The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-05-17


delegation Of the prerogatives or law making, i"w
adjudication, and law execution, which Is most
generally the case in extensive monarches and aris-
tocla les; but representative change doesnot change
the character of the government; it only operates
to the case of the monarch, or for those holding pow
er In an aisiocracy not to the reliefor entranc O.
ment of the people. Those who receive the dele
CATION of such Prerogatives, are the representatives
of The original power; and is his will, power, ard
interest, they are bound to promote-not the liz
teests of the people And it is most generally the
case, that representative monarchies and arsiocra-
ciss are the mot oppressive of all governments;
they increase taxation. and Cypress still more BY
means of collection, without. in any particular,
eevatng the character or condition OF the SUBJECT
But have neither timc nor space to pursue The
inyess alton in detail; is sufficient 10 say they
are, both in their nature and practical operation.
calculated to Cypress the subject, aud are worse
than no government. would prefer anarchy;
would rather die in defence of my natural iishts,
than live slave. A republican government, ! re-
peat. is government of the people. The people
and the government, in political sense, are the
same. have said, in all republics, all political
prerogatives belong to the people: this is literally
true. Though our government is representative
democracy yet all power in the hands of the peo-
pie, and their representatives are but their agents.
bound by their will, responsible to them, and re-
movable at their will. 1t was impossible, at the
commencement, that ours could be any thing bu,
representative democracyi our population was
too great, and our territory was toe wide spread to
admit CT a simple democracy.
The trainers OF our government were compelled
to give US a representative democracy-that is, to
authorize US to appoint agents 10 do that for Us,
which we, according to the fundamental principles
OF democracy, should have done ourselves. Our
ancestors in the formation Of cur government, pro.
vded the means by which we should appoint our
agents The power and the means by which We
appoint our political agents or representatives, is
called the elective franchise. To define all Of our
free institutions which make up our proud and gle.
rious political Fabric is foreign to my present pur-
pose nor does the support of the present bill require
such range. There is one ofour free institutions
which, propose very briefly to discuss-I mean
the elective franchise. That is one which, of all
others, demands our attention, our consideration,
and our especial guardianship. Of all our proud
institutions that Is the proudcst of all our free IN.
stitutions that is the most valuable. II is the soul
and the body of republics it the basis Of Gu;
political fabric; is the foundation Of all free
institutions. Destroy it, and our government leses
its name, and all our free institutions are annihi-t.
ed. They become, in aninstant, part of the dust
ofother republics; and, with them, must be num-
bered among the things that are not. The elective
franchise is not only the arch of our own, and eve
ry other republic. and the main pillar Of the temple
of liberty, but it is their rule by which freedom Is
measured; for just in proportion to the exercise OF
the elective franchise, so any people free and
sovereign. Freedom and the elective franchise
synonymous terms and handmsdens. The one has
no abiding place without the other. They walk
hand in hand together, they live together; they die
together. The trainers of our government were so
conscious of the vast importance of the elective
franchise, that they interwove it in the political in
sttutions of our country in such 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 treasure Of millions.
would be appreciated as rich legacy-wouid nev-
er be squandered. They had right to suppose
that those moral, POLITICAL and patriotic obligations
ard sacred covenants which descended upon their
posterity, would forever be a secure guaranty
against all innovations upon that sacred institution
Thav h.Il riybt IL, s,,nnose that ra son of theirs
would be so prodigal and reckless as to squsI,des
that legacy which was to provide peace, happiness.
freedom, and independence TO millions, and for al
time They had right to hope that no wretch
would be found base enough to corrupt that fran.
chise upon whose purity depended the duration Of
all the free institutions purchased with their blood
and their treasure But, not content with that
hope and that confidence which they had right
to inlulge--not content with the obligations ofpa-
trIotism upon those who were to inherit the rich
legacy OF their TOLL they superseded religion and
morality. They interwove, in the official duties Of
all who were to have the safe keeping Of the elec-
tive franchise, solemn oath. They required tho
individual 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 ofthe living and
the dead, and in His presence and 10 His name to
bind themselves to permit no unhallowed foot to
tread upon that sacred franchise. Such is the val.
ue of the elective franchise, and such are the means
provided to defend and preserve it in its purify
But order that thissacred institution shall remaio
pure. and shallthe more completely MAINTAIN all or
other free institutions, our constitutions and lava
have wisely defined the manner in which itshsllbe
used, the time when il shall be used, the place
where it shall be used, by whom it shall be used.
and the circumstances under which Il shall be used
Aiviolaton of any Of those provisions isa violation
of the constitutions and Of the laws regulating The
use of the elective franchise. and corruption and
violation of the franchise itself; and he who = guil