The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1891-01-30
WHO is QUALIFIED TO REGISTER
AND VOTE.

franchise under the new Constitu
ton. Nearly three months hav'
passed since the adoption thereof
yet very few understand what is
prerequisite 10 registration anC
voting.
a great many think hat the
understanding clause" is now in
force, and that, in order to vote.
one must "be able to read any sec
ton of the Constitution of this
State ; or he shall be able to I'M
derstand the same when read TO
him, or give a reasonable i~nterpre-
tation thereof" This belief is err
roneous for the present years.
this clause will not go into effect
until after January l, 1892. Others
believe that no one will be per-
mitted to vote at The next election
unless they have paid a poll tax
of 81. This is also erroneuos in
part. "a uniform poll tax of 81,
to be used in aid of the common
schools and for no other purpose,
will be imposed on every male in
habitant OF this State, between the
ages of twenty-one and sixty
years, except persons who are
deaf and dumb, or blind. or who
are manned by loss Of hand or
foot" The payment of this in.
creased tax will not, nor can it be
required before October 1, 1891, or
the beginning of the next fiscal
year, and then it is to be paid as
other taxes. If not paid, however,
at that time or before the follow
ing February, together with all
other taxes due, the person so fail
ing would be denied the privilege
of voting for the year following,
should there be an election. 1t is
necessary that all tareS for the
fiscal years 1SS9-90, and 1S9O-91 be
before February LIST to emit
tie a person, otherwise qualified,
to vote in November, 1891.
The fact is, for the political year
of 1891, the qualifications of an
elector or voter in this State are
not radically different from what
they have been heretofore,
unless it is IN the tax-paying
and longer residence clauses. The
changes which have been made,
and the further qualifications
therein required, all tend toward
a full recognition of hat enlight-
ened and eternal principal that
morality and intelligence should
and must rule.
A new registration of all per-
sons entitled to vote in this coun-
y under the present Constitution,
will be made by the Circuit Clerk
in the Spring, or early
when he will visit every
precinct in the county, due no.
ice of which will be given as the
aw requires.
1t is a fact, also worthy of notice
md remembrance, that no person
be registered within four
months Immediately preceding
N election, except those who, in
aspect to age and residence,
would become entitled to vote
the said four months.
A copy Of a section relating to
he matter of franchise Is herein
quoted from the Constitu-
ion, which is very plain and ex-
and anyone who sees this
is requested to carefully
cad, examine and understand
anne, and explain it to his neigh
and friend, that none may re-
in ignorance of their rights
n this particu lar, and that no con-
usion may arise in the matter of
e~gistration.
SECr:oS PAL. Every male inhabitant
{ this Site, except idiots, insane per-
ons and Indians not taxed, who is a citi-
EN- of the United States, twenty-one
ears old and upwards, who has resided
n this State two years, and n year in
election district, or in the incorpor-
ted city or town, in which he offers to
Iote, and who is duly registered as pro-
vided in this article, and who has never
'een convicted of bribery, burglary,
heft, arson. obtaining money or goods
lader false pretenses, perjury, forgery.
smbezzlement or bigamy, and who has