Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-11-17
AnOJtT A-REGISTRY OF VOTERS.


Any proposition TO enact means to verify
the legal voters always brings fierce de-
nunciation from the Democratic organs.
There is no right 80 dear to the Demo
cratic party as the right of illegal voting,
fraudulent counting aud Of preventing
legal voting by rufionism. So much is
this the case that IL has become generally
accepted that when the Democratic party
has complete possession Of the polls, legal
elections cease.
rSolcommonly is this accepted thNt the
carrying Of elections by illegal voting, or
false counting, is regarded by Democrats
ms a legitimate thing, as thing to brag Of
ns n good Joke, and any complaint Of it by
the majority is scofed at. And as we
hNvo lately seen, the arrest of persons for
Illegal voting raises an outcry from the
Democratic organs NJ If IL were an infric-
tion Of Democrats constitutional rights,
and therefore they Rssail grand jurics who
.indict such offenders as il they were OPP
pressors Of Democrats.
| 10 20 frsm one State to another to re-
peat Democratic votes, is regarded as only
an ordinary duty to the party. That the
Democrats OF Kentucky or Indiana will
come into Ohio to help the Democrats
carry the election, is regarded by the Ohio
| Democrats MS matter Of course. None of
| them think that Kentucky Democrat
| can have any scruples on that head. The
grent hue and cry the Democratic organs
| and stump speakers have raised because
the President has ordered troops to protect
| the people Of South Carolina, is because
| they fear it will interfere with the Demo-
cratic plot to carry the election by force
aud fraud.
Yet every time the Democratic party is
| defeated at an election, the organs raise
the cry that it was done by illegal votes.
| II they believe this, would they not favor
some mean Tor preventing illegal votes? IL
| legal voting can be, in great measure, pre-
vented. The will only is requisite. But not
only has the Democratic party never offered
any measure to prevent fraud in the cleo
| tions, but il has always nssailcd remorsclrss.
/ " every measure proposed by the other par
| IL. and when such measure has been enacted.
til at party has always abolished it as soon
as it got the power.
Can ANYTHING be nearer To the life ui
! free institutions than honest elections? \
! government elected by fraud is not fit to
exist 1t would Justify immediate rcyolu-
ton by force of arms. Not till the people
have become abandoned to all sclf-resprct,
all manhood and all regard for freedom,
can they submit to be governed by swim
ders, who iuggle with the forms of eltc.
ton The right of the honest voter il de-
stroyed when every rascal can defeat il by
repeating an unlawful vote, and when
boards of villains can count out false votes
to the need.
Fraudulent voting is the destruction OF
the rights of all voters Unless the right
is protected from this it ceases to exist
He who is fit to have vote is ready and
anxious to take the necessary forms to yer.
iiy and protect it. Any one who does not
expect to supplement his voto fot his party
by other illegal votes, will desire to have
it protected by strict forms. lie who ia
not willing to do this and to take all pain'
that may be necessary to verify the legal
ity Of his vote is unfit to have a vote. NJ
harm would be done if all who think 8
vote so mean thing that it is not worth
any trouble to protect it, orto discriminate
it from illegal votes, lost their votes by
their own abandonment.
ii the people in general thought bnt lit
tie Of this, and were inclined to let thingi
60 by their neglect, the zeal and passion
with which all the Democratic organp rail-.
to assail any suggestions or measures tt
prevent illegal voting, ought to he enOngl
, to aronse them to a determination to have
what the law can furnish to protect thu
, electorr. And they have abundant evi
dence that the Democratic party improves
on n large scale the immunity for frnut
! Il "a ,u IN, ha,
NAV well be swift now to assail any aug
gestion OF registry of voters, when the,
have Just carried the election in this coun
ty by bold villainy in illegal voting, Nnt
when, IN the insolence OF their possession
they can retort upon the statement of tn
evidences of it the tnunt, "What are yOl
going to do about il ?"
OF course there is great difficulty In pro
viding laws which close up all the way
of fraud when one political party is deter
mined to carry the elections by foul mean
when fair will not do it, and when its cod
of morals is so low as to make its own pos
session OF the spoils OF Government tn
justification of any means 10 get or holt
them But that the thing is difficult, AM
that the best means which are practIcabl
may be imperfect does not prove that W
should make no effort, and that we shOul
+ sit down in hopeless abandonment Oi on
liberties to the possession of cheats, thin
ble-riggers aud ruffans. II we can max
| fraud difficult, il We can shut up any q
!. its ways, twill be something gained: An
r the single circumstance that the part
E which lives, moves, and has its being b
! fraud and ruffnnism Nt the polls, oppose
i all laws to protect the voters, should he
G sufficient incentive to the Republicans
d enter upon the providing of them wit
l. determination.
B A suggestion of law OF registration
electors has brought from the Enquirer Il
d swift objection that such law would be
l. violation OF the Constitution, which itse
e has fixed the qualifications OF voters, b
& yoni which the statute can not go. III
Ie Democratic idea If Constitution is til
n it is thing only to give protection to l,er
d ocratic criRics. a law requiring voters
h register, adds no qualification, il is simp
ID a verifcation Of their legal qualification
t. The same quibble would make uncOnstit
re tional all challenging of voters, all inql
te ries into their identity, the putting
ls them under oath to swear to their quail
he cations, the demand thut natnralized CT
ne zens shall show their certificates. and
d. other inquiries that nre made into /
sl quail ifcations of the man who offers to vo
o. This pretense OF Constitutional impC
VI iment to any law to verify the legal vote
is mere childislness in reason, and is
OF old Democratic idea that the CONSTITUTE
da is thing for the Democratic party
IN throttle honest government with. II
on Democratic hostility to all attempts
or make our elections honest, is enough
he stimulate honest people to this endcav
The meanest revolution Of II governmt
&C. is that which subvcrts il by fraud. WI
IN man on horseback seizes it, he al le
lc- brings in some strong qualities and so
!, governing capacity, and general ly he