The Pittsburgh gazette. (Pittsburgh, Pa.) 1866-1877, April 08, 1868, Image 4

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    II
ttt gittsllU,l l ,:b gag t.,
PUI3LIFIMI) DiSLY, BY
•
•
PENNIMAN, REED A: CO., 1 1 ,ProprietorsJ.
r. B. PENNIMAN, JOSIAH MING.
T. P. hOUSTON. N. P. BRED,
Editota and 51anagera..
.O.FFICE: • • • •
GAZETTE BUILDING. NOS. 84 AND 86 FIFTH .ST:
OFFICIAL PAPER
Of Pittsburgh, Allegheny eta Allegheny
County.
:______-------
Terma—Daity. &Inf.. Weekly. : W ee kly.
One year....ss.oD One year.4o.soißlugle c0py..../1.50
One mouth. 75 81x-inos.. 1.501 5 ootles, each. 1.25
By the week, -15 Threemos 75,10 • " 1.15
(from carrier.) t and one to Agent.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1868.
We print on the inside pages of this morn
ins' a GAZETTE : Second page—Condensed
News, A Blunder of the Opera, ComPosera.
Third page—Financial Matters in New York,
Markets by Tele,qraph, River News, Imports,
Arc. Sixth page—. Local Markets, Finances and
Trade. Seventh page—Letters from: New
York and St. Louis,
Miscellaneous ,Reading
Matter,, Amusement Directory.
WE PRINT this - very important enactment
this morning,`, The merits of the laW must
be judged by its practical ope,raliOns. We
have, nevertbSless, attentively__considered'
its provisions,, and feel bound to say that•
they seem to us well guarded, carefully elab
orated and completely adapted to the great
purpose which the Legislature had in yiew
and which hasbeen concurrently demanded
by all the friends of the purity of thehellot
boxes. That purpose may be briefly stated
to be the securing of a more complete ex
emption from frauds upon the suffrage, by
the preparation .of a correct voting-list,
bearing the name of every citizen who is
entitled or who claims title to exercite the
right, and the seasonable publication of that
list in adyance of the election day. We
commend ibis act to the particular atten
tion of elqtion officers and all good citi
zens, irrespective of pfirty.
IN OUR columns, this morning, appears a
requisition upon our worthy townsman,
Col. WILLIAM PHILLIPS, to beclime a can
didate for Congress in the . Twenty-second
Congressional District. This docunient is
signed by litindreds of our best citi
zens, representing all the leading interests
of the neighborhood, and is a. testimonial
which does him high honor. Few gentle
men in Allegheny county are as well quali
fied to fill the position as Col. Purtamts, to
which he is ealled,and certainly none have
more ardent friends and admirers. it re
quired no little moral courage to decline be
coming a candidate under such auspicious
circumstances; but Col. PniLtars, unfortu
nately, is so wrapped up in a great local
railway enterprise that he cannot withdraw
his attention from it sufficiently long to re
present this district in the National Assem-
bly. His declination will greatly disappoint
his many friends who sought him out for the
, office, and while they excuse him this - time,
his services may in the future be more im
peratively demanded by an intelligent con-
stituency.
THE ELECTIONS.
Connecticut gave ENGLISII (Dem.) for
Governor, last year, a majority of 987, but
the Republicans carried the Legislature by
majorities of one in the Senate and ten in
the House. At the election on Monday
last, ENGLisn was re-elected by a majority
somewhat increased, the latest estimates be
ing about 1,500, but the Republicans not
only again control of the Legislature, but
have Increased their majorities to three inthe
Senate, and a majority of at least thirty in
the House. In '67 the Republicans polled
46,578 votes and 'the Democrats 47,565,
the total being 94,143. • The aggregate vote
of Monday has'not yet reached us; a heavy
poll was anticipated and no doubt it has
been cast. In the absence of any details, or
of any precise figures in the different sections
of the State, speculations based upon the re
sult would be premature. We can, however,
well afford to be satisfied with any election
which strengthens our hold upon all the
substantial fruits of a triumph. Our control
of the Legislatunaii strengthened, giving us,
among other things, the seat in the 11. S.
- Senate now held' by Hon. JAMES Dixon - ,
who has the Republican party
which- elected him, linking his fortunes to
those of the President whom he will soon
follow into a perpetual retirement from pub
lic life. On the whole we need not complain
of Connecticut. Can our Democratic friends
conscientiously do the same ?
Michigan follows the example of Ohio;
Wisconsir4 Kansas and Connecticut in re
fusing the right of suffrage to colored men.
But the exultation of the Democracy over
this result is sadly checked by her vote also
on Monday to prohibit the sale of intoxi
catine liquors. Between free whisky and
the equally free "nigger," it is the general
impression that they would rather swallow
the latter than to be deprived of the former.
The lesser gain is to them no compensation
now for the greater affliction to which they
must submit.
