The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1844-05-15

which is most generally the case in extensive
monarchies and arstocracies: but representative
lchange does not change the character OF the gov
ernment; it only operates to the ease of the mon
arch, or to those holding power in an aristocracy,
not to the relief or enfranchisement of the peo-
pie. Those who receive the delegation ofsuch
lprerogatiyes, the representatives of the origi
nal power; and it is his will, power, and inter
ests, they are bound topromote not the interests
Iofthe people. And it is most generally the case,
that representative monarches and aristocracies
are the most oppressive of all governments; they
increase taxation, and oppress still more by
means of collection, without, in any particular, ell
evating the character or condition ofthe subject
But have neither time nor space to pursue the
investigation in detail it is sufficient to say they
are, both in their nature and practical operation,
calculated 10 oppress the subject, and are worse
than no government. | would prefer anarchy !;
would rather die in defence ofmy natural rights,
than live slave. A republican government,
repeat, is government of the people. The peo-
pie and the government, in political sense, are
E, the same have said, in all republics, all polit
ical prerogaives belong to the people this is lit
orally true. Though our government is repre-
sentative democracy, yet all poweris in the hands
of the people; and their representatives are but
their agents, boundby their will, responsible to
them, and removable at their will. 1t was i'm
possible, at the commencement, that ours could
be any thing but representative democracy; our
population was too great and our territory was
too wide spread to admit Of a single democracy.
The farmers Of our government were compelled
to give us.a representative democracy-that is,
to authorize us TO appoint agents to do that for
us, which we, according to the fundamental prin-
ciples of democracy, should have done ourselves.
Our ancestors, in the formation of our govern
ment, provided the means by which we should
appoint our agents. The power and the means
! by which we appoint our political agents orrepre-
sentatiyes, is called the elective franchise. To
define all of our free Institutions which make up
our proud and glorious political fabric is foreign
to my present purpose, nor does the support of
the present bill require such range. There is
one of our free institutions which propose very
Ibrefy TO dscuss-i mean the elective franchise.
That is one which, ofall others, demands our at
tention, our consideration, and our especial guard
ianshp. OF all our proud institutions, that is the
Iproudest; of all our free institutions, that is the
most valuable 1t is the soul and the body of
our republic it is the basis of our political fabric
lit is the foundation of all our free in nstituons.
Destroy it, and our government loses its name,
and all our free institutions are annihilated.
They become, in an instant, part of the dust
of other republics; and, with them must be num-
|bered among the things that are not. The cleo
tive franchise is not only the arch Of our own,
and every other republic, aud the main pillar Of
1 the temple Of liberty, but it is the rule by which
freedom is measured for, just in proportion to the
e IL, IL
Ipoople free and sovereign. Freedom and the
elective franchise are synonymous terms and
Ihandmadens. The ore has no abiding place
without the other. They walk hand in hand to-
gether; they live together; they die together
! The trainers Of cur government were so consci-
GUS Of the vast importance of the elective fran
chise, that they Intervene it in the political in
Istitutions of our country in such a manner that
it could not be destroyed without bringing ruin
upon all others. Our ancestors had right to
expect that this franchise, which was purchased
with the blood of thousands, and with the treas
ure of millions, would be appreciated as rich
legacy neverbe squandered. They had
right to suppose that those moral, political, and
patriotic obligations and sacred covenants which
descended upon their posterity, would forever be
a secure guaranty against all innovations upon
that sacred institution. They had right to sup
pose that no sons of theirs would be 50 prodiga
and reckless as to squander that legacy which
was to provide peace, happiness, freedom, and
independence to millions, and fora all time. They
had Alright to hope that no wretch would be found
base enough to corrupt that franchise upon whose
purity depended the duration of all the free insti-
tutons purchased with their blood and their
treasure But, not content with that hope and
that confidence which they had right TO indulge
not content with the obligation of patriotism
upon those who were to inherit the rich legacy of
their toll, they superseded religion and morality.
They interwove, in the official duti es of all who
were to have the safe keeping of the elective
franchise, solemn OATH They required the in
diyidual whom choice or the law was TO select to
guard the purity Of the elective franchise, to ap-
pear At the throne of the Judge oftho living and
the dead, and in His presence and in His name,
to bind themselves TO permit no unhaIlowed foot
to tread upon the sacred franchise. Such is the
value Of the elective franchise, and such are the
means provided to defend and preserve ii in its
pristine purity. But in order that this sacred in
stitution shall remain pure, and shall the more
completely maintain all our other free nstitu-
tons, our constitutions and laws have wisely de-
fined the manner in which it shall be used, the
time when it shall be used, the place where it
shall be used, by whom it shall be used, and the
circumstances under which it shall be used
/ A violation of any of those provisions is viola
ton of the constitutions and of the laws rogula-
ting the use of the elective franchise, and cor
rupton and violation Of the franchise ITSELF and
he who is guilty of it, is guilty of treason the
most dangerous and aggravated and if the sworn
officer, whose duty it is to guard and defend that
franchise, has wfully or negligently permitted
such violation he is guilty of both treason and
perjury. And upon the same principle, he who
holds an Office in corruption Of the elective