The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-07-14

The Attorney General has given an
opinion TO the Governor confounding the |
confusion previously existing on the
Registration matter, through the incom-
potency and ineficiency, or worse, of
the Radical controllers of the States af-
fairs. The substance of the opinion is
that the law of 1875, not having passed
the House of Representatives is no law at
all and that the act of 1873, is still In
force, notwithstanding the intention of
the Legislature TO repeal 1t.
The following is the Attorney-Generafs
statement of the action of the House.
1t was reported by the Secretary of the
Senate to the House as having passed
the Senate, III. ]. p. 510.) At the
evening session Of the same day it was
taken up in the House and Indefinitely
postponed, (H. ]. P.) On March s,
| 1875, it was reported back to the Senate
4 by the Clerk Of the House as having
passed the House, Oh. j. p. 418.1 On
the same day it was reported to the Com
mittee on Enrolled Bills as correctly en-
rolled and presented to the Governor for
his signature, Oh. j. p. 523.) Again,
ON the same day March 6, 1879 it was
returned to the Senate by the Governor
approved, Is. ]. p. 1860 1t is pub
lished in the pamphlet Acts 1878, PIP.
1874, 165.
Taking the official records, and bal
ancing the evidence, the weight of au-
thority is clearly against the conclusion
of the Attorney-General. Let us see:
The journals which are made up by
the clerk state that the bill was 'indefn-
iteIy postponed" But against this evil
dence we have thefollowing:
The Clerk reported the bill to
the Senate as having passed the House. "
1t was examined by the enrolling COM
mittee and reported to the House as cor
rectIy enrolled. 1t was signed by the
z. Governor. And finally it was published
officially in the official paper and printed
in the pamphlet acts.
1t is assuming too much for the Attor-
ney-General under the law defining his du-
ties, to 60 behind the pamphlets acts, and
the signature of the Governor and exam
inc into the forms observed by the Legis-
lature in passing law, and to nullify it
upon mere inference of informalitY !;
but when he does so presume, it is his
bounden duty to give to each particular
fact its due weight, without reference to
party expediency.
The reasonable inference is that a
House bill which was pending when the
Senate bill was reported, was indefinitely
postponed. and that the Senate measure
was then taken up and passed.
The following is the act of 1873 which
is still in force, according TO the opinion
of the Attorney General. 1t is wretch
ed abortion at best. The bungle through
out, is characteristic of Radical legisla-
ton:
THE REPEALED SECTION 2, ACT 1873.
SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, Than
the Registrars appointed under this Act
shall meet at the county seat of their re-
spective counties on day at least seven
teen days prior to any general election,
Sundays excepted, and shall continue in
session fifteen days, for the purpose of
revising the registration lists Of their
county, and registering such persons as
may have become qualified; such session
to close not more than two days prior to
the election Provided, That this Act
shall not be so construed as to require a
general registration until after the next
| general election