The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-10-25
Voters Registry Law.


We took occasion some days ago to
point out the need there is for suitable
law requiring the registration Of voters.
The Importance of such a law as a guard
against unlawful and fraudulent voting
can not DE doubted by any one. In the
earlier times of the country, when the
voters of every town and township were
mutually known to each other personally,
and fraudulent voting became therefore
impossible, the need of such a law did
not exist. But the growth of towns into
cities, where entire mutually Of ac-
Quaintance is impossible, has opened a
door to the perpetration of frauds upon
the ballot-box OF which, as claimed by
all political parties, advantage has 80
repeatedly been taken as to render the
occurrence too common for the public
good.
If there is any governmental instru-
mentality that should be guarded with
absolute sanctity, it is the ballot-box.
A fraud upon that is a fraud upon the
most sacred rights of human freedom.
To place suitable guards around the
ballot-box in order to prevent any posi-
BILE invasion of it's sanctty, should be
one of the principal objects of the
law. 1t would be an act of selEpreser.
valion to the law Itself. For, without
that sanctity, the very sources of law
would be contaminated at their foun.
tain head.
1t would seem that any suitable legis.
latiOn to secure this most important
purpose would be readily accepted by
all good citizens. Such law coulC
never in any sense be Objectionable or
partisan grounds. 1t is not for the ad
vantage of any political party, but &
measure for the protection of all alike
At this time, when the air is laden with
allegations OF ballot-box frauds, hurled
by political parties at each other ir
terms of the sharpest elimination and
recrimination, we might expect to find
the followers of all parties willing and
eager to adopt measures to put stop
to such frauds in the future. But
1t is not SO. Some object on ac-
count OF the trouble registration
would cause. AS though any trouble
were too great to preserve that which
our forefathers fought to achieve as the
palladium of liberty. Others say, there
would be frauds in registration, and
therefore it would be of no avail II
this be true, then there could be ne
stronger argument adduced to show the
need of such law. For, If the fact OF
frauds upon the ballot-box be admitted
tO have gained such foothold as to owe r.
come the guards afforded by registra-
tion, law for that purpose can not
come too soon. But fraudulent regis
tration is always open to detection be-
fore. the final fraud at the ballot-box is
eonsummated. If not an absolute
safeguard, it would certainly con-
tribute largely to that end. And
that American citizen must hold
his privilege Of voting but lightly
who would complain OF the trouble of
recording himself as q voter in his prop
er precinct. ..r q
But we hear it intimated that such q
law would be unconstitutional. 1t is a
most remarkable feature of recent times
thatali legislation proposed by our Gov
ernment for its own preservation has
been met by this objection OF unconsti-
tutionality. The Constitution OF this
State defines who "shall have the quail
fcations of an elector and be entitled to
vote at all elections" viz: male citi-
Gems of the United States, of the age of
twenty-one years, and resident of the
State one year preceding the election. and
of the county, &C., as may be provided
by law. That is the whole of the
constitutional provision upon the sub
ject. And yet we are told. with an air
of solemniry that would seem to .indi-
cate sincerity, that law requiring the