The charter elections -at at Cincinnati and
Cleveland have resulted, on the whole, in
Republican success. At Cincinnati • the
Democrats get three of the minor city
offices, and havp diminished our majority
on the others by the aid of the "working
men's" niOvement. At Cleveland, the Re
publicans gain in the council, with a general
• majority of from 500 to 700 On the ward
tickets, a gain of, nearly 1,009 over thelast
election.
ON MONDAY' XX. GEORGE B. VASHON,
of Allegheny, was admitted as a lawyer in
the Supreme Court'of tho United. States at
Washington, Judge NELSON administering
the oath. He was admitted on the same
credentials upon,which he was exclude& a
few days ago froin the bar of this county.
Fortunately for him an appeal cannot be
taken from the National " Supreme Court to
the Court of Common Pleas of this county;
otherwise he might .even now be thrown
overboard. It so happens, notwithstanding
the dicta of Judgel4l , mni, that ~Statelines
are not obliterated,. and the State,gOvern
merits, including their ckser . te,:. at Ph.erty,
within their prescribed o rbit s , to be ap tdp ,
ted and proscriptive as they see,Pr? •
•
~ ,, , , , 4 6.1.11wv- •
THE-MAICOIagi.VETO.
By the 18th section of the Consolidation.
Act, passed last year, the Mayor of Fitts
burgh was armed with the power of-nega
tiving any Ordinance enacted 'by Corulcils,
The section provides distinctly that upon
the passage of an Ordinance several thing§
shall be done: 1. That the President of
each Council shall sign it; 2. That it shall
then be submitted to the . Mayor; 3. That if
he approves, he shall sign it; 4,, That if he
disapproves, he sh;11 return it to the CoUn
cils with his objections; 5. That the return
shall be made within five days . after' the de
livery of the Ordinance to him; 6. That the
Councils may pass any vetoed, Ordinance
into a'law, by the concurrence of not, less
than three fifths of the members.
Some little time ago the Councils passed
an Ordinance for widening the side-walks
on Fifth street—which widening would
have proved a notable accomitiodation to
the crowd of idlers who plant themselves in
it, like multitudinous posts, every pleasant
evening, and are not ordered by the police
to "go along, and keep moving," as they
ought to be. This Ordintmee was duly at
tested by the Presidents of Councils and
delivered to the Mayor. Not liking its pro
visions, he concluded to withhold from it
his approval. Accordingly, he wrote out
his objectiolts, and meeting the President of
the Council, with which the Ordinance
originated, in the street, he handed the docu
ments to him. The President, as was, most
proper, remarked, onthe spot, that he was
not the Council, to whom the veto was to
,
be delivered, and that he had no authority
to, convoke the Councils, so that the Mayor's
veto could be received by them within the
five days specified by the law. However,
the Mayor went on his, way, taking no ap
parent heed of this pertinent suggestion.
By the 23d section of the Consolidation
Act, the Councils are required to hold' at
least quarterly meetings, and may fold
special meetings by adjournment. Special
meetings may, also, be summoned by the
Mayor, a Standing or Special Committee,
or by five members of Councils. This
would seem to make the ditty of the Mayor
plain in the premises under consideration.
He was entitled to time in which to consid:
er the Fifth Street Ordinance, 'and to write
out his objections thereto, but only so that
his objections were duly presented to the
Councils inside of the specified five full
days. If no regular quarterly meeting of
the Councils was to occur within- those five
days, and if no special meeting thereof was
summoned, either by Standing or Special
Committee, or by the joint fiction of five
members, it was his duty to call a special
meeting within the five days, and, upon the
assembling of the Councils, to have sentin
his objections in a formal and decorous
manner. Failing to place his objections be
fore the Councils within the five days,
the Ordinance became valid notwithstand
ing the handing of his objections to the
President of one of the Councils—which
was an act not required of him, because, by
no construction of law, and no deduction
of common sense,. can the President be
made to stand instead of the Council itself,
or a street delivery to him be made to an
swer for that Precise and legal prescntatiOn
which the law commands.
On Monday last the Mayor's veto was
brought before the Councils, and, after
discussion, was sustained. Now, we have
no interest whatever in the Ordinance hi
question; but, we hold as a matter of law,
that the action of Councils was just as' irre
gular as that of the MaYor himself; and con
sequently of none effect. When the Mayor
failed to return the Ordinance to the Coun
cils within the prescribed five days, it be
came a law, to all intents, purposes and
constructions whatsoever. The Mayor might
as well have kept that Ordinance in his own
pocket, as to have slid it informally, on the
highway, into • the pocket of the President
of one of the Councils; the legal effect of
the pocketing being the same. If the Coun
cils, upon fuller consideration, whether in
duced by the objections of the Mayor, or by
any other cause whatsoever, were of the
opinion that the Ordinance was impolitic,
their true course was to treat it as valid and
subject it to the repealing process. By
sustaining a veto, which clearly was no
veto at all, and has no legal significance
under any proper aspect, they have only
made the affair into a more eomplete muddle
than it was where the veto left it.
