Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-02-03

W. R0UAA6A III 2AOSAA-A NC4N%-~- $500
morning a communication In regard to
q proper registration law for the State,
that being subject which is attracting
considerable attention just now, and
which is generally conceded to be worthy
the careful attention of the Legislature
upon its reassembling In July.
The State constitution in article H.,
section 2, gives the General Assembly
power to provide from time to time for
the registration OF all qualified electors,
and it provides that no idiot or lunatic,
nor any person who has been convicted
in any court Of competent jurisdiction
OF treason against the State, of embez-
element of public funds. of malfeasance
in Office, of bribery or larceny, or Of any
crime involving moral turpitude. punish
able by the laws of this State with
imprisonment in the penitentiary,
unless such person shall have been par
doned, shall be qualified as an elector.
That instrument also provides, in article
IL, section /, that no person shall be
allowed to vote who cannot swear or
affirm that he is twentY-one years OF age,
has resided in the State one year, and in
the county in which he proposes to vote
six months next preceding the election,
that he has paid all taxes which, since
the adoption of the new constitution,
shall have been required Of him previous
to the year Of the election, and that be
has not voted at such election.
These are, in brief, the requirements
of the present constitution of any per-
son before he can legally vote in Georgia,
and it is clearly necessary that, if our
ballot is to be protected, some means
should be devised by which it can be
ascertained whether or not the person
offering to vote is possessed OF thess
qualifications. No method can DO do
vised to accomplish this 80 effectually as
a proper system of registration,
conducted, either, as our correspondent
suggests, under the auspices of sworn
body Of registration commissioners, OF
in some other way, SO as to insure
the rigid enforcement of the law.
Such law would, as far as it is possible
to do SO, prevent frauds at elections, fol
since the name and residence Of every
elector in the State would be known &c
the commissioners or to the proper au
thorities, any attempt at fraud could the
more readily be detected, exposed ant
punished.
The purity of the ballot-b box is theme
of which much has been said and writ
ten, and illegal practices at elections are
constantly subjects of bitter complaint
Georgia certainly is as free from thu
charge of such frauds as il
any other State in the Union. Ye
every good citizen of the State is desirou
that there shall be left no door open TO
such charges, and that our election
shall be at all times entirely above sus
picion. A general registration law
therefore, formed in accordance will
the provisions of the State constitution
and so thoroughly enforced as TO secur'
protection to the ballOt-box, would b.
received with general satisfaction. Gu
State exchanges have SO far, with grea
unanimity, expressed themselves il
favor of such law, and it is but fair t
presume that they reflect the genera
sentiment of their readers This will N
doubt be one of the most interesting
subjects to which the Legislature will
be called upon to address itself mex
summer.