Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-06-19


done in legal and proper manner.
1t is primary principle OF our gov
eminent, that the sentiments Of the peo-
pie should be the standard and test OF all |
measures of public concern, and that
those sentiments should be as generally
and unanimously directed to the differ
ent objects of government on which they
operate, as the nature of the case will |
admit; and that no illegal or improper
systems should be admitted torgiYc the |
public sentiment a wrong bias. That
the present law of this state, as well as
the practice of its inhabitants with re-
gard to elections, initiates against the
above principles, is evident. For in
stance: an election is held forthe choice
of a single officer-the people vote pro-
miscuously, and possibly for as many
different men as there are votes given in
but should there be 90 candidates to 100
votes, the person for whom of them
were given would be elected!
Thus, our suffrages, instead of being
guided by proper channels, like different
streams which unite and form noble
river, would resemble the wide diffusive
dew, which attaches itself in particles to
every object on which it happens to light,
and finally evaporates in air. In order
to condense public opinion, and direct it
more to single point, some have pro-
posed caucuses, delegation, conventions,
| sc. But these measures are exception
able, as being self-formed, unauthorized,
and tending to excite jealousy, and create
party divisions.
Still more preposterous is that system
which prompts single individual, per-
haps stimulated by ambition or self-in-
terest, to set himself up as a rallying
point for the suffrages of his fellow citi-
| zens; and endeavor to secure their votes
by the plausibility of his address, or the
| liberality of his favors.
Virtue, talents, and patriotism, are
essential requisites to office of these the
heohle, not the hretender, should be the
Judge, and make the selection. The
public discernment, like the keen eye
of the eagle, should penetrate and ex-
plore the ordinary walks of civil life, and
discover the men in whom these qualii-
cations shine with the brightest lustre
not like the indolent lion, who lies doing
in his thicket until he is reused by the
sports of some wanton animal which has
rudely rushed into his presence.
From these observations | proceed to
suggest plan, as azure for the defects
of the above mentioned systems.
Let a law be passed by our legislature
declaring a majority of all the votes
given for any particular officer at an cleo
ton, necessary to constitute choice; as
is the case in several of the states. If
it appear, on canvassing the votes, that
no choice is made, let second election
be authorized; at which, let double the
number of persons required to be elect
ed, whose names stand highest on the
list, be by law considered as candidates,
and voted for accordingly.
The operation of this system, COM
pared with the present one, will appear
by the following example.
Suppose 1900 votes are given in this
state for governor. A has 400, B has
sos, and the remaining 405 are different
ly divided among 10 others. According
to the present system, A is elected, not
withstanding there is majority of scat
tering votes against him, and B is only S
votes below him. The only sense in
which this can be considered an election
by the people, is to say that two thirds
Of them implicitly submit to the choice
of the other third, without the opportu-
nifty or power of helping themselves
But on the proposed plan, let A and B
remain as candidates, and there stand
795 votes unimpaired and the balance
of the electors have the free suifrages of
nearly two thirds of the whole number
on which to exercise their deliberate
choice. This, think, would be concen-
trating the public sentiment as far as the
nature of the case will admit. 1t would
invariably follow, that the highest on the
list would have a majority of the whole
number of votes and thus fundamen-
tai principle of our government would
be preserved in its purity. AT the same
time it would have tendency to render
unauthorized associations useless, and
self-preferment contemplate.
ONE OF THE PEOPLE.
Madison county, June 10, 1919.