These considerations, of, some conse
quence as the case stands, would be of
serious moment provided the Mayor's power
of veto had xemained in the charter. It so
happened, however, that on Friday last, a
bill amendatory of the Consolidation Act
was passed by the Legislature. By this
act the veto power is taken away-from the
Mayor, and Ordinances are now valid by
the attestations of the Presidents, after
having passed the Councils. Another lin
poitimt fact remains to be noticed. Tlie
Mayor's veto did not get before the Councils
until last Monday. If that document had
been regularly transmitted, it was not re
ceived within the five days, and hence was
destitute of effect. But, if our inforniation
is correct, the bill amendatory.or the . Con-.
sopdation Act, and taking away tfiehLiyor's
right of veto, was, signed by the Governor,
and became a law, befoie this veto , message
came before the Councils. If this be so, the
case is still more confounded.
THE ENGLISH MINISTRY.
Mr. D'lsnAnti, it is reported, has decided
to give up the seals of office in case the op
position should retain - theii large majority
after the recess of Parliament.. We are,
nevertheless, disposed to regard his Inten
tions, in this respect, as not _go distinctly
pronounced as to preclude him . from another
consideration of his duty . He knOws well,
already, that the comhinedCoppositionsare
too . strong in the 'Conunona" forlite Tory'
party. He knew, it when he took office; he
knew it when Earl Drautt; his predecessOr
BS Premleh l imd leading the same paerty, as- ::
sawed the Ohs of government in .1868.;
'kner 4,14*51/1 be f ore Commons icount
,14 out 04 -I TdaY Vat, as *R. gt_.e Moat
was .40cleti by the tellers ; • knew it:
„ f ..:^a:ea7 J r.r.
-
41,4 a. ,
'fiaikc i i *r.EAKkO
tjA '
PITTSBIT . IWAI
when, ,before, the divAsinn, and indeed.ln
Lis first speech in the'ilebate, he declared
that if the ,House should be agabist Minis
teis, ha would appeal to new election.
Tie issue Which he therein presented to the
opposition, they ac&pted, and then voted
him dawn, to signify their disregard of the
menace. By law, the present Parliament
woule expire, by limitation, next year, and
the Succeeding one, whether elected now or
one year later, will be chosen under the pro
visions of new Reform bill of last year,
which extends the' suffrage, enlarges the
constituencies and re-distributes the seats.
But the Premier has thus far_ more dis
tinekly..committed himself to a new election
hoWeVer , unpromising, than to its alterni
tive;:tif resignation, as announced in the'later '
report. And such, we are confident, will
prove to be his polief—waiting the
Budget and otker pending measures of jm
portance, such as the Sea& and Irish Reform
.bills; settling the suffrage in these portions Of
the Empire, have been pissed, and then, dis-•
solving Parliament; he . ,will appeal to a new
general election. This course will be strict
ly in accOrdkace with the spirit of the - British
Constitution, as established by the uniform
practice of Ministers it,iiimilar cases since
the reign of the First GeOrge.
The results of a new election are - morally.
certain to sustLin the opposition. Popular
sentiment in Great Britain is unquestionably
well up to the mark at which ministers are
now beaten ; many intelligent observers de
clare that the constituencies - are even far in
advance of their present members touching
these great questions. But - Mr. D'lsnma
will; however hopeless the case, avail
himself of the established precedents
and their . resulting privilege for - a beaten
ministry. He will not, by resigning now,
himself sign the death-warrant of the once
powerful _Tory party. .He prefer to ,ex
haust every resource for protracting its life,
and will retain to the last possible. moment
its hold , upon a power which,when his
ministry shall finally succumb to the irre
sistible 'pressure of events, in the onward
march of popular enlightenment among the
middling and lower classes of the popula
tioni of the Empire—will never again, in all
time to come, be entrusted to the Tories.
When hid successors, of whatever peculiar
shade of -political liberalism 'among his op
ponents, shall take the seals .of office, the
history of English Toryism may be written.
Its mission accomplished; its life exhausted,
the eleinents in which -it originated and
which have sustained its vitality, disappear
ing forever, to be hereafter , felt,t all, as
an unknown, collateral and almost infinite
simal quantity in English politics, the dei
tines of the British Empire will he controlled,
in all coming years,.' in the interests; of
the great • masses .of an enlightened,
progressive people. Class interests,—and'
these, the interests of a limited and ex
clusive aristocracy which derived all its
title to power not from nurnbers; but from a
wealth, intelligence and aptitude for public
affairs, then peculiar to titled rank,. but now
shared more than equally by the millions,—
are no longer to rule England. The policy
Of the Empire, whether domestic or foreign,
demands a larger . .view of the progress of
civilization and knowledge, a more gener
ous acknowledgment of, equal political
rights and of the absolute freedom, in all
civil and religious things, of the individual
citizen, and that demand shall never again
be gainsayed. The ruin of D'lsnAELf s
Ministry, a work which can, but be post
poned for a twelve month more, will crown
the final and hopeless wreck of the old order
of things, and the new era then comes in.,
As the vital principles of Social and Indi
vidual Freedom shall hereafter be faithfully
interpreted, in the same measure will En,
gland advance to higher glories, a nobler •
and broader power and to a more eonspien
ous influence among the free peoples of the
globe. •
• vi
IT is CONCEDED at Washington that Im
peachment has established itself by adequate
proof upon at least nine of the.- eleven arti
cles. As to the President's line of defence,
we see no eause for changing the opinion
which wo :have lieretofore uttered, that his
express admission of the violation of laws,
for whatever motive, would alone render all
the ability and ingenuity of his counsel_
hopelessly futile. Whichever way they may
turn, for an avenue of escape from the legal
penalty of his misconduct, the fatal power
of that confession overshadows them as an
unconquerable obstacle to his acquittal.
