Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-05-24
WORKING OF THE NEW CONSTITUTION OF
THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.
FROM THE Inn1sx1r1,

FROM THE LOUISVILLE JOURNAL MAT I6
We think the experience of the last three months must
have satisfied majority Of the rejecting in Kentucky
that the portion Of the constitution which provides for
the election of all the officers in the State by the People can
hardly be considered improvement the old constitution
under which large number Of those officers otherwise
selected
The policy of submitting the election of all officers to the
people have always doubted, not because doubt the
capacity Of the people, but because know that the people
generally vote without informing themselves the charac
ter and qualifications of the various candidates In this city
called upon decide upon the qualifications Of
seventy candidates. Citizens anxious to judiciously
had great difficulty arranging their tickets Many Of those
who properly appreciate the elective franchise and not
able to vote for than half the number of candidates
quired for the offices to be filed. The unrefecng portion
Of the people, however, had no such difficulty With them
the only object to vote for few candidates from friendly
feelings very large number Of tickets presented the
polls not filled up by the voters but by other per-
At each place of voting large number of votes
taken from who could tell the of any Of the
candidates for whom they wished to vote. We will venture
to say that the majority called to mention the
names Of the candidates for whom they voted Monday,
they would be entirely unable to do
AT each OF the places OF voting there much confusion
The judges and clerks necessarily greatly perpared
We stood by and three persons vote and the clerk who
who made the record in putting down their votes, made
wrong aes in six places These discovered and
tilted but feel satisfied that in very large number Of
bundes made, and rectifed We have
doubt that thousands Of mistakes of the kind made
during the day in this city, because of of compe-
tency on the part and clerks but BECAUSE under the
circumstances, it utterly impossible to avoid mistakes.
This is serious objection the method pursued
Monday and be before another election takes
place for citizens after ettng and sweating for hours
get in to where they vote, will be satisfied if they
feel doubtful to whether their votes have been properly
recorded.
So far Louisville concerned there an eec-
ton which gave much discomfort One-ha of the
were virtually danchise BECAUSE owing to the few places
Of voting impossible to take than half the voes
The candidates who elected very much dssas
fed, together with their friends. They believed that if the
entire Of the city had been taken they would have been
elected and do not hesitate to say that the result not in
consoRance with the public sentiment II may be that had
all voted who desired VOTE of those who elected
would have been defeated and Of those who de-
feated would have been elected.
The immortality attendant such contest for public Of
flee that have just passed through is not compensated
by any benefits which the public derive from it. Through
the entire length and breadth of this State, for several
months past thousands of candidates have been going
about in all directions endeavorng to make favor for them
selves against the day Of election Wherever collection Of
people has been see there also have been all the
ddates in the county going about soliciting votes Each
candidate felt himself bound not only to solicit votes but TO
enlist influence Of the people by repeated "treangs
This vice of dram drinking to be inseparabe from po-
pular elections Candidates almost universally treat each
man that will drink and hence in preparing for such
election, many for the first time introduced to ha-
bit of noIicaon which renders them miserable in life and
men in Kentucky will die drunkards who will trace the orr
gin Of the thirst which ruined them the election contests
from which we have just emerged.
The many tricks to which most candidates feel themselves
compelled 10 resort have very decidedly injurious influence
their characters No become accustomed to
the equvocaon, deception and downright asehood of
election contest and have his better feelings perverted snd
poisoned candidate ID 'al things to all men,. he
suits himself the character of the person Of whom he is
letting vote with much exactness as the color Of the
chameleon suits itself the color Of the object with which
is in He Injuries himself by his hypocrtcal arts and
the voter by treating him. The amount of harm which the
has been subjected during the present year be
estimated Thousands Of characters have been injured and
very large number Of the injury will be lifelong
We very far from asserting believing that all the
ldaes far lost all serespect in their ardor for Office
condescend the lowest of the eleconeere
,ut still have doubt that large number Of them de-
cended to the lowest practices of the domagogue in the hope
If gaining votes by such degradation.
The people ougho consider this subject thoroughly, for
from them must proceed all reforms If the policy of elect
all officers cannot be changed much good may be gained
the people will refuse to support candidates for Office who,
o secure their election, willing to do oil that they
,an to vitiate and corrupt the voters.