QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS.
Mr. WHITE, from the Committee on Elections, returned Mr. Landers' bill, S. 47-see pages 63, 96 and 97 of these Reports, recommending passage, with an amendment requiring a voter to reside in the State six months preceding an election, and not less than thirty days in a township or ward, in all elections except the April election ; for that, leaving the law as it now stands.
Mr. CARNAHAN. That is worse than though it operated the other way. It is in the fall season that young men who work out and labor near the township lines, change their residence more often than in the spring of the year, and I am opposed to the amendment on that ground.
Mr. LANDERS. The amendment is not in accordance with my notions, although I consented to it. I differ with the Senator from Posey: I think the moving generally takes place in the spring, and in the fall there is but little emigration except for the purpose of carrying elections. We cannot expect to make a law that will meet every case.
Mr. BLAIR. Any bill that is designed to protect the purity of the ballot-box should protect the April election as well as all others: for it is at that election men are chosen who control the ballot-box at every other election. There is a bill which I introduced, containing several other provisions with regard to conducting elections, and I think it proper that these two bills should be got together, in order that the Committee may make up a bill which will as effectually protect the ballot-box as possible. I move to re-commit the bill, with the pending amendments, to the Judiciary Committee.
The motion was agreed to.
