Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1856-10-30
Increase Of Dem. vote.

Thus it will be seen that, while the
taxable polls have only increased 80 IN
two years, the rotes have increased al
most 900! And. as might be expected,
although the Republican vote has in
crease 33l from 1884, its majority. III
consequence of these mysterious votes,
has decreased 224. Outside Of South
Bend. Mish twaka, Terre Coupee and Cen
ire Township. the Republicans have ac-
.ually gained in the ssgregate over their
booming majorilies of 1854; and ;his has
been the case everywhere. amongst the
resident, stationary population OF the
State. Where scores of unknown votes
have been pollcd. the result has been dif'
ferent. La Porte county, which was
flooded with votes unknown TO her citl-
zens. polied 3.l3S votes for Congress in
1854; but this year rolls up an aggregate
of 4,556, an increase Of nearly one halt.
Mr.. Col(ax's vote in 1881 was l,129.-
Now il is 2,343 an increase of 6l4 votes.
over 33 per cent; bu; his majority is re.
duced from $50 TO l30. when we have
no doubt that fair poll would have Civ
en- the Republican ticket full 800 major
i,y in the county. These are far sam
Piles of the whole S.a,e. Fully l 800 to
600 illegal votes have been polled In
this District alone.
The question still remains. How can
this be remedied The answf, is plain.
The purity Of the ballo, box, the palia-
dium OF merican Liberty, MUsT be main
:ained. Every man. whether OF native
or foreign birth, who is legal voter,
and an actual resident of the township
in which he offers TO vote. should not
only be allowed TO vote, but should be
protected and aided ia the free exercise
! of the election franchise BY honest men
Of all parties. But when mon offer TO
vote who are not actual residents, who
do not pay taxes or work roads with US,
duty TO The actual voters requires lha
their ballots should not be thus nullihe,
by illegal votes. Our ablest jurlsts. sucf
as Judge Mcdonald, A. l.. Osborne, Esq.
and others, are unanimously OF the oplh
ion that an election board, who are sworl
To preserve the ballot box from llIega
and frauduleat votes, and elected tor tha
express purpose have the right to sa;Ist!
themselves BY examination aud enquiry
whether the person offering his ballot Is
legal voter or not; and if they are sails
fled from his answers that he is not, thea
duty is plain. Ii an insane man Is VII
ling 10 swear hat he is sane, no election
judges would or should allow him hi
oath. Or. If il were known that an cleo
tion would be decided by one vote, woul'
any election board allow man whom
lhey LnOir 10 be dslranchised convict
to swear his vote in? OF course not.
The true doclrlue is. that every leSa
"oter should be protected and aided II
T the exercise OF his suffrage; but suiirag'
is good for nothing i. hundreds OF paipa
bly Illegal votes can be stuffed INTO
ballot box, and thus reverse the decision
and crush out the expressed Mill oil IN
people. When the oaih is administered
it should be, as it always is IL ever.
Court of Justice, in the mannor most ON
ding on the conscience. If il is with th'
hand uplifted. or tie hand laid on cross
or by kissing the Blble-whichever wa.
is regarded by the alliant as the mos
binding-is the way in which he shou''
take the oath. and no legal voter vii
object to lis being thus administered.
We are glad TO learn also that Ou
township assessors will generally be a
the polls on election day, in order TO adj
10 their assessment lists the names o
these hundreds Of persons, who. If the.
are legal voters. viii not .! course ob
ject 10 sharing with us III the paying O
taxes. Thus, another such a vote a
that polled at our State election wi
enable our assessors 10 add 10 the To
List hundreds upon hundreds of person
whom they have not been able Ia find o
assess hitherto; and VIII also carry on
that just principle of tree government
that those who participate in It's bless
ings should assist in bearing is burdens
With full, honest vote. ST. 10. vii
give fremont fully 500 majority; sn,
LaPorte promises equally we'll. Viii
+ illegal votes kept out OF the ballot box
Indiana is as certain for Fremont nn,
Freedom as Vermont aud Maine. w
have seen how one election has beel
carried In regard TO the next, fore
warned we are forearmed.
South Bend Register.
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