In admitting proof that his agent, General
THOMAS.; had declared that he would make
that violation of the law effective, in taking
possession of the War Office by force, the
Senate gave a vote which was nearer a test
than any yet recorded on the trial. The
testimony, when objected to, was ruled in
by the Chief Justice and sustained by the
Senate in .a vote of thirty-nine to eleven,
every Republican present voting in its favor.
And such will be .
the future votes,
whenever they are to decide, not -minor is
sues, but the great underlying question of
innocence or guilt. His counsel will intro
duce but little testimony, and much of that
will be'of no intrinsic weight. For exani
pie, he will prove by General
and by one or two of the letter-writers who
have been his confidential -exponents for
months — past, that heverbally disclaimed to
them iuiy intention to violate the Civil Ten
t= act. Of what conseqnence can such
proof be, Against his official and express de
clarations,to the contrary? How does it
explain his undeniable intention : to acetorn
plisli a violation of the law, not/ only
through THOMAS and by force, but also
through COOPER, whoin.. her: Attempted- lc!
foist into the Treasury in'oideitOiecure the
control of the Department funds? How will
such evidence reconcile his suspension of
Mr. Smilorr under tiro provisions of the
itself; as admitted officially by - him in
ins communication to' 'Congress and to the
other Secretaries, with his subsequent claim
to'sitspend or remove him under the Xon
stitution.- alone? Mr. Jorrusoit's lawyers
have,a bad, client and a bad cause; they have
abilitY;exid Will ac komplish an they :Can' -
defertetiOmt the age of miracles has gone
Ayp,..,Ncitijipg short xrf: one can *WO himl
,
Mu : . WEDNESDAY • : .•.*Piol,
. ; .5... 1868;.
A Further Supplement to the Act Relating
to the Elections of this Commonwealth
SECTION I. Be it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the Com
-mann:ea./1h of Pennsylvania in General As
sembly met and it is hereby enacted by the
authority_of the same: That, from and after
the passage of this act, it shall be the duty
of the 'several assessors within this Com
monwealth, on receiving their transcripts
. from the county commissioners, to proceed
to make out a list in alphabetical, order of
the white freemenabove twenty-one years
I 'of age, whom they shall know, or who shall
make claim to said assessors, to be quali
fied voters, within their respective town
' ships, boroughs, wards or other election
districts, and, opposite said names, state
whether the said freeman is or is not a
:housekeeper and, if he is, the number of
I his residence,,. in towns where the same are
numbered, with the street, alley or court in
which situated, and, if in a towti where
there arei -no numbers, the name of the
street, alley or court - on which said house
fronts; also the: occupation of the party,
and, where he is not a housekeeper, the oc
cupation, place of boarding, and with
whom, and, if working for another, the
name of the employer; and write opposite
said name \ the word "voter;'.' andi_where
said party laiins to vote by reason of nat
uralization he shall exhibit his certificate
i
thereof to t e aBBOSSOI, unless he shall have
voted in t e township, borough, ward or
district at five preceding 'general elections,
and, on exhibition of the certificate, the
1 name shall be marked .with the letter N;
1 where the party has merely, declared his
intentionto become a citizen,. and designs
to be naturalized before the next election,
the name shall be marked D I; where the
claim is to vote by reason of being between
! , the ages of - twenty-one and twenty-two as
provided by law, the word "age' shall be
entered; and, if the party has moved into
i 'the election district to reside since the last
I general election, the letter R shall be placed
, opposite the name; and in all of the cases
lenumerated a tax shall forthwith be assess
ed against the person. And in order to.
carry this law into effect for the present
year, it shall be the duty of the commis
sioners -of the respective counties of this
Commonwealth, within sLxty days after the
passage of this act, to cause alphabetical
lists of the persons returned by the assess=
ors as having been assessed in the several
districts for the present year to be made
out and,placed in the hands of the respect
. ive assessors, whose duty it shall be, on or
before the first of September, to ascertain
the qualifications of.the persons so named,
and their claims to vote as before mention
ed, and perform in regard to such persons
'all off - the duties enjoined by this act, i and
furnish said list to the commissioners and
election board as hereinafter directed; Pro
vided That the names of all persons,
c who were duly registered and per
j milled to vote at the next pre-
I ceding general election in Octo
i ber shall, without further proof or
I application, be placecton the list or registry
directed to be prepared for the election in
November, but they and all others shall be
i subject to challenge, and their right to vote
I be passed on as prescribed by the, fourth
section of this act.
