New-York daily tribune., 1851-10-02
No Scratching - sGpPsrt TIE Regular
Nominatio0s "


wrongs by contributing to the undeseryed
elevation Of bad ones. Dcat scratch a
name - Shouts the Ward orator At the top
Of hi, brestn Vote every name en- the
ticket echoes the party journal. 'Ere's
the rse'lqr ticSet, gentlemen cries the
vote-cistributor at the polls ami the con-
scientious. law. abiding, viTtuous citizen, IN
famed with political zeal and furriei by the
excitement and hustle all around Lim. takes
the vote handed him and drops it entire into
the ballot. box, though he we'll knows, or by
due inquiry would certainly learn, that there
are names borne upon it Of linen far filter for
the State Prison than the Legi, lature, Com
mon Council, or whatever may be the Po-
sition for which they are candidates.
tits time that the sorceries Of Party should
be deprived of this baIeful potency. 1t is
time that bad men were disabled from using
the necessary machinery of Parties for
their own aggrandizement and exaltation.
They have no right to the honors and emolu-
ments they have long managed by intrigue
and dexterity to secure. Every citizen
owes to his country the duty Of voting and
making proper exertions to secure just
result at each recurring Election; each
one owes to his own convictions and the
public interests decided support of those
principles and measures which seem to him
most conducive to the public veal, and there
fore to that Of the party which sustains them;
but il is no citizens duty to contribute to
the elevation of incapable or unworthy men
to stations Of trust or distinction. On the con-
trary, it is the duty of every citizen to take
care that such men be not elected, no mat
ter under what party designation. And so
far from hurting the party by scratching
the names of bad men off your ballots and
putting better in their stead, you could not
do your party greater service. If bad
men knew that good men would not vote
for them, they would cease to crowd them
selves on the tickets of their respective
parties 1t is the general understanding
that whoever can secure a nomination on
the ticket of the ascendant party is sure Of
his election, that Icurses all parties with
so many unworthy candidates. If these
could only be struck down Systematically
for a few consecutive elections, we should
have little further trouble with them.
There are a few stations in voting for
which citizen is bound to give great
weight to the rival candidates political
opinions. Foremost among these is the
post of Member of Congress. The Mem
Der is an agent, and scarcely free agent,
sent to Washington to give certain votes in
behalf Of his constituents. His political
opinions determine, or at least indicate, the
votes he may be expected to give on very
many of the important questions which will
come before the House We should there
fore feel justified in voting for the less
less deserving of two candidates
for Congress where We knew that this one
to a moral certainty would vote on most
important questions as we deemed right,
while his competitor would be equally cer-
tain to vote wrong. Yet even with regard
to this post concession to Party has its linz
its. A vote for plainly dishonest or IN
candidate is not justifable. Bet
ter have Member wrong in the head than
in the heart, though between a wrong mead
and an empty one the choice is more diff
cult. But the cases are very few which
need occasion any Perplexity. With regard
to all Municipal or Judicial stations, vote
should unhesitatingly be cast for more fit
man on the wrong ticket rather than one
less fit whose name is borne on the right
one And it is not enough to scratch oil
the names of these whom the voter cannot
help knowing to be unworthy-he should
take pains TO inform himself with respect To
the absolute or relative merits of rival can
didates and vote accordingly.
Merely scratching off bad names is not
sufficient; their places should be uniformly
filled with good ones. If the opposing can
didates are worthy, and the Office not essen
italy Political in It's duties, let their names
be substituted for their worthless competi-
tors if not. cast about for the names OF good
and capable men who are not candidates
and put them on the ballot before voting 1t.
There is great virtue in scattering votes
when they mean something. and that some
thing is dissatisfaction with the abilities or
moral principles of the regular candidates.
4 vote NAV exert no influence over the i'm
mediate result of the election, and yet be
far from thrown away.