"1 have sworn upon the Altar of God, eternal hostility to every form of Tyranny over tho Mind of Mail." Thomas Jefferson.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY II. WEBB.
rVoEnmem. MjOOMSBUKG,' cblLITMIMA COUNTY, FA. SATRBAY, AUGUST 3, 1839. Wumlicr 14.
OFFICE OF THE DEMOCRAT,
$)rrosiTE St. Paul's Cuuncii, .Main-st.
The COLUMBIA DEMOCRAT will be
published every Saturday morning, at
TWO DOLLARS per unman, payable
half yearly in advance, or Two Dollars
Fifty Cents, ifitol paid within the year.
No subscription loill be taken for a shorter
period than six months ; nor any discon
tinuance permitted, until all arrearages
arc discharged.
ADVERTISEMENTS not exceeding a
square will be conipicuovsly inserted at
One Dollar for the first three insertions,
and Twenty-five cents for every subse
quent nscrlwn. .CJA liberal discount
made to those, who advertise by the year.
LETTERS addressed on business, must
be past paid.
SYNOPSIS
Of the Principal Provisions and Require
ments of the
NEW ELECTION LAW.
The constable of each township to give
ten days notice, by six or nioro written ad
vertisements of tlio inspector's election.
In case of the absence, neglect ot refusal
of tho constable to perform the duty, the
supervisor or assessor is to give five days
notice.
The citizens to elect two inspectors and
one judge at the lime they elect constables.
Each qualified citizen to vote for one per
son for inspector, and for one judge ; and
tho two persons having the highest number
of votes for inspector to be the inspectors,
mid the one having the highest number
for judge to be judge.
Tho elections to be opened between eight
and ten o'clock, in the forenoon by public
proclamation, and closed at seven, except
in the city and county of Philadelphia,
.where they aio to be closed at eight, the
number of votes to be forthwith ascertained
1' Tho! hdsoXlaleoitifftwlicn theinsnectors
disagree as to the qualifications of electors.
When thcjre are two election districts in
cne township tho officers are to be elected
the same as if separate townships.
The inspectors and judges to make out
duplicate returns for inspoctora and judge,
one with the tally lints and lists of voters to
be deposited in one of the ballot boxes, the
other to be delivered by tho judge within
five days to tho Prothonotary to be filed in
his office. Thr.y are also to mako out a cer
tificate of election for person.each chosen as
an inspector or judge which is to ho deliv
ered to him or left at his abode within five
days after such election, by the constable.
Tho inspectors election to he held on the
Friday next preceding the 2d Tuesday in
October next.
Tho inspectors and judges so elected to
hold tho election on tho '2d Tuesday of Oc
tober, and tho township elections on the
third Friday in March next.
I The election of said inspectors and judge
to be conducted by tho officers now author
ized by law to conduct the election of in
spectors' and assessors, except so far as in
otherwise specifically directed.
The qualified voters to elect, then
and there, (inspectors' election,) one person
as assessor for the ensuing year, and there
after tho assessor and assistant assessors to
be elected at the limo of holding election
for constable.
Tho Sheriff to give twenty days notice
of the general elections by advertisements
posted up in the most public, places in every
election dU-triqt, or by publication in ono
or more newspapers, and he is to enumerate
the officers to bo elected.
Designate tho place at which the election
is to be held. Give notiice that every per
son, excepting justices of the poaco, who
shall hold any office of appointmont, trust
or profit under the Government of this
6talo or of tho U. States, or of any city or
incorporated district, whotlicr a commis
sioned officer or otherwise, a subordinate
officer or agent who is, or shall be, employ
ed under the legislative, cxecutivo or judi
ciary department of this state, of the II. S.
or of any city or incorporated district, ar d
also that every member of Congress and
of tho State Legislature, is incapable of
noiuing aim cxcercisiug at the samo tune
the office of inspector, judge or clerk, and
jlhat no inspector, judge or clerk, of any
Mich elections shall bo eligible to any office
to bo thon votod for.
