The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1894-06-13
BRAYTON'S REASONS
For Trying to Overthrow the Reai,traticn
LAVE,

For Trying TO Overthrow the Reai,tration
LAVE.
COLUMBIA, S. O., June The fol-
lowing letter was published this morn
ing:
AS am the one mainly responsible
for the institution of the proceedings
in the Supreme Court to have the con-
stitutionality of the registration law
of the State tested, it may not be amlss
to state the reasons which have gov
erned my action.
This law enforced according to its
provisions ls more harsh, restrictive
and obnoxious to fundamental princi-
pies than is generally known. 1t DIS
franchises every voter who passes one
registration period without getting bis
certificate, regardless of the causes. II
absent, sick, crowded out or Indifferent
he is subjected to the same penalty. 1t
disfranchises every voter not previous
ly registered, who moves into counsy y
after the first Monday in July proceed
Ing general election. Thus, though
ne may actually have been resident
in the county four months before the
election and the constitution declares
that but sixty days residence IN the
county preceding an election IS re-
quired, his right to vote abrogated and
be is remedlless.
The law bases the right Of electors to
vote, not upon the registration, but
equally upon the presentation at the
polls of the certificates of registration
It is anomalous and un-American to
say that the inalienable and sovereign
right of suffrage must be confined to a
fimsy piece of paper liable to be lost.
destroyed, mislaid or stolen. The put
ting of the closing day OF reglstratlon
on the first Monday of July is contrary
to the spirit and understood meaning
of registration and is subversiYe OF the
franchise, making registration close
before it should, and in other States
does. begin, and before the excitement
of the campaign and the nearne5s OF
the election have directed the atten
ton and aroused the interest OF the
voters, cannot have for its object the
purpose inherent in registration as de
clared essential by the courts ana au'
thorities, or abridging suffrage, but It's
effect is clearly to deprive voters OF
the possession and exercise OF thelr
constitutional rights.
The making secret the registration
records is only destructive OF the Iun'
damental rights of voters and subVer'
siye of the principles inherent in regis,
tration. A registration to be constltu
tlonal must be easy, free, impartial and
public, and its purpose should oe 60
provide for the regulation OF suffrage
and to prevent repeating. Some states
and courts consider even this kind OF
regulation an illegal restraint and In
| fringement of the right OF suttrag &c.
Besides the registration books having
been in use twelve years are dllaploa'
ted, confused and unreliable.
T these constitutional provisions OF
the law there are added the irritating
expensive and unnecessary eXactlons
of forcing voters to 90 to the SuperVl'
sor's Office and the getting OF new Ger
tifcates in case Of their loss or hne
moving from the county pfecincC OF
change of residence. Under the oper'
alton of this law It is estimated there
are one hundred thousand negroes anc
thirty thousand whites either dlsfran
chised or disqualified from voting. lr
addition to the constitutional de1ects
in the laws are to be considered the
capabilities it affords for eVasl0ns anc
partisan manipulation. Heretofore tne
Republicans have had to encounter ano
endure these. Those who have mol
studied the law Or practiced its lniqul
ties eau not comprehend the adVanta
ges afforded to those in control OF tne
20 machinery or the helplessness OF tnost
victims to its unfair execution. The
division among the Democrats pre-
sents new situation. 1t foreshadoWs
the time when one faction will be treat
ed as the Republicans have been. Inls
white men will not submit to auC
when the Crisis comes there will os
bloodshed and anarchy. Is 1t not pet
ter to forestall and avert this CALAMITY
by uprootiug law which has outllVec
the purposes of its creation? 1t Is no
necessary. for elections were carried be
Seen 1876 and 1882 without 1t and
and now there is the eight box law tt
supplement- old agencies. 1t is hazard
Gus to depend upon the law being usec
for the benefit Of the Democrats, De-
cause when they divide at the polls 4
will afford weapon for the dominan
side to scourge their hostile brethren
Besides it is demorallzlng TO oe oe
pendent upon these sworn SUPERVISOR
being subjected to the need OF commit
ting perjury to favor their partlsan
and make those citizens thus accom-
modated and illegally favored partl
ceps criminls.
Such law, besides being badge o
shame to state, is q serious lmpeol
ment to its growth and prosperity. IL
a self-respecting and independent mai
there would be well grounded oDJec
tions to moving into State dominated
by such law and where constitutional
rights are 80 easily lost or aerogated.
The court can safely set aside tn
law, for. if the eight-box election Law
is not considered sufficient, there
time for the Legislature to be conVen
ed and other laws passed, while IT thl
law stands and a new Constitution
is adopted upon the vote at the mex
election. wherein not over one-quarte
of the citizens of the State can Voce,th
question will some day be raised, AM
the new Constitution will itself be hel(
illegal and void:
ELLERY M. BRAYTON.
Columbia, June 6, 1894.
Texas Cotton Crop.
HOUSTON. Tex, June 6.--TOmcrroV