The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1856-12-19

Oxx1CAAL PAF0R OF TIE CITY.
- ovslcR HnAR ooREEH o. nAIs Asp vouar
ev1u cAvE nAuKys BOOK STORE.
negissvy Law.
Among the suggestions contained in tn
admirable message Of Gov. Grimes, was on,
favorisg tho enactment Of Ragistry Law
The suggestion WAS wise and proper one
and Ne trust that 1t will b. acted upon 1t th
present session.
The ballet bax in this state IL not a. pur
- Il ought TO be, although We do not thinl
i has hasa ssessas corrupted r t the in
portsace Of guarding against corruption
and - far - possible assuring the peopl,
that Il faithfully reflects the sentiments of ,
legal majority, are sufficient reasons for en-
acting such laws a. viii most clearly and Ger.
tainly defend this palladium of popul Al
governnsat. In some of the states the bal.
ios-box has been shamefully used. Popular
slections, in such instances, have been de-
tsrnissd not BY careful collection Of the
honest opinions Of lawful voters, but BY the
most skillful and extensive employment of
frssd and forgery. We have seen the conse-
qssnsss which such state Of things has en-
tailed upoa community. California is . liv-
ing and startling example, and it would
sssa . II New York, Philadelphia, and
some Other cities, not to say whole districts
- some Of the states, we're rapidly nearing
the same fearful vortex from which she has
just emerged. II is unnecessary to inquire
Who has practicsd corruption Of this charac-
Ter to the greatest extent, or who is to suffer
the most, politically, by the enactment Of
saeh laws - are likely to Assure the greatest
degree Of purity. To the community, it 10
matter Of common interest, and no politi-
cisn, however bigotcd and bssotted, can, in
his iacid moments, wish to encourage and
establish the practice Of carrying elections by
fraad and triokery. II elections are carried
By fraud, and 1t 10 q fact ascsrtained and
provsable, however securely the act il covered
ovsr With the form Of law, ell respect for tho
lac itself 10 soon lost, and resort to force.
g rexolntinn, To rscsify saeh arrsnt wrongs,
10 the ultimate and inevitable consequence.
The popular will cannot with impunity
long be trifed with. Respect for the forms
OF the Law among our people 10 strong, and
they will endure much. But repeated and
notorious outrages Of popular sentiment,
and Of the spirit and intent Of the Law itse elf.
will soon be recti6ed, il necessary, outside
OF the Law, BY the strong arm Of an indig-
nans, perhaps an Infatuated, populace. To
guard against such results, to see that the
popular viii does have free and full course.
and that the honest sentiment Of the maiori-
ty establishes the Law, it is important to oil
to throw around the ballot-box every posi-
BILE shield against corruption, and 10 pre-
serve it ~ fs ishful index Of the judgment
OF the masses. Among the means which
have generally been regarded, and it seems
70 rs wisely, as most conducting to its purity,
Is registration Of all the lawful voters in |
community, the publication Of the list BY |
posting up in several conspicuous places,
and the prcservstion Of ii BY some Official for
examination. The friends of different can
didasss thus have the means Of inquiring in
advance concerning the qualifications of
voters, and will see that all their own polit-
icai friends are properly registered. The
regulation interferes with the right Of no
man, and can justly be complained Of by no
one not intending to take advantage of iss
absence. Bat in enacting the law, care should
be aiken that at any time, on the presenta-
lion Of satisfactory evidence, the names Of
awful voters may be added to the list, 30
hat none such may be lisbls 70 be excluded
IN consequence Of its provisions, or else It
nil Be obnoxious to the people, and Justly
70. One provision generally embodied in
he law, and probably just and prudent
'ne, y the payment Of the poll tax in order
2 qualify person for the privilege OF vo-
ting
The Law should be as careful as il 10 strin-
Beat N iss provisions, and il the Legislature
Axe up the question, We hope they will make
| |. . anexcoptionAblc and efficient ~ possi-
Dae. b1i !. "a subject, We repeat, which
snineatly demands their attention.
LILA AID CoLoRADo vALLEr COLONY
4 colony il forming in winterset for settle
Aeos In the new "Gadsden purchase They
have adopted the above name, which Is sig-
nihcsnt Of their particular dsatination.--
They calculate on finding thereabou,s, we
suppose, the fabulous I'll Dorado, and we
eFast they may discover there the Fountain
OF Youth also.
REMOVAL on LkcoxrrE. is ceneraliv re-
ported, ~ Al essas tha, ha. actually trans
PRED, thai Lssonpte hes been removed, and /
Sa.es .. Harrison appointed in his place, as
previous report stated. But We have seen
no nD4sestionably authentic statement to /
that effect, though ii is possibly true.
WALxER.--Accounts OF same date with
the intelligence published yesterday, say that
Walker was successful in Nicaragua. not. /
withstanding the critical position 10 which he |
vas left. Which account to believe, We do /
not know, though the probability is in favor /
OF the latter.
LEY. Ma IYso.--The friends Of Rev. Mr.. I