unknown persons shall prove their
residence uIon oaths of individuals
well known, first to prevent illegal
votes, and second, to have some person
whom the law can take hold of it there
should be false swearing. The remedy
against persons swearing falsely as to
the residence of voters should be Sc
we're, sure and speedy. Give us such
q law and it will, at the election in
August, save several thousand illegal
votes in this section of the State. We
are satisfied that there were enough
non-residents who voted for Governor
Caldwell east of the Wilmington &
Weldon Railroad to secure his cleo
ton. In August we have some very
important elections. and such a pro-
vision in the Election Law may prevent
illegal voters from deciding the result.
We call the matter to the attention
OF the Legislature.