South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1889-01-18
GOVERNORS MESSAGE.

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be compelled to testify against an,
person concerning such offsnses; bu
such witness 10 be exempted from
punishment for the violation OF tb,
law Of which he may have been gull
~, and concerning which. be may b,
compelled to testify. That GO statut,
Of Limitations shall bar . prosecution
and that 1t shall be the duty OF tn,
Circuit Courts, at every term thereof
to give the act in special charge L
the grand jury.
or course, the recommendation In
relation to registration law, ia ne
csssarily limited within tho following
Constitutional provisions
mo citizen shall ever be denied
or refused the right or privilege G
voting ut on election, because bis
name IL 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 G,
court Of registration of voters. Sec.
IL, Art. 6, Constitution.
Both Of these provisions wero in
tended for the security of the elective
franchise, and should be construed
with reference to the evils they were
designed to correct. Under cur for
mer registration law. every person
claiming right to vote was com.
PEELED TO apply to the township, oil
ward registrar for registration, and, if
rejected, he had no remedy for the
vindIcation Of his rights but an ap-
peal to the Board of Registra ton.
And Vt was provided that:
The Board Of Registration of zach
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 shall, in
all cases, be final. except in case of
contested elections before either
house Of the Legislature
No persons we're permitted to vote
excepting those who were registered.
Said Sec. IL does not prohibit a
registration OF voters; but only pro-
yides that the privilege of voting
shall not depend upon registration.
Said Sec. 43 does not prohibit q
registration but simply declares Il hat
no board or court Of registration shall
be created. 1t seems to me that The
words board AMI court in this &C.
ton, are used az synonymous terms,
and Interpreted, with reference to
the laws Of this State, were intended
only TO include registration tribunals
having Jurisdiction 10 try and deter
mine The right of voting. However
this may be, it is a board, or court Of
registration only, that is prohibited.
A single registrar for county, or
one for each magisterial district,
would not constitute q board, nor
could such constitute q court unless
judicial functions be conferred.
A law might be passed for the reg.
istration OF voters, and the registra.
ton be made prima facie
evidence of the right to vote ;
and persons not registered.
Offering to vote, be required to prove
their qualifications before the com
missioners of election, who shall re.
cord them as unregistered voters.
Each voters ballot should be num-
bered TO correspond with the poll
book, or some Other certain method
adopted 10 identify the ballot In case
of contest.
CORRUPTION AND USE OF MONEY IN
THE sELECTIoN OF CANDIDATES FOE
PUBLIC OFFICE.
repeat what l said upon this sub.
ject in a former message:
Bribery at elections, by our laws,
is a punishable crime yet it is no vi.
olation Of the law to use the very
means TO secure nominations for pub
lie office, that would constitute bribe-
~ ut an election. Political party or
carnations, though not in law, are,
In fact, part OF our governmental
system. They determine in the main,
by their nominations, upon whom
political trusts shall be conferred !;
and, therefore, it becomes an essen /.
tial TO prevent the use Of undue
means, fraud and corruption, in SO
curing nominations, as 10 elections
for public office. The use of money
70 secure individual support and adj
vocacy, and the delivery OF railroad
passes TO delegates to political cons
yentions, favoring the nomination TO
public Office Of such candidates as
railroad officials may desire nominas
ted. are the common methods now
practiced. The use Of railroad pasS'
es for such purpose, in this State,
has become so open and notorious as
to be thrust upon the attention Of
every observing man. Nothing but
the aroused Indignation and deter
mIustion OF the people can success
fully encounter these means. The
absence OF laws to condemn and
punish such conduct, is but proc'a'
nation to the people and q warning
20 every citizen who hspires to pub
lie position that subserviency TO The
demands Of wealth aud railroad cor'
pcrarons. Is the frst Indispensable
requisite to political success. The
manifest purpose Of such methods Il
90 control by corruption crush intel
leeiual and moral worth deter pubs
lie u.terance for the public good
stias public sentiment end thwart the
public will
Il Ca. NJ