The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-10-25
TO THE COMMISSIONERS Of ELEC-
TON.

In view of the frauds we expect to
oe attempted by the Radicals in this
election, the duty of Commissioners
for the Democratic Conservative Par
" will be very important one and
will require vigilance and untiring
industry at their hands. They will
remember that this is only a revision
of the Registration book which was
made in full by E. j. Barretti in 1874.
Barrett's last number was 1885,
The present Registrar commenced
with that number and his numbers
run from that up. He has supplied
papers to persons who were register
ed in 1874 but who had lost their
papers. In that case he says that he
has invariably put both the old and
ne,o number on the duplicate certih-
cate. But it does not matter mate
rally whether he did or not. All
numbers after S436 are signed BY
B. w. Woodruff and are new papers.
When voter presents such a certifi-
cate, the law makes it the duty of
the Commissioners to write down his
name and number on their list
They are then to find the name and
number on the poll book and check
it there. They then receive and de-
post the vote, and write on the vo-
ter's registration certificate ''Voted
November 7th, 1876" Close atten,
ton to this duty and rigid inspec-
ton of the certificates, back and
front, will prevent any man from re-
peating his vote on either an old OF
new certificate. The names of per.
SONS who have died and moved away
have been erased from the roll ano
there ought to be many blank ole
numbers. Should any voter present
any such certificate, the name oughr
not to be found on the poll books
Now let US take the case of vote
having both the old and new certifi
} Gates and we doubt not that ther'
; are many such cases and that the.
will attempt to use both at differen
precincts probably. Should any ,sucl
: case be detected let the Commission
t ers have him arrested at once for at
tempting to vote illegally. The Reg
8 istrar says that where duplicate
have been issued, the old and ne,
0 number have both been put on tn
e certificate, the new number recorde
in the book and the old numbe
4 erased from the book. If this ha
Y been faithfully carried out the chez
. is easy, because if after voting o
the new certificate the voter shout
afterwards, either at the same or ar
Other poll, offer to vote on the oil
. certificate, neither his name nor oil
" number would be found on the pc
book and he would not be entitled {
y vote. But let us suppose that mi
~ takes have been made and his nan
and old number put on the book
% it's old place. The check then is fl
- the Commissioners to turn to Il
'' poll book, get the letter Of his nam
as they will be arranged alphabet
-, 20 cally we suppose, in as much as the
have been always SO arranged, ar
r. run over all the names commencir
Is with that letter, having humble
% larger than 1896, and if they fir
that the voter has obtained ne
certificate from B. W. Woodruff,
re can only vote on the new and not {
30 the old one-for he could only O
tain the new one by swearing to Il
loss of the old. This check appli
equally to cases where the new al
old certificates are offered. Whe
- ever voter presents his certificat
- old or new, run over all the nam
~ who have got new numbers, and
o papers have been issued to the app
- cant by B. W. Woodruff, he can on
. vote on Woodruf's certificate, and
~ that has already been used it shou
ile have on it "Voted November Il
or 1876" and Of course should sh'
he that it had already been used
eo that day.
10 Another check on the old numb
is that nine out of ten of them "
be marked "Voted Nov. I'd, 1874"
II all which were used then were
S marked. Any voter presenting su
= certificate signed by E. J. Barre
II has no business on the new list ms
5 by B. w. Woodruff, and if he is
3 that list, he can only vote when
5 presents his new certificate. I