All elections to bo conducted by tho in
spectors, judges and clerk, elected as afore
said. Tho inspectors and iudse to meet at the
place of holding tho election beforo nine
o'clock in the morning on the 2d Tuesday
of October in each und cvwry year, and
each of said inspectors shall appoint with
one clerk who shall be a qualified voter of
said district.
In case the person receiving tho second
highest number of votes for inspector, does
not attend on the day of any election, then
the person who received the second highest
number of votes forjudge at the next pre
ceding election is to act as inspector in his
place. And if the inspector receiving the
highest number of voles does not attend
then tho judge is to appoint an inspector in
his place, and if the judge docs not attend
then the inspector who received tho highest
number of votes to appoint, and if a vacan
cy continues one hour in the board after
tho time fixed by law for opening tho elec
tion, the voters present aro to elect one of
their number to fill such vacancy.
When the clerk does not attend the in
spector who appointed him is to appoint
another in his stead.
The said officers to take an oath or affir
mation to perform the duties faithfully, ac
cording to the oath prescribed in the law,
and the oath to be administered by a judge,
alderman, or justice of tho peace, and if a
magistrate is not present then ono of the
inspectors is to administer the oath, to the
other inspector and the qualified inspector
to do the came to him, and the judge.
The inspector is to&vcar that he will
duly attend to the election and will not re
ceive any ticket or vote except from such
pciKons as he bciicvcs qualified to vote,
without requiring proof of the right to vote;
that he will not vexatiously delay or refuse
to receive the vote of any person he be
lieves qualified to vote; that he will faith
fully and impartially perform the duties of
the office, and that he is not directly or in
directly interested in any bet or wager de
pending upon the result of tlio election.
The judge and clerks oaths to be of near
ly similar tenor.
. Tho clerks to make out two copies of the
oaths to be severally subscribed by each of
the inspectors, judge or clerk, and the same
to bo certified to by the persons administer
ing the oath.
Members of Congress to be elected on tho
2d Tuesday of Oct. in every second year.
Tlio sheriff to give notice of the same.
- The GjaioVto .declare by proclama:
tion who is elected after tho receipt of tho
returns by the Secratary of tho common
wealth, and transmit the returns to tho U.
S. House of Representatives.
The election of electors of President and
Vice President to lake placo on the 5th Fri
day preceding the first Wednesday in De
cember, 18-10, and every fourth year there
after. Tho sheriff to give notice as beforo of
said election.
Every qualified citizen shall have a right
to vote by handing in a printed or written
ticket containing tho names of persons e
qual to the number of electors to be voted
for.
Tho governor to examine the returns and
notify those elected beforo the last Wcdnes
in November.
The electois to asscmblo at tho scat of
Government at 12 o'clock on tho day fixed
by Congress and there perform tho duties
enjoyed upon them.
If there is a vacancy the electors to fill
it by voting viva voce, and the name of the
person chosen to be sent to the Govern
or who is to givo notice to the person of
hie elections, the olectors to bo paid three
dollars a day for every day travelling to, re
maining at, and travelling from the seat
of Government, and the contingent expen
ses, not exceeding fifty dollars, to bo paid
by tho state Treasurer.
If a special election for President or Vieo
President occurs the same to be conducted
as other elections.
In case of vacancy in the office of Gov
ernor tluco months beforo the second Tues
day of October tho speaker of tho Senate,
or whoever is in the exercise of tho ofiico
of Governor, to issuo his writs to the sher
iffs requiring them lo give notice that an e
lcction for Governor will take placo the 2d
Tuesday of October then next. If the va
cancy occurs within three months of the 2d
Tuesday of October tho election for Gov
ernor to take place the next year. Thrco
month notico is requited.
Tho writs issued by the speakers to sup
ply vacancies in cither houso to bo directed
to the sheriff tho day on which tho election
is to bo held.
If tho vacancy happens during the ses
sion of the Legislature the speaker is to ap
point tho day of election as early as possi
ble, not exceeding thirty days thereafter.
Rut if tho returns of the election cannot bo
made beforo tho adjournment such writ is
to bo countermanded, or oxtended until tho
day of tho general election.
If after the countermanding the said writ
'the Governor should convene tho Legisla
ture the sheriff or sheriffs of said districtt3
to give notice of an election to bo held within
30 days after the date of the proclamation.
