The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-10-25
r,vo Can play at that Game.

the Judges OF elections, then the Demo
Gratis must avail themselves Of the same
opinion and push in the white voters.
Here Is the first incorrect statement:
Z. liza voter has been regularly assessed
with the capitation-tax for 1881, and his
name appears on the commissioner books,
and he has not been returned delinquent for
that year, he is prsaG fdcie entitled TO vote.
as II must be presumed that ne mas paia
his tax, or his name would appear on said
list; and whether he has paid 1t or not, the
treasurer or collector OF taxes becomes
thereby liable 10 the State for said tax.
II Mr.. BLAIR had added that the voter
must be registered, this statement wouldn't
be so Objectionable. But as he has said in
q paragraph which we shall presently
quote that registration is not always neces-
sary II may be THAT he opines that ii is not
necessary in the case alluded to above. We
let that pass.
We quote Mr.. BLAIR again:
-. II Is the duty OF the commissioner TO
assess any voter whose name has been
omitted from his list where he ascertalns
such fact. and his failure or refusal to so
assess the voter ought not to work bar TO
the exercise Of the right OF ballot.
Mr.. BLAIR simply says "oughtnOt to work
bar 10 the exercise OF the right OF ballot
III he means no more than he says, the opin-
ion is harmless. But il Mr.. BLAIR means
that the failure or refusal to assess a voter
does not deprive him OF the right TO vote,
we beg leave TO dissent. The Constitution
provides that a capitation-taX must have
been paid by every man who votes. Its
payment is indispensable-ius as indispen-
sable as that he must be twcnty-one years
old. 1t would be much more reasonable to
say that a voter need not be registered;
and yet, as we have said above, to say even
that would be an ineXcusable blunder.
But Mr.. BLAIR goes further. lie says:
10. If, however, by the fault or refusal Of
such commissioner, voter has not been as
sessed with the capitati0n-taX required by
law to be paid as a prerequisite TO voting,
am of opinion that such failure to assess the
voter, when il is the duty Of the assessor to
assess every resident voter, ought not to
work Acknowledgement in such cases.
IL a registered voter presents to
the judges OF election the certificate OF the
clerk Of the court TO whose office the as
SCISSORS books are returned, dated the day |
OF election, or any other satisfactory evil |
dencc, that no capitatiOn-taX has been as
sessed against such voter, then the law |
presumes that such voter is not liable to |
such tax, and such officer becomes bound |
for the same by his omission Of duty, I'M
less satisfactory reasons be given for such |
failure TO assess sad voter with his capita |
tion-taX; but in either event such voter is |
entitled TO vote.
In other words, there are 10000 men in |
Virginia who can vote without paying the !
capitation-taX, there being 10000 men in
the State who have never been assessed |
with the capitation-taX Now. was there |
ever before such law laid down by IN At
torney-General? The constitutional re- /
quirement that EVERY man must pay a !
capitation-taX Is rendered null and void by |
the neglect OF a commissioner OF the revenue
to assess the tax! Many need not pay the tax |
as qualification to vote. All one has to dOis |
to keep out Of sight OF the commissioner !
OF the revenue whilst the latter is on his
rounds. The more worthless and insignifi- |
cant the man, the better his opportunity |
for voting without paying the capitation- |
tax. All good citizens, all prOperty-hold- |
ers, all the men having n known home, all |
these must pay the tax before voting, but !
the men whom nobody knows, whom no.
body can point out to the commissioner, |
who have in fact no ncighbors, these men |
can all vote without paying the capt. |!
tation-tax! All they have TO do is |
a. ,on;otor tho;, uoDnoS aud yote and
then the commissioner Of the revenue
becomes responsible for their taxes
Think OF that. The commissioner OF the
revenue responsible for the tax of every
negro who escapes his eye and hides him
self when the commissioner is going his
rounds In Richmond X. Is. MUNFORD is
responsible for several thousand negroes
taxes-provided Mr.. BLAIR's opinion is
not wrong. We dislike TO believe that
Mr.. BLAIR has given such an opinion; and
before writing this article, we waited
several days in the hope that he would eX-
plain it away. But in vain. lie makes no
sign. We assume, therefore, that we have
not misunderstood him.
Now. then, il this opinion is to govern
the judges Of elections, all the Democrats
have to do is to register next Saturday all
the white men in Virginia, and let them
vote the Democratic ticket on the 18th of
November, whether they have paid the
capitation-tax or not. Those who have
paid and been registered can vote under
the law. Those who have registered but
have not been assessed can vote under Mr..
BLAlR's opinion. Those who have regis
tered and been assessed and have not been
returned delinquent for 1881 can vote I'M
der BLAIR's opinion. Everybody can vote
The constitutional provision has been
wiped out by Mr.. BLAIR.
There are in Henrico county, including
the city OF Richmond, 1857 white men,
all OF whom can vote under Mr.. BLAIR's
opinion, they will only register their
names next Saturday. All OF them who
are registered and not assessed with taxes
can vote. SO says Mr.. BLAIR. All OF them
who are assessed and not returned delin.
quent can vote. So says Mr.. BLAIR.
Those who are both registered and assessed
will have topay the capitation-tax, whether
they are returned delinquent or not. But
surely the Democrats can raise money
enough TO pay for all Of those Of this last
class who do not pay for themselves.
But there are in Virginia, says the CEN
sas Of 1854. a total Of 206,24 white voters
that is TO say, white men over twenty-one
years OF age--more than twice as many AZ
voted for JoHS w. DANIEL last wear. Let