Litchfield enquirer., 1837-01-19

Election LGWs.-Somc material alterations have lately been made in our election laws. and we will, in few w0rdA give general answer to numerous questions which have been addressed to us on that subject. With regard to the election of Representatives in the General Assembly, the law is moi altered, 1t remains as it has been for years; we ought perhaps, to except the right of adjournment of the meeting to some other Monday in A. pril, if there be no choice. By an act pas sed at the last Session, however, there IS provision authorizing the several towns, by vote of two-thirds, to agree to vote for both their Representatives on one ticket to be put into one box, or on two tickets to be put into two boxes. The large towns will probably take advantage of the authority thus confer red to regulate their own elections, as they can promote their own comfort and conven. fence greatly by it. If town neglect to pass any vote on the subject, then the Representa- tives must be elected in the old way-first one, then the other, by two separate ballots, to be put in by going twice round. With re- gard to the State Officers, (by which we mean, all the officers appointed at the Elec- tors Meeting, except Representatives, an act of the last December Session directs that an additional ballot-box shall be provided, to be opened as carly as II o'clock, and kept open until P. M. The act of May Session, requires the box to be opened when the meet- ing is opened, and kept opened until 5-so, that, taking both acts together, the law in eff feet requires that the meeting shall be open- ed at least as early as II, and that whenever it is opened, whether at II or 9, or any other hour, the ballot-box for the election of State Officers, must be opened at the same time, and kept open until P. M. In this box is to be put one ballot or ticket, upon which is to be acratten or printed the names of the persons voted for, for Governor, Lieut.. Governor, Se- cretary, Treasurer, Comptroller, Senator, and Members of Congress, with the name and of flee aoritten or prinled, thereon. And this bal- lot the law of the last Session provides, that every elector may give in at any time be- tween II and 5, and earlier than II, if the meeting is opened earlier. This is the first Satute provision ever made in this State fix ing certain time during which the electors should have right to vote. The Statute does indeed require that the Electors shall be war ned by the Constables, to meet at 9 o'clock in the morning, but it no where directs the time of opening the meeting, or the ballot box. The act also provides that the presi- ding officer shall cause record to be made of the name of every person who gives in a vote for State Officers. s..~as .a..
 With regard to the election of Representa- lives, by the old law the first business at the annual Electors Meeting was the choice of Representatives, after which the State Off, cers were to be chosen separately and suc- cessively. And the law has not been altered, so as to postpone the choice of Representa- tives. The new law requires that the box for the reception of votes for State Officers shall be open l" from the opening of said Elec- tors Meeting until o'clock in the afternoon on said day" The effect of this is to require that the !" additional Iallot-bor'' for the elec- ton of State Officers, shall be opened at the same time that the one is opened for the choice of the Representative, or of the first Representative, where the town is entitled to two. However, as the new law requires the box for the election of State Officers to be opened at least as early as II o'clock, or ear Tier if the meeting opens earlier, and as there is nothing in any late law authorizing the YOSlPUHsMleiN of the choice Of the Representa- tives, which the old law expressly makes the first business of the meeting, it would seem that the law has in a measure fixed the time for opening the ballot-box, for the choice of Representatives. At all events, it is clear that it must be opened at least as early as II o'clock, but the time for keeping it open for the choice of the first or second Representa- tive, is left entirely to the discretion of the
 presiding of1iccr-therc is no Statute regula- t1Ou WudlCFOT dUOuL 1t 1S UCllCFSu LtlUl either ,prilen or printed ballots may legally
 be used in the choice of Representatives; in- deed it is not very clear, us the law now stands, whether choice by nomination or
 viva vocc vote would not be good-we have not been able to find, after some little exam- ination. any law requiring the election of Re-
 prcsentatives to be by bal1ot
 Ncr-Hapen Palad;am. Thc WORD, not the THINc.--The editor of | the New Bedford Gazette is offended with the
 rord "ToRY," us the cognomen of his party
 Had he half the aversion to the principles that he has to the name, he had not suffered under the torturing distinction. His history of the name, and the party to which it originally belonged, is as erroneous as his estimate of the principles of that to which it is now appli- ed. The name has ever designated the par ty in England which united in support of the Crown against the popular branch of the Lc- gislature, from comprehension, real or feign- cd, that there was more danger of the en- croachmcnts of the latter on the prcrogatives of the former, than of the former on the pri- vileges of the latter. For this reason they defended the usurpations of the Crown, and avowed the necessity of strong Executive. The Wings took the other side of the ques- tion, and rallied in support of the popular branch against the power o1 the Executve. Apply these tests now to the parties, as they exist in this country, and where will the cdi- tor find himself! When did he, or his asso- ciatcs, resist the exorbitant pretensions of the Executive! When did they fail to support opposed them! Never. Acts speak louder than scords; professions may. indeed. serve to give names-but measures tell us the principles 0f n narfv