SEC. 2. On the list being completed and
the assessments made as aforesaid, the same
shall forth With be returned to the county
cothrhissioners, who shall cause .duplicate
copies of said lists, with the observations
and explanations required to 'be noted as
aforesaid, to be made out as soon as practi
cable and placed in the hands of the asses
s6r, whq shall, prior to the first of August
next ensuing said assessments, put one copy
thereof on the door of the house where the
election of the rsspective district is required
to be held, and retain the other in his pos
session for the inspection, free of charge,
of any person resident within the said elec
tion district who shall desire to see the
Same, and it shall be the duty of said asses
sor to add from time to time, on the per
sonal application of any olaiming the right
to vote, the name of such claimant, and
mark opposite the name C V, and immedi
ately assess him with a tax. On the tenth
day preceding the general election in Octo
ber next thereafter, it shall be the duty of
the assessor to produce the list in. his poS
ses.sifin to the inspectors and judges of the
election of the proper district, at a meeting
to be held by them as hereinafter directed.
SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the inspec
tors and judge of the election, together
with the assessor, to attend at the place of
holding the general elections for the re
spective election districts, on Saturday the
tenth day next preceding the second Tues
day In October, and on the other days here
inafter- mentioned, and continue in open
session at said place from nine o'clock A. at.
till six o'clock P. At. of said day, to hear
proof of the right of the respective ppersons
to vote whose names are contained in the
assessor's list as before mentioned, or who
shall apply to them to have their names
registered, and -all persons who have not
previously voted in the election district
shall make due proof, in the manner now
prescribed by the election laws, of their
right to vote in said distriet, and like proof
shall be made ix All cases by those applying
for registry whose names are not enrolled
'by the assessor and Marked “voter," and it
shall then be the duty of the assessor forth
with to assess said person with a tax as re
quired by law, on the proof being made to
the satisfaction of the election board if not
already assessed; on the list of the voters
in the said district being complete, it shall
be the duty of the election officers aforesaid
to cause duplicate copies thereof to be made
out forthwith in alphabetical order, one of
which shall be placed on the door of or on
•the house where the elections are to be
held, and the other letained by the judge
of election, who shall hold the same sub
ject to tho inspection of any citizen of said
district until the day of the general elec
tion, and produce the same thereat; Pro
rated, that the officers hereinbefore named,
when they shall deem it advisable; may
meet for the purposes named in this section
'one ur more days (not exceeding four)
prior to tho tenth (jay next preceding any
general or presidential election,of which
meeting and its pulfs'rses they shall
,give
due public notice by written or printed hand
bills posted in at least six of the most pub
lic places in their respective wards in cities,
boroughs, wards In boroughs or townships;
And provided further, That, where any ward
in a city, borough, or ward in a borough or
township, having but ono assessor is divided
into two or more election precincts or dis
tricts, the judges and inspectors of all
such election districts or precincts in
each ward in a city, borough, ward in a
borough or township respectively;- shall
meet at the usual place of holding the elec
lion in the precinct polling the largest
number of votes at the lastpreceding elec
tion in their respective wards, boroughs or
tcwnshipe, and shall give due public notice
as herein before provided 'of the time and
place of their meeting, and, in all cases
where any ward in a city, borough, ward
in a borough or township, is so divided
into two or more election districts, it shall
be the duty of the assessor to assess each
voter in the election dist,riet to which he
belongs, and to furnish separate duplicate
lists to the election officers in each election
district; it shall be the further duty of the
said inspectors, judges And assessor, in
each ward, borough and-township, to meet
again at the place fixed on by the third sec
tion pf this act on the Thursday next pre
cedipg any general election,. between the
hours of nine-and ten A. M,; and remain In
session until six P. M., for the purpose of
hearing and determining . any claims that
may be presented 'to them by any person
or persons clidming to be entitled to vote,
and whose name or names have net been
entered.ou the registry of the election dis
trict in which he or they claim to be mitt !
tled to vote; each person so claiming to be
entitled to vote therein, shall ,produce at
least one qualified voter'of the district as a
witness to the residence, ef-theplaimant;
ov in oter th rfciTth ri e et pe iri tiar w rfreast ilt? th eildnis ri di4 -:" lkt be eX a t.
preceiiing the geneiar election then next
minim which tlituesrahalltilkeiliiiriu
rg ol ibel lolizattidaylti twithe WY; stated'lr
r
41-1 ; 11.4. • •
THE REGISTRY LAW,
him, which :affidavit shall define clearly
where the residence is of the person so
claiming to be a voter, and the person so
claiming to be registered shall - also take
and subscribe an affidavit stating where
and when he was born, that he is,a citizen
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and
of the United States, and, if a'naturalized
Citizen, shall also state when where and
by what court he was naturalized,' and he
shall a:so present his certificate of natural-.