Every writ for holding a special election
is to be delivered to tho sheriff 15 days be
foro said election who shall give at least ten
days notico of tho came and send a copy lo
at least ono of the inspectors in each town
ship. The writs authorizing an election to fill a
vacancy in the Congress of the U. States,
aro to bo directed lo the sheriff or sheriffs
of the district, and arc to express tho day
on which the election is to be held.
If tho vacancy occurs during tho session
of Congress the Governor is to appoint a
time as early as possible for holding such
election, otherwise ihe vacancy is to bo fill
ed at tho general election, unless a special
congress should be called. ,
Tho writs lo bo delivered to the sheriffs
at least fifteen days before the election, who
shall give ten days notice and send a copy
to one of the inspectors of each of the elec
tion districts.
When tho returns of any special election
for members of tlio house of Representa
tive of the United States are examined the
Governor is to give notice by proclamation
who aro elected, and lo transmit the returns
lo thatjbody.
Citizens under military orders from ihe
President or Governor on the day of Ihe
gencr.il election, to be allowed to vote where
the commanding officer of the troop or com
pany may appoint, if not within ten miles
of their places of residence.
The captain to act as judge and the lieu
tenant as inspector so far as regards that
company, and if they refuso or neglect to
serve, the officers next in command are to
act, as ihe case may be.
The officer to act as judge to administer
the oath to the ofileer who is to act as in
spector, who is - then to administer the oath
to tho other : The judge to appoint and
swear or affirm two clerks.
These officers to take the like oath, have
the liko powers, and to be under the same
restrictions and penalties as other officers
of the election.
Within three days aftei such elections
the judge thereof to transmit through the
post office a return thereof, together with
the tickets, tally lists and list of voters, to
the protkonolaryi of the, county in which
safdTClclStors would have voted if not in mil
itary service, another return to to transmit
ted to tlio commanding officer of the regi
ment or battalion, who shall make a general
return of the votes of all tho companies un
der h'i3 command to the Secretary of the
commonwealth.
The prothonotary who receives the said
returns is to deliver to the return judges
a certified copy of the same, the said judges
to meet on the 2d Tuesday of November
after the election, and when two or more
counties aro connected the meeting lo be
postponed until the Friday following.
The return judges so mot, to include in
their enumeration tho votes so returned, and
proceed as if said voles had been given at
the usual place of election.
The election for assessors to be conduct
ed as before mentioned, the constable to
give ten days notice, by written or printed
advertisements of the election of other town
ship officers.
The elections to bo Jield by the same of
ficers and during the same hour as the elec-i
tion of inspectors and assessors on the 3d
Friday in March oT every year, except in
the counties of Bradford, Susquehanna, Pot
ter, M'Kean, Clearfield, Lycoming, Wayne
and Piko, the township elections of which
are to be held on tho 3d Friday in Februa
ry of every year.
The inspectors, and judge to transmit a
cettifieato of election,, to each officer elec
ted through the constable within six days
thereafter.
They are also to certify to tho number of
votes given lo each person votetl lor, anil
transmit through the constable the same to
the clerk of quarter sessions, within fivo
days thereafter.
In a district where there aro 100 or more
laxables on a requisition of thirty of the
elctors or where the number is less than
100, of ten, the constable shall give fifteen
days notico by at least ten printed of writ
ten advertisements, that a meeting of the
electors is requested at tho place of holding
elections to dctermino by ballot whether
the placo of holding tho elections of town
ship officers and inspectors of said district
shall bo changed and if fifty electors be pres
ent at tho hourappointed when 100 electors
resides in a disttict, or twenty where there
arc not 100, then the constablo is to open
the meeting, and if a majority determine
upon a change, two certificates of the names
of the oleutiors voting shall be made out and
signed by the officers of tho meeting and at
tested by tho constablo or lown clerk and
the other to be scut to tho pronthonolary.
