Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-10-19

..A,FREEHoLDER-No. II.

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Disfrics COMPOSED Of the Countles q
Prince WRtiam, FaItaa q SseSofa'
FKLLow CITIZENS,
In nv first number Itook the liberty
as your friend, to call your attention 10
those principles Of tho present law Peint-
ing out the manner of choosing Electors
Of President and ce-Presiden1 III this
siate-in which / endeavored to shew
their incompatibilisy with the genuine
republican principles of our forms OF
government, with that political justice
that every citizen Of Virginia has ma
tural right to enjoy; and that the ine-
vitable tendency of the only practicable
mode of executing the law was, in an
imperceptiLls manner, to lodge all pow
er in the hands of few. We ought to
bear in mind, that all the republics that
have existed, have been destroyed by the
insidiuns and silent approach OF despot-
ism in tire name ofthe will of the people
that the liberty of the citizen has been
wrested from him with klss--that he
has been made to believe that the very
act which has sealed his political bond
ape was, when adopted, intended to Sc
cue his Liberty. always suspect those
ir;endine evil to me-. who urge me to
change course of conduct and action
which experience has proved to be cor
rect.
l will, in thi, number, attempt to
,hew that there are other features IN this
law inimical to your rights, and that It's
provisions arc calculated to cover, with
the veil of secrecy, conduct dangerous
to the elective principle.
1t is well known to you that the cleo
ton for members of both houses OF as
sembly and members Of congress have
been, from the foundation of our politl-
cal existence, and still are conducted by
the high sheriff of the county, and that
each voter is required to give his vote
openly at the poll in the hearing OF all
who arc present. This is certainly the
fair and independent manner ior repuo-
Iicans to vote. By this mode 10 voter
c,n be cheated out Of his opinion by art
full rartizans at an election. He freely
and publicly announces, at the hustings,
10 the sheriff, for whom he votes. The
sheriff is man whose standing IN socl-
ETY. entities him TO confidence. The
mode of appointing him to Office gene
rally insures respectable character
b. fore he can be sheriff, he must be
Justice of the peace for his county. To
be either, he must be recommended Sy
the court of bis county to the governor
ard council Before he enters upon the
duties of his office of sheriff, he gives
bond with security faithfully to discharge
all the duties of his office, one Ut which
is to hold the elections in his county
An unfaithiul discharge Of this anty
would, of course, be a breach Of the
condition of his bond. Here independ-
ent of hi. oath of office, we have a pledge
for his faithfully conducting the cleo
,ions.
The present electoral law has altered
the mode OF appointing electors ~os.
materially, and much for the worse
1t requires the voters 10 vote BY 6aAof
a mode notonly unbecomlng ircemen,but
we'll calculated to enable the cunning
and unprinciplcd to dctraud the iiiite-
rate aud unsuspecting out OF tho vote
they they may really wish and intend TO
give. 1t cannot be denied that there are
many valuable citizens whose misfor-
tune it is to be beth unable either TO
read or write: Such persons must be
subject to the in!positions Of the design
ing and vicious harfy-man. This is GER
tair!y most formidable objection to the
law, especially when experience has
proved that another mode can be adopt
cd which is tree from it.
The present law requires the COVER
nor and couscii 20 appoint i'll each coun-
ty three commissioners to hold the cleo
ton These commissioners are not to
be recommended by such respectable
body as the county court, but the 60
vernon, who is stranger to the people
M the distant counties, must rely upon
PRIV Information as to fit characters
ior commissioners which information
MAY be obtained from men not trustwor-
thy !; and from party motives, will, rs
experience has proved, be sure to re-
commend tarfy n,e7:. But this is not
all. According to the old electoral law,
and according to the law for the election
Of members of congress and members
Of the general assembly, if q person,
whose vote is objected to, will make
affidavit that he, in his conscience, vcri-
ly believes he has right to vote, the
sheriff is bound TO receive his VOTE
BY the present electoral law, the COM
missioners are made the sole and abso-
lutte Judges OF the qualifications Of the
voters: they may receive the votes Of
cinch Iii az Ii. IL tl.,,E AL G II and