The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-09-01


erence 10 voting pipa uoes, a. II now done. we
lad not thought that thisquestion having rested,
u a has, during two campaigns for the ealing
IF assconvention, land onefcr the election Of aei-
gates, would, at this late day, be urged as one
II the changes to be made in our Constitution,
md we are certain tharthe people are not pre-
pared for such a change In the manner Of casting
their votes for thosswhom they may desire TO
represent them. z.,--grsI
we notiee in the last Eruminer thai Ibis qaes'
ton receives some stte ntion; and voting by bal
lot b favored by the Editors of that pupefs- We
must therefore, enter at once our protest against
such change, and we can but congratulate our |
friends Of the Examiner for having been once |
rigkf, when they said: ave have siwaysshad
prejudice in favor OF voting vipa roes." Their
prejudices have always been right then until Inc
last issue of their paper, when they inform us
that they have changed their position, and are
nov for different mode of voting. Why The
change7 The reasons given 60 very far 70 es-
tablish us more firmly In the belief that they
were once right but now wrong-the present
mede correct, the proposed one improper.
The first reason that the Examiner urges why
a change should be made Is, hat "eyery one
may know at any time during the election
how each candidate stands" and he adds
"many votes are given by the thoughtiess to
tho foremost candidates. This Is saying thai
men have not the Independence and courage to
vote for the man who may chance TO be behind,
and who they may desire TO represent them, II
matters not what his principles may besit Is,
In fact, saying that many have no principle,
and are influenced BY no other motive than that
Of having voted for the man who succeeds.
We don't know the sort Of settlement the
Editors Of the Examiner have been In the habit
of mixing In, but our experience and observa-
ton prove Just the reverse. When one candi-
date Is In the rear, his friends are more indus
triously engaged to place him ahead, they man
ifest no want of Independence. Those who
may not vote from principle, Qf there be any,)
are liable, and perhaps more, to the temPta-
ton which will be held ont 10 them by the
friends Of the respective candidates, In the event
that the vote is given by ballot, as Id possible
under the present mode, for 1t is natural, and al
all times true, that the man, whoever he may
be, who offers himself as candidate for any
Office that he, together with all his friends, do
everything possible In their power TO elevate
him TO the post to which he may aspire, and
there will be equally as much thoughtless
voting by ballot; and, as we conceive, more
vastly more, than is by voting orally. Wesay
that the temptation Is greater for bribery, when
the voting is done by ballot. There are those
who have avowed and known principles upon
which they act They have not the indepen-
denee aud courage to yield TO temptation, and
vote directly In opposition TO their known senti-
| ments IL the vote Is given oiUa rOee. But II
given by ballot, IL will be unknown TO the pub
lie, who has voted for and who against certain
candidates, and this fact Of concealment of the
vote would induce "many votes to be given By
the thoaghtess'' very different, perhaps, (if
they are disposed to yield to strong tempta-
tions,) from the vote they would give If given
orally. ..- .. .
These gentlemen, however, who are advoca-
ting this move can accomplish all that they de-
sire by having the clause inse rted In the Const-
tuition which has been proposed. Of holding the
election In one day only. Then il will not be
known who is before until the whole vote shall
have been cast and sent in from the different
precincts .-GLdsgou RsreilIe. iH a a-''-'
Several papers in the State have republished
our suggestions in favor OfvOtng by ballot, some
with decided appreciation, others without re-
mark. The Kentucky Reveille, however, in
the proceeding article opposes any change
In the manner Of voting, and thinks we were
right when we chad prejudice in favor Of
voting ripd pOee." The edit or thinks that most
of the evils Of which We spoke will be avoided
by requiring the votes to be all given In one day.
This change we consider very important one,
and we believe that almost every man In Ken
lucky Is in favor Of IT, There Is no reason In
the world to justify Onr present arrangement.
We borrowed our three days system from vir-
GINA: but when II was established in that State,
u was not intended that elections should neces-
sarily continue three days. The voting was 20
be done In one day; but, at the request Of any Of
the candidates, the polls might be kept open for
three days. This arrangement was intended
to give an opportunity Of voting to those who
might have been kept from the poll. by high
waters. &c. Gradually, what was intended TO
be an exception came 10 be the rule. There is
no more reason In its favor than there is for
the three days delay allowed on account Of the
! liberty of our Saxon ancestors, who were not
expected TO be so slavish as to come to court on
the day on which they we're summoned to APP
pear. .'sfsa1"'
But this change will not OF itself remove all
the evils Of which we complain. In answer to
our assertion that "nsny votes are given by the
thoughtless TO the foremost candidates." our
friend of the ReveilIs says that this "is in fact
saying that many have no principle, and are in :
fuencsd by no other motive than that Of baving
voted for the man who succeeds'' This is ex-
actly what we do say. The editor Of the Re-
veille has been more fortunate than any other
individual whom we have heard Of, II he has
never met with any Who do not vote from prin-
ciple. His must be happy neighborhood. II
Sir Thomas More were living, it would net be
necessary for him to resort to his imag ination
for Utopias, n he could find such place on
real terra f:rma. We can show our friend OF
the Reveile, persons who boast that they have
never 'thrown away vote."s They have as
much dread Of voting for the "hindmost candi-
date" as Of betting on the hindmost horse in a
race between four-legged animals. s's... .s
IL thevoses are all given in one day, 1t will
not do away with the evils Of sdropping candi-
dates" swapping votes," &c. In each pre-.
cinct, the estate Of the polls' will be known a,
all times Of the day, and the votes of one pre-
cinct may in ordinary cases know how many
votes each candidate has received In other pre-
cincts at noon.l5t m s.a.g aDOi .5.lW ISM
We do not believe that voting by ballot Is a
panacsa for all the evils connected with cleo.
tons. There will be corruption In whatever
manner the votes may be given; just as there
will be bad government In the best modelled re.
publics. But we feel sure that there are fewer
objections to voting by ballot, than by any 9TH
er mode. With respect to bribery, the theory
OF the Revsille 10 unfortunately overthrown
by facts. Men may change their opinions