Year: 1872

vision that may be necessary to pro-
tect and secure the weaker men,
bers Of our population full, free and
equal advantages to vote for the
men of their choice for Office. With
out this the equality of all men be-
fore the law becomes a delusion
and a barren boon.


The other provisions, that make
the machinery one sided, partisan
and dangerous to the liberties of
the people when welded by an am
ambitious executive, should be so
modified that the breath of suspi-
cion of unfairness should not attach
to a victory achieved by either par
ty at the election.


It would be much better for the
interests of society and the perpe-
tuity of free institutions that the
Republican party should be de-
feated rather than that the opinion
should prevail that its success has
been obtained by fraudulent use
of official powers and extraordinary
advantages in the manipulation of
the votes and suffrages of the peo-
pie. If such a law is required to
bolster up and sustain the Republi-
can party in this State, I am free to
say I had rather it would perish.


These are no new views of mine,
but simply a restatement Of my an
nual message Of 1870, more fully
made in my annual message of this
year, and which I now desire to
reiterate with more distinctness and
emphasis.


I recommend and urge you to
pass an act amending the law on
registration, giving the parochial
government of each parish the ap-
pointment of the registrar of voters;
that it shall be necessary for the re-
gistrar to have been q resident of
the parish for twelve months before
his appointment that he shall be
ineligible for any elective Office
during the term Of his employment;
and that the expenses of registra-
ton should be paid by each parish.


Second-That the election law
be so amended as to give to the
parochial authorities the selection of
the Commissioners of Election in
such a measure as to secure a re-
presentation of each political party
at each of the polls established to
receive votes /; that tbe ballots
should be counted and publicly
proclaimed Immediately after the
close of the election, and on the
spot, in the presence of any and
everybody who may desire to be
present. That the returns should
be made out in duplicate. one to be
forwarded to the Secretary of State,
and the other fled with the parish
government. That the voting pre-
cincts in each parish should be es-
tablished by the parish government,
and shall not be changed without
six months public notice first given.
That the Board of Commissioners
shall be either abolished or selected
from citizens not candidates for Of
fee, and to the end that each poll
tical party shall be fully represent
ed in such body, and that in the
case of registration the expense of
election should be borne by the
parochial government.


Third recommend that the
Office of chief constable in each
parish be abolished, and the return
Of the civil power to the sheriff; or
at least an amendment OF the law,
giving compensation only when in
active service.


Fourth-The revenue law should
be amended. The enormous com.
pensation paid many of the officers
for asserting and collecting the
revenues must be reduced, and on
this subject I refer you to the fol
lowing extracts from my annua
message:


9. I recommend q reduction il
the compensation given for assess


ment and collection of the taxes O
the State; that the $4,000 pait