The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-01-19

empted from punishment for the vio-
lation of the law of which he may
have been guilty, and, concerning
which, he may be compelled to testi-
fly. That no statute of limitation
shall bar a prosecution, and that it
shall be the duty of the Circuit
Courts, at every term thereof, to give
the act in special charge to the grand
jury.
OF course, the recommendation in
relation to a registration law, is nee
essarily limited within the following
Constitutional provisions:
"No citizen shall ever be denied,
or refused the right or privilege Of
voting at an election, because his
name is not, or has not been regis
tered or listed as qualified voter"
SEC. IL, Art. 6, Constitution.
"The Legislature shall never au-
thorize or establish any board or
court of registration of voters. -
SEC. II, Art 6, Constitution.
Both of these provisions were in
tended for the security of the cleo
tive franchise, and should be con-
strued with reference to the evils
they were designed to correct. I'm
der our former registration law, every
person claiming right To vote was
compelled to apply to the township
or ward registrar for registration,
and, if rejected, he had no remedy
for the vindication of his rights but
an appeal to the Board of Registra-
ton. And it was provided that:
''The Board of Registration Of each
county shall have the sole jurisdic-
ton to try and determine the right
of any person to vote therein, under
the Constitution and laws of this
State, whose right to vote is ques-
toned; and their decision, in all
cases, shall be final, except in cases
of contested elections before either
house of the Legislature"
No persons were permitted to vote
excepting those who were register
ed.
Section IL does prohibit regis
tration Of voters; but only provides
that the privilege of voting shall not
depend upon registration.
Said section 43 does not prohibit a
registration; but simply declares
that no board nor court of registra-
tion shall be created. 1t seems to
me that the words aboard" and
court in this action, were used as
synonymous terms, and interpreted
with reference to the former laws of
this State were intended only to in
clude registration tribunals having
jurisdiction to try and determine
the right of voting. However this
may be, it is board, or court of
registration only, that is prohibit
ed. A single registrar for county,
or one for each magisterial district,
would not constitute board, nor
could such constitute court unless
judicial functions be conferred.
A law might be passed for the
registration of voters, and the regis
tration made prima focie evidence
of the right to vote; and persons, not
registered, offering to vote, required
to prove their qualifications before
the commissioners of election, who
should record them as unregistered
voters Each voters ballot should
be numbered to correspond with the
poll-book, or some other certain
mode adopted to identify the ballot
in case of contest.
CORRUPTION AND USE OF MONEY IN
PUBLIC OFFICE.
l repeat what ! said upon this sub
ject in former message.
Bribery at elections, by our laws,
is a punishable crime; yet it is no
violation of the law to use the very
means to secure nominations for pub
lie office, that would constitute
bribery at an election. Political
party organizations, though not in
law, are, in fact, part of our gov
ernmental system. They determine
in the main, by their nominations
upon whom political trusts shall be
conferred; and, therefore, it becomes
as essential to prevent the use of I'M
due means, fraud and corruption, in
securing nominations, as in elections
for public office. The use of money
to secure individual support and adj
vocacy, and the delivery of railroad
passes to delegates to political con-
ventions, favoring the nomination to
public office of such candidates as
railroad officials may desire nornina-
ted, are the common methods now
practiced. The use of railroad
passes for such purpose, in this
State, has become so open and no.
torious as to be thrust upon the at
tention of every observing man.
Nothing but the aroused indigna-
ton and determination of the people
can successfully encounter these
means. The absence of laws to con
denim and punish such conduct, is
but proclamation,to the people and
a warning to every citizen who as
pires to public position, that subser-
viency to the demands ofwealth and
railroad corporations, is the first in
dipensable requisite to political sue
cess. The manifest purpose of such
methods is to control by corruption;
crush intellectualhnd moral worth;
deter public utterance for the public
good; stife public sentiment and
thwart the public will
These practices result in defiance
and defeat of the public will, built
tie less, in degree, than bribery and
corruption at the polls / recon-
mend that they be declared felonious
crimes.
RAILROAD DETERMINATIONS.
At both the last regular and ex-
ira sessions of the Legislature, call
ed the attention to the subject of
railroad discrimination in freight
and passenger charges, endeavored to
present some of the great wrongs in
flicted upon our people, and recon-
mended such legislation as would
correct the evil and protect the in
terests of this State. The injustice.
the injury, the whitening effect upon
our industries are so apparent and
well-known, by every thoughtful
man, that it is unnecessary to repeat
them. A large majority of the States
| of the Union have repulated these