The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-05-15
THE REGISTRATION DE-
CISION.

The RaglStratlOa LAW "u'o" oO'
been in operation in this State since the
wear 1882, was not a registration law
IN the true sense of the term. but a Law
restricting the suffrage. It was en-
acted to restrict the suffrage, and was
administered so as to efectually accom-
plish the purpose for which it was
framed This law, 10 conjunction with
the eight box Law. which is a device
having the effect of an educational
Qualification, las preserved the political!
supremacy Of an educated aud iutell'-
gent minority-the whi,es-over a
large and ignorant naj0risy-sbe ne-
gross. For this purpose the laws were
enacted. aud there has fever been any
attempt to- conceal the purpose, nor to
deny it.
IL has long been the belief of many
citizens Of this and other states, law
ysrs as veil as laymen. that the regis
,ratioo law would not stand if attacked
in The courts on constitutional grounds;
and this belief has been sustained BY
the decision of Judge Golf.
To an unprejudiced mind the argu-
meot advanced By Judge Golf is COD
vinciug. Divested Of everything save
the fundamental reasons for declaring
the law unconstitutional, putting aside
all reference to the negro. the Fifteenth
Amendment, and the War of the Re-
belliop, as His Honor sees fit to term
it, we have left sufficient to sustain the
conclusion. The registration law dis
f~rancbised thousands of men for no
greater crime than carelessness. Failure
to register in 1882 deprived a man of
the right to vote as long as the law
should remair N force. Failure to re.
gis.-r as soon as q man became Of age
deprived him Of full citizenship. Re-
moy4i from ooe tract Of land to auotb-
er deprived a citizen of his ballot.
unless be should report the change Of
residence to the Supervisor Of Regis
sration aod obtain a new certificate.
The Law worked injustice and hardships
when enforced to the letter, aud placed
honest, though careless men. on the
same footing as criminals. Men were
denied the rigbs to vote on other than
constitutional grounds; therefore 1t
con,d net stand in a court of law.
There should be no surprise that
Judge Gof decided as he did. The
Supreme Cour. Of the United States
will beyond doubt sustain this decision.
if the case is carried up for a hearing.
The decision is based upon abstract
principles Of right and justice to all
men who are recognized as citizens 10
the eyes of the Law, and nine out of
ten men will 10 honesty to themselves
admit that they would have decided as
did Judge Gof had they been in his
position. There is nothing pleasant or
gratifying to us in the situation. 1t is
humiliatiug and CALLING to be forced
10 admit that We have been living under
a law Of this character SO long, and be
without excuse except that it was
necessary to the we'll being of the
State, to the honest administration Of
the government, and to tie preserva-
ton of peace within the body polite
that suffrage be restricted. The Legis-
lature of the State chose system that
weighed heavily upon one man ADD
affected others not at all. 8 system that
in the hands of INSCRIPTIONS men
could become a most ~villianous instru-
ment of tyranny, instead of some
equally effective system that would
have restricted the suffrage without
being q fraud and an instrument of
frand. This is the humi!iatiog feature
Of the situation.
Judge Golf gives a lecture on the
negro question that was gratuitous,
coming as it did from the bench. 1t
was sufficient for him to decide the case
10 the abstract. The people of South
Carolina know ell about the negro aud
negro question that is necessary per
baps if Judge Golf knew as much of
the practical issues which We have been