Tho assessors respectively to arrange the
enumeration of taxablcs in alphabetical or
dor, and to post up ono copy of said Jist on
or beforo the first of August of every year
at the placo of holding tho election, and at I
such other places as the commissioners ol
the county may direct for the examination
of the citizens of the rounly. They aio
also to keep a copy which may he examin
ed at all reasonable times; and at any time
previous to ten days before election, any
person claiming a right to vote, or any per
son between the ago of 21 and 22, and a
citizen of the stale, may have himself as
sessed. On the ninth day proceeding the
2d Tuesday of October they are to sign iho
return of taxablcs and qualified voters, and
lo deliver the same to the commissioners,
who are to hand them over to tho inspectors
without alteration at tho time required by
law.
He is also to attend on the day of elec
tion to give to the inspectors and judge, when
called on, such information as in their pos
session relating to the right of individuals
to vote, or such other matters as may bo re
quired, for which he is to receive one dol
lar per day.
The commissioners to deliver the list of
taxablcs assessed ten days beforo the elec
tion, to the inspectors of the different town
ships on the morning of the election before
eight o'clock and also a sufficient number
of boxes, blank forms, and returns headed
as tho election may require.
Tho inspectors to be placed at the door
or window, as most convenient to receive
the tickets, and a label naming tho district
of which they arc inspectors, placed over
the same.
"White freemen of twenty-one years and
upwards who have resided in the state one
year, and in the district in which they offer
lo vote ten days immediately preceding, and
within two years paid a state county tax
which was assessed at least ten days before
tho election, have a right to vote. A citi
zen leaving the state ana returning lias a
right to vote six mrnths after returning, if
he has paid taxes, as specified, and young
men between 21 and 22 who have resided
in the state ono year, and in the election dis
trict ten days although they may not have
paid taxes.
The inspectors mav require'evcry person
claiming a right to vote to mako proof that
ho is a natural born citizen ol this common
wealth. 2d, That he was settled therein
oft tho 28th September 1.770 and has since
continued to. reside therein, or Jd, 1 hat
having been a foreigner lie was naturalized
previous to the 20th March, 1700, to prove
which the oath or affirmation of the person
is sufficient, or 4th That he is a natural
born citizen of some one of the other states,
or had been lawfully recognised as such be
fere the 26th of March 1790, and if requir
ed shall produce the certificate of some
judge, prothonotary or clerk or magistrate,
or shall be examined on oath or 5th, That
having been an alien he has been natural
ized according to the laws of the United
Slates and as the evidence thereot he shall
produce a certificate from the court where
such'naturalization took place, except where
such person shall have resided in the uis
trict ten year3 or upwards next preceding
in which case his oath to be sufhcient.
No one to vote unless assessed, except
ho produce a receipt of payment of a state
or a county tax witlnn two years, assessed
agreeably to the constitution, and give satis
factory evidence on oath, or by the oath of
another, that ho has paid sucli a lax, or on
failure of a receipt swears to tho payment
of the same When claiming a right to
vote on age he must swear that ho has resi
ded in tho state ono year preceding, and
prove his residence in tlio district, lie
must also swear that ho believes his ago to
be as stated, and if voting on ago, the word
" ago" must be marked opposite, his name
on tho alphabetical list, if voting on the pay
ment of taxes tho word " tax must be
marked opposite, and tho clerks must note
tho samo on their lists.
In all cases where tho name of iho per
son claiming the right lo vote is not on tlio
assessors list, or his vote objected to, the
inspectors are to examine his qualifications
on oath. His oath to be sufficient to prove
he has resided one year in the state, hut ha
must prove by at least ono elector his resi
dence in the district ten days preceding, and
himself shall also swoar that his bona fide
residence in prosecution of his lawful call
ing, is within tho dUtrict, and that he did
not remove into tho district, for the purpose
of voting therein.
Every person qualified, to have tho right
to voto in the district in which he resides.
Inspectors not to recoivo the ticket of any
person other than an elector residing in the
district.
Each ticket to be on a separate piece of
paper folded so as lo conceal tho narno of
the person voted for, and the offico to be
designated on the outside.
The inspector to call aloud tho name of
tho person voting and the clerks to enter his
name on their lists repeating tho name.-
The inspector to insert tho letter V. in tho
margin of the alphabetical list opposite to
tho name of such elector, if such elector bo
required to prove his right to vote on natur
alization tho same to be noted in tho mar
gin, also when proof of residence is requir- ,
cd.