ization for examination, unless Ike has been
a voter in said election diStrict for five
years then next preceding, that lie has re
sided in this Commonwealth one year or,
if formerly a citizen therein and has moved
therefrom, that he has resided therein six
months next preceding the general election.
then next following, that he has not moved
in the district for the purpose of voting
therein, that he has paid a State or county
tax within two years, which was assessed
at least ten days before the election for
which he proposes to be registered, and
that he was prevented from registering his
name at the first meeting for that purpose
as directed by this act; the said affidavit
shall also state when and where the tax
claimed to be paid by- the affidavit Was as
sessed, and when, where and to whom
paid, and the tax-receipt therefoi.. shall be
produced for examination unless the atfi
ant shall make . oath that it has been lost
or destroyed or that he never received any
receipt; Provided, that if the person so
claiming the right to vote shall take and
subscribe an affidavit that he is a 'citizen of
the United States, that he is at the time of
making the affidavit or will _be on or before.
the day of the next election ensuing be
tween the ages of twenty-one and twenty
two years, that has resided in the State
one year and in the. election district ten
.days next preceding such election, he shall
be, entitled to be registered as a voter al
though he shall not have paid taxes; the
said affidavits of all persons making such
claims,. and the affidavit 4 ;lf the witnesses to
their residence, shall be Preserved by the
said board until the-day of the election,and
shall, at the close thereof, be placed in the
ballot box along with the other papers now
required by law to be preserved therein; if
said board shall find, that the applicant or
applicants possess all the legal qualifies- -
lions or voters, the name or names shall be
added to the list alphabetically with like
effect as if done ten days before the elec
tion, and they shall forthwith he placed
with the other names at the foot of the list
on the door or house of the place of elec
tion, and, as such person whose name is en
rolled votes "at ,sani t . election, one of the
clerks thereof shall mark on or opposite to
the name "vote," and it shall not be lawful
for the officers of tho election to receive the
vote of any person whose name was not
contained in said registry made out and
put up at least eight days before the elec
tion as aforesaid, or in the registry made
on the Thursday next preceding the elec
tion, and the reception of the vote of any
person not so registered shall constitute a
misdemeanor in the election officers so re
ceiving it, and on conviction thereof, the
election officers so offending shall be sub
ject to line or imprisonment or both at the
discretion of the court.
SEc. 4. It shall be lawful for any quail
..l‘
fieircitizen the district, notwithstanding
the name of ie proposed.voter is contain
ed in the regis ry and the right to vote has
been passed on by the election hoard, to,
challenge the vote of such person, where
upon the same proofof tho right of suffrage
as is now required by law shall be publicly
made and again acted on hy the election
board, and the vote admlttid or rejected
according to the evidence; every person
claiming to bo a naturalized citizen shall
be required to produce his naturalization
certificate at the election before voting, as
required by existing laws, except where
his case comes' within the fifth provi
sion of the sixty-lburth section of the act of
one thousand eight hundred and thirty
nine, to which - this is a supplement, al
though the same may have been exhibited
to the election board before registry; and,
on the_vote of such persons being received,
it shall be the duty of the election officers
to cause to be distinctly written; therein the
word "voted," with the month and year,
and if any election officer at the same or
any other district shall receive a second
vote on the same day by virtue of such cer
tificate, they and the person who shall of
fer such second vote upon so offending
shall be guilty of a high misdemeanor and,
on conviction thereof, be fined and impris
oned at the discretion of the court; _Pro
vided, Said fine shall not exceed one hum;
dred dollars and the imprisonment shall
not exceed one year; and like punishment
shall be inflicted on :the officers of the elec
tion who shall neglect or refuse to make
or cause to be made the endorsement re
quired as aforesaid on said naturalization
certificate. ' -
SEC. 5. On the close of the polls, the re
gistry list, on which the memorandum of
the voting has been kept as before directed,
shall be sealed up with and preserved in
the same manner now required by law as
to the tally papers, and not taken out until
after the next meeting of the Legislature,
unless required on the hearing of a con
tested election, or for the purpose of being
used at the election of presidential electors
or preparatory thereto as hereinafter pro
vided, after which it shall again be sealed
up and carefully prederved as before di
rected.
SEC. 6. Ten days preceding every elec
tion for electors of President and Vice-Pres
ident of the United States, it shall be the
duty of the election board and the proper
assessor to meet at the place of holding the
general election in the district,for the same
length of time and in the manner directed
in the third sectiOn of this act, and then
and there hear all applications of persons
whose names have been omitted from the
registry, and who claim the right to vote,
or whose rights have originated since' the
same was made out, and add thereto the,
names of such persons as shall show that
they are entitled to the right of suffrage in
such district, on the personal application
of the claimant only, and, if the person
shall not have been.previously assessed, it
shall be the duty of the assessor forthwith
to assess him with the proper tax; after
completing the list a copy thereof shall be
placed on the door of or on the house where
the election is to be held at least eight days
prior to holding the same, when the same
course shall he pursued in every particular
in regard to receiving : or rejecting the
votes, marking the same on the registry
list, endorsing the 'naturalization papers
with the proper month and year, preserv
ing the paper and all other things, as are
required by this act at the .general elec
tions in October.
,
SEC. 7. At every special election directed
bylaw, and at every,separate city, ward,
borough or township election, the registry
,required to be kept as, aforesaid % may be
used by the preper officers as evidence of
the persons entitled to vote thereat, and
said officers shall require all persons whose_
names are nit on the registry,, zjyhether
challenged or not, to show that they pos
sess the right of suffrage at said election,
but nothing herein contained shall make
the waut'of said registry conclusive against
the rights of the poison to vote at such.
but the same 'shall be judged of
and decided as in other cases.- • - '
SEC. 8. Before entering on ,-,the duties of,
their offices under this' acgthe ratipectbie•
assessors and inspectors and> judges of the
;elections shall , take. an oath before some
competent authority, in additian to the'
oaths now required by law, "to pertbrm the
several duties enjoined by this act with Mel
ity and according to the requiretheata tkero
of in every particular to the best of their
ability;" they 'shall each haia . the power
to administer oaths to every person claim
ing the right to be assessed, or 'enrolled, or
the right of suffrage ar-iri. regard- to any
ether _matter,or thindrequired to: be done
or inquired into by said °Mecca under this
act, and any wilfulf.false swearing:by any
person, in relation .te any Mattel. 'or thing
concerning Vhick-they be lawfully
interrogated by any of 'Said officers 'Under
this a 40 41 94 berdshedlatoerjarr
assessors; InSpec rs and judges shalt'.
116131 Ave4tivagiCA:IREINPR441trAtr the
,timery r
• Abe
4•o4atVatt-- - 111 .-
- ItAt4Y4 - 4 - ,-, k*ALVA'ag. , 6sl - 4-41.1
"•7
duties hereby enjoined lie is provided by
law for the performance otheir other du
ties, to be paid by the county-commission
ers as in other cases, with' is proper allow
ance to be judged of by the said commis
sioners for the expense olmaking the list
or registries hereby required. to be made
out, and it shall not'be 14vful for any as-
sessor to assess a tax against any person
days nest within ten days next preceding
the election to be held on e second Tues
day in October in any ye ,or within ten
days next before' any election for electors
of President or Vice Presi • ent of the 'Uni
ted States, and any violati.n of this provis
ion shall be a misdemeano and subject the
officer so offending to a fin: : on conviction ,-‘,
of not less than ten n 1 exceeding one :1
hundred dollars, or to ir priSonment not
hi l o
exceeding three months or both, at the ft
discretion of the court. 3 • 7 4
SEC. 9. On the petition: ,
.snore
f five or 1,5
citizens of the county, stating under oath
that theyverily believe t ' t frauds will be
practiced at the election about to be held in
any district, it shall be .1 he duty of the ,f
court of common pleas of;said county if in
session, or, if not, a judge; thereof in vaca- ,1
tion, to appoint twd pe . ns, judicious,
sober and intelligent citizens of tho county, '.4
to act as overseers , iit said election; said '.4
persons shall be selected from '
,different
po
litical parties where the inspectors belong ~,,
to different parties, and, Where both of said 4
Inspectors belong to thil
ti
Same political :4 ,
party, both of the overseer`shalle taken i
from the opposite political' arty; said over 4
seers shall have the right to be present . ?,
with the officers of the eletion during the . 1
whole time the same is ;,held, the - votes I
counted and returns made,cut and signed I
.by the electiOn pfficers, to keep a list of the i
voters if they see proper, to challenge any 4
person offering to.vote and , interrogate him 4
and his witnesses under oa hin regard to ti
the right of suffrage at said election, to'ex- g '
c t
amine his papers produced and the officers
of said election are required to afford to I
said overseers so selectedarid appointed
every convenience and facility for the dis
charge of their duty, anill if said officers ;
shall refuse to permit said overseers to be I
present and perform their (tidy us afore- 4 •
said, or they shall be driven away from the i
polls by violence or intitidation, all the
votes polled at such eleeti n district shall
I
be rejected by any tribun, trying a con- - i
test under said 'election. 1
, . ,
Snc. 10. If any prothori tary, clerk, or
the deputy of either, or y other person,.
shall affix the searo/ofillo any naturah- 1
nation paper, or give out th same in blank 1
whereby it may be fraudulently used, or .
t
furnish a naturalization e rtificate to any ~
person who shall not have en duly exam-
ined and , sworn in opencourt in presence I
of some of the judges thereof according to
the act of Congress, he sha Ibe guilty of a i
high misdemeanor, or if 'any person shall
fraudulently use any sudh certificate of
naturalization knowing thrit it was fraudu
lently issued, arid shall vtl: or attempt to
vote thereon, he shall be : uilty of a high
misdemeanor, and eithert or any of the
persons, their alders or abettors, guilty of 's
1
either, of the misdemeanors aforesaid, on
fined
conviction shall be ned i a 'sum not ex- I
..ceeding one thousand dol l ars and impris
oned
in the proper penitentiary for a period I
not exceeding three years; t
SEc. 11. Any assessor, election officer on 1 1
person appointed as, an overseer, who shall •`:,
neglect or refuse to perform. any duty en- f
joined by this. act without', reasonable legal.
cause shall be subject to 'a penalty of one ' 1
hundred dollars, and if 'iny assessor or 1.
election officer shall enioriany person as a
voter who he shall knoW4s , not \ qualified, t:
or refuse to enrol any one who he shall .