Tickets to bo deposited in separate box
es, and to remain there until the polls arc
closed,
After the closing of Iho polls the inspec
tor is to open tho boxes and cry out tho
name or names of the persons voted for on
the ticKet as at present.
If more names aro on a ticket than tlicru
ought lo be, or if two are deceitfully folded
together, such ticket is to be rejected.
As soon as the election is finished tho pa
pers relating thereto, to bo signed by the
officers of tho election, and deposited, with
the exception of ono list ol voters tally pa
pers, and ceitificalc of the oath of .tlio offi-
cers, in one or more oi me uanoi uoxes
which is lo be bound closely with tape and
sealed, and together with the remaining bal
lot uoxes OC uenvcrcu wiuiui onu uuy iiiurc
after lo tho nearest justice of tho peace,
who shall keep them to answer the call of
any person or tribunal authorized to try con
les'led elections; tho other list of voters, tal
ly papers and certificates to bo inclosed by
tho incpectors and judge in a sealed cover
directed to the prothonotary, and by one of
them delivered into his office within thrco
days thereafter.
As soon as the votes are read off the
judges are publicly to declare the number of
votes given lor eacn person lor onice, anu a
certificate to be made out and signed by tho
judge and inspectors, of the same, which
is to be carried bymcjuugc on mo iniru
day thereafter to the court house, the placo
of meeting of return Judges; and in case of
sickness or unavoidable accident one of the
inspectors or clerks to carry the same and
perform the duties of said judge. If tho
third day after tho election be Sunday Iho
judges lo meet on Monday.
When two or more townsmps vote ai mc
samo placo it is the duty of the judges to
make out a statement and certificate of all
the votes then and there given for the differ
cnt persons voted for, and one of the judges
is to take charge of it together with the sev
eral certificates made out for each district,
and produce tho samo at the meeting afore
said. ' The judges to organize by selecting a
president from their number, and two elect
ors of the county either members of tho
board or otherwise, to actas clerks,
who shall be sworn to perorm tho
duties faithfully. The several judges
to deliver their certificate to tho president,
when the voles aro to be counted by tho
clerks. The clerks when uot return judges
to receive two dollars per day ; when re
turn judges fifty, cents in addition to the
pay allowed by law as judges.
The clerks to make out returns to bo
signed by all the judges present, and attest
ed by tho clerks. Not lawful lo reject or
omit any part of a certificate except when
so defective that it cannot be understood
in which case an exact copy is to bo mado
out, signed and attested, and attached to and
transmitted with the return (where the same,
is so directed) to the secretary of tho com
monwealth, the original oaper to be depos
ited in the prothonotary s office, and by
him to be copied and sent with the return
of said election to the secretary of the com
monwealth, as aforcsiid.
Duplicate return of all the votes given
for every prson voted for in the state ; and
triplicate returns of the votes for tho elec
tors for president and vice president of the
U. S to bo made out.
Tho president of the hoard is to lodgo
ono of each of such returns in the prothon
otary's offico.
When a governor is voted for a duplicate
is to be directed lo the speaker of the sen
ate, and endorsed, which is lo be enclosed
and forwarded through the post office to ihe
secretary of the commonwealth.
The duplicate of the returns for electors,
congressmen and county officers requiring
to be commissioned by the governor, is to
bo sent to the secretary of the common
wealth through the post office.
The loturns for senators to be directed
to the senate; for members of the house of
representatives to the house of representa
tives, each to be enclosed "in an envelope
and transmitted by mail lo the secretary of
the commonwealth.
The returns for county commissioners
and auditors to be lodged with tho prothono
tary.
When two or more counties aro conuec-
tedlin the election of congrcssman.senators,
or membersjof tho house of representatives,
each county is to appoint a return judge to
meet the judge of the others on tho seventh
day afler ihe election at such place as tho
law may point out, when they are to sum
dp tho votes for each person and mako du
plicates of the same, one lo bo deposited in
the office of the piothonotary of the coun
ty in which they meet, and tho other lo bo
transmitted to tho secretary ot tuo common
wealth through the post office, endorsed as