~, 1
know is qualified, he sha be guilty of a 1
misdemeanor in office and' ) on conviction, 'i
be punished by fine and imprisonment and
also be subject to an action for damages by
the party aggrieved, and if anyperson
shall fraudulently alter, add to, deface or i? '
destroy any registry of voters made out as
directed by this act, or tear down or re-
move the same from the place where it has 'i
been fixed by or under the! direction of the , -
election officers, with likie fraudulent or
mischievous intent or fo any improper g
purpose, the person so offending shall be g
guilty of a high misdemeanor and, on con-' 1
viction, shall be punished by a fine not ex- i
ceeding five heindred dollais and imprison-
meat not exceeding two yetirs. • i
SEc. 12. If any tax collector is found 'r
guilty of issuing a receipt for taxes to any i
person whatever, said takes not having .1
been paid, he shall be cleaned guilty of a
- misdemeanor in office and, on conviction, ;
shall be fined in a Burn not less than one
hundred dollars and Buff& an imprison- • .
ment in the county jail forla term not less ;
than three months for every offence.
Bnc. 13. That for all elettions hereafter
holden under this act the polls shall be
opened between the hours'Of six and seven
o'clock A M and be closed at six o'clock P M. o
SEc. 14. That the county commissioners
shall, at the proper expense of the county, I
procure and furnish 'all the blanks made ./.
,
necessary by this act. d
SEc. 15. All laws inconsistent with any 1
of the provisions of this;: act be and the I
same are hereby repealed,d, •
Te acherst Institute.
MESSRS. EDITOFtS:—Pe
,r.init ..
me through
the columns of your paper to say a word
respecting the Teachers' Institute. The ob
ject of this association is pre improvement
of the teachers in
_our p ublic schools, and
and the attainment of a higher edudritional
standard in those schools.: Was. this object,
in any degree, attained by the Institute held
~1 , .
in your city during the last week? If the
opinion of many of the eminent educators
who addressed the Institute-among whom
was our worthy Deputy 8 to Superintend
ent,a and also a educator
from New York—is of disting uished
value, we may
,
safely assert that this object was not attain
ed,-but the reverse. Tfie teachers of this
.F
Institute were repeatedly told that they
were spending their ti e in vain. One
lecturer told them that i,',lhey "reminded
him of a huge inert spon ge"—that "every
word he uttered was uttered under protest
—and that ho did not "..believe in casting
his pearls before --.;" An intelligent
public will naturally detnand, "why, the
Institute failed in the adcomplishment of
its object?" "Are the teachers of Allegheny
County incapable of for4ning themselves
into and conducting such an association
properly?" Ve think that .the fault does.
not Test with the majority ,of the teachers,
but is to be attributed tad few demagogues.
who for sometime past haebeen endeavor
ing to control the educat ional interests of
the county—men whose, otto, like that of
l
all demagogues, is rule:4r ruin--and who,
having differed on.certain, educational
points, turned the Institute into an arena
for the display of their ofatorial (?) powers,
and succeeded in ilestOying the ;peace ;
and harmony that ntherwise would .
haVe prevailed. Men whose minds are so
small, and whoSe egotist:ll4s so great, that
they could not lay aside •for a time, their
petty jealousies and lab o r for mutual im- ,
provement and the good of all p•resent. The
only.remnant of our lost en:..that remains
for a fallen race is the in'aWal and social in
tercourse of pure, refined and cultivated
-minds, and the greatest pleasure _Ruch
minds experience arises :from • and is pro- -
portioned to the lasting benefits they be
stow and receive. We fo •
quently noticed
an:napressien of sorrow and Of pain pass
ing over some intelligent and refined coun
tenance
whenever an eibibition of vulgar
loassion occurred. CultiVated';and refined.
minds are always' . pained and disgusted
when brought in contact !with low browed
baseness and vulgarity: anti° of the would
be prominent members of the Institute, in
stead of winning the adiniration and - ap-
Plause which they so much - coveted, only"
succeeded in' arousing a feeling of contempt
iningledwith pityo :I%e scene' n Tuesday'
Would havv-diagraeed anllndisul pow-w Ow."
On the •'aftertioon. Of this 'day I an 1 election ~.'
was enthrall — into !mishit of seleeting -
a t+ommittee of five, :wl ire to: ieennatnend i
or l fejeetViegamilestinnieef llama wishing..
t pprvasimiTcertAeates.(Ssnuring the matii..;
itagnatisinni while an abbvieeture